"We Were Wrong": Italian Teenagers Apologize With Deep Bow After Causing Disturbance in Bangkok

Teenagers Mocked Woman's Request for Quiet
Video Surpassed 10 Million Views in a Day
Italian Embassy Issues Apology... Fines Paid and Early Return Ordered

An Italian school trip group that stirred controversy by mocking a local woman on Bangkok's elevated railway eventually paid a fine and offered an apology.

The Italian school trip group that caused a disturbance in Bangkok, Thailand, posted an apology video through the embassy. Facebook page of the Italian Embassy in Bangkok

On the 27th (local time), Yonhap News, citing the UK's Daily Mail and other sources, reported that "a video showing a disturbance caused by Italian teenagers on Bangkok's 'BTS Skytrain' has spread rapidly, leading even the Italian Embassy to issue an apology."

The incident began when a Thai woman posted a video on her social media on the 23rd. The video showed dozens of Italian teenagers on a school trip to Bangkok, making loud noises inside the train.

When the woman politely asked them to be quiet, explaining that "people in Thailand do not shout," one of the group sarcastically replied, "Sorry for bringing money to your country." Other students laughed at her, jeered, or made profane remarks, with one even showing his middle finger.

The video surpassed 10 million views within a single day of posting and spread rapidly. The Italian Embassy received a flood of complaints from Thai netizens.

Street scene in Thailand to aid understanding of the article. Pixabay

In response, the Italian Embassy in Bangkok issued a statement on the morning of the 25th in Italian, English, and Thai. The statement expressed "deep regret over this incident and strongly condemned the inappropriate actions of the group of minor tourists," adding, "We sincerely apologize to the people of Thailand and everyone affected by this event."

The students also directly expressed their remorse. In a 95-second video uploaded to the embassy's social media, four representatives performed the traditional Thai 'wai' gesture and said, "What we did was wrong. We deeply apologize to the people of Thailand." The students added that those directly involved in the incident would be returning to Italy earlier than planned.

It was reported that the five students involved, along with two chaperones and one interpreter, met with the affected woman at the police station on the night of the 25th. After more than an hour of discussion, both parties came to an amicable agreement. The students and their chaperones admitted their actions were inappropriate, apologized, and each paid a fine of 1,000 baht (about 40,000 won). The woman agreed to delete all related photos and videos from her phone and social media accounts.

The Thai police issued a warning that such acts could be subject to punishment. Trairong Phiphan, spokesperson for the Royal Thai Police, stated, "If someone perceives gestures like showing the middle finger or making disparaging remarks as insulting or humiliating, such actions may constitute a criminal insult under Thai law," and emphasized, "The same principle can apply to discriminatory statements targeting race or nationality."

Meanwhile, there has also been a move for self-restraint within the Thai online community, concerned about the criticism escalating excessively. Some users have called for moderation, stating, "Escalating the situation could cause further harm or damage Thailand's reputation," and others have urged, "Let's refrain from bullying and resolve the matter peacefully."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.