Discussions about Thai politics and current events on Pantip.com's topic boards are often cited in the Thai press, particularly in such English-language newspapers as the Bangkok Post and The Nation, as a gauge of the public's mood about various issues. At the beginning, the site gained its popularity from people's misunderstanding of its name which is similar (and identical in English) to Bangkok's format IT shopping center,  Pantip Plaza, but it is in no way affiliated with the mall.
Discussions about Thai politics and current events on Pantip.com's forums are frequently cited by Thai newspapers, particularly those written in English like the Bangkok Post and The Nation, as a reflection of public opinion on various issues.  The site gained initial popularity due to a misunderstanding of its name, which is similar (and identical in English) to Bangkok's IT shopping center, Pantip Plaza, but it has no connection to the mall.