Italian embassy Facebook page flooded with comments after Skytrain fracas

AFTER a group of Italian youths brawled with a Thai woman on BTS Skytrain yesterday (July 24) when she asked them to stop being so noisy as they were disturbing other passengers, by nightfall comments by Thai netizens had flooded the Italian embassy Facebook page while another Facebook user posted an open letter to Italian Ambassador Paolo Dionisi on this issue on his page, Naewna newspaper said.

This incident went viral on Thai social media after the Facebook page “Jae Moy v+” posted a picture and caption stating: “Bad behavior by foreign tourists on the BTS.” She mentioned that they had made rude gestures including pointing the middle finger after she warned them about the noise. A video clip shared by Manager online newspaper was included.

Among the comments are the following:

“Italy should teach manners to their children. It would be best to teach them from the moment they can speak, because letting them grow up and display such disrespectful behaviour towards other countries is unacceptable.”

“Are these teenagers’ parents dead? Don’t let them grow up without teaching them manners,”

“Money can’t buy manners.”

“Does your country even have textbooks that teach manners? But Thailand has it, of course.”

“Consideration is a virtue of the refined. If someone lacks it, they will never succeed in this life. Thai students memorise this from a young age. If you don’t teach this, or don’t have it as a basic aspect of life, please don’t call yourself refined.”

“Italy hasn’t taken responsibility; I’m telling you, it’ll escalate to the point where people are handing out cultural abuse outside hotels. Please issue a press release; otherwise, I’ll consider pineapple pizza originated in your country. Please teach your students proper etiquette when visiting other countries. It’s truly appalling.”

“If nothing happens and it remains silent like this, maybe we should all go and protest at the Italian embassies abroad, like in England, France, or Switzerland? Lack of manners, do you think that’s cool?”

However, there has been no official statement from the Italian Embassy in Thailand regarding this incident, and comments have been restricted on some posts.

Earlier Prat Samsee posted this open letter to the Italian Ambassador in English on his Facebook page:

To His Excellency the Ambassador of the Italian Republic to the Kingdom of Thailand and All Relevant Parties,

With regard to the reported incident involving a group of Italian youths who were making excessive noise and disturbing other passengers, and who, after being asked to lower their voices, allegedly responded with remarks insulting Thai people—including the statement that they were “Sorry for bringing money to Thai people”—as well as inappropriate gestures and conduct, such as raising their middle fingers, using abusive language, and attempting to obstruct the recording of the incident, I wish to express my profound dissatisfaction with such behaviour.

Their actions demonstrate not only a serious lack of courtesy in a public place, but also an inappropriate attitude that clearly undermines the dignity and humanity of others.

Asking someone to reduce excessive noise in a public area is a legitimate right of every fellow passenger. It should never become a pretext for making derogatory remarks based on nationality or for insulting another person’s dignity. Such conduct constitutes a serious failure to respect the basic humanity of others.

Visitors to Thailand are expected to respect its people, laws, and social customs, just as Thai citizens are expected to do when travelling abroad.

I respectfully request that the Embassy of the Italian Republic and the relevant authorities investigate the facts surrounding this incident. Should it be established that the individuals acted as reported, I ask that appropriate measures be taken, including issuing a formal warning, requiring them to accept responsibility for their conduct, and offering an apology to those affected.

Thailand and Italy are both civilised nations that have maintained warm and friendly relations for many years. The conduct of a small group of individuals should not be generalised as representative of the Italian people as a whole. Nevertheless, such inappropriate behaviour must not be overlooked or allowed to pass without consequence, as doing so could be interpreted as tolerating the humiliation and discriminatory treatment of citizens of the host country.

Thai people are not asking to be treated as superior to anyone else. We ask only to be treated with equal dignity and respect as fellow human beings.

Respectfully yours,

Prat Samsee

A Thai Citizen

CAPTION:

This and Front Page: Images of the Italians youths making a noise on the Skytrain shared on Facebook by Jae Moy v+

Watch video shared by Teamforyou66 on TikTok: