Footage of Italian teenagers and their teacher behaving rowdily on a BTS SkyTrain in Bangkok has sparked widespread backlash and forced the Italian embassy to issue a public apology.
The video, viewed 16 million times on social media, shows a Thai woman confronting the group for being too loud. She tells them: "In Thailand, we don't scream." When she asks where they are from, they mockingly reply "Thailand" before one calls her a "b****". Another appears to give her the middle finger as the group laughs and continues making noise.
The clip also captures a teacher sarcastically telling the woman: "Sorry for bringing money to your country", before telling her to "shut the f*** up" and stating the group are "just children".
Public outcry
The reaction was swift. One social media user wrote: "Bringing money, no one complains, but please bring some manners too." Another said: "Bringing money to Thailand doesn't make you a god." Some users tracked down the teenagers and targeted their schools' social media pages. Others gathered outside the hotel where the group was staying, demanding an apology.
Embassy apology video
Following the international furore, the Italian embassy in Bangkok released a video featuring three adults and a teenager offering humble apologies. After bowing, a male adult says: "We are the leaders of the Italian group that went viral. We are making this video to apologise to the Thai people and Thai culture. We wanted to shoot this video yesterday, but we were worried and scared so we postponed. That was probably the wrong decision. We wanted to ask for forgiveness for our behaviour to the Thai people and the country."
A woman says: "I'm personally extremely sorry for what has happened. I know that money can't buy respect and I'm really sorry for all the people offended and for having offended Thai culture and Thai people."
A young man appearing to be a teenager says: "I'm very sorry for everyone in Thailand because of what I did on the BTS train. It was wrong. I'm very sorry for my behaviour."
A second adult woman says: "We do not accept this behaviour. The students are returning to Italy as soon as possible, and we will also try to teach our group again to strictly respect that culture. Thank you for welcoming us and we humbly ask for your forgiveness."
