A viral TikTok video shared from a Bangkok train on Friday shows a Thai woman confronting a group of Italian teenagers who are reportedly noisy and exchanging vulgar words and gestures. The clip, which is widely circulated online, depicts the Thai woman telling the group to be quiet and expressing offence at their behaviour and lack of manners, while the confrontation includes vulgar language and gestures from both sides. Some viewers criticise the teenagers for disrespecting local customs, while others say the Thai woman’s reaction is too harsh.
In response, the Italian Embassy in Bangkok says it condemns the “inappropriate behaviour of a group of Italian underage tourists” on what it describes as a school trip and offers an apology to the people of Thailand and others affected. The embassy statement adds that it believes Italians understand and value respect, courtesy and peaceful coexistence. The embassy also shares a follow-up video featuring adults identified as leaders of the group and the teen seen making a middle-finger gesture, with those individuals apologising.
Thailand has also recently shortened visa-free stays for tourists as part of efforts to curb crimes involving foreign nationals. Tourism remains important to Thailand’s economy, though foreign arrivals have not fully returned to pre-Covid-19 levels.
