The Chinese embassy has called on Thai authorities to investigate allegations that excessive force was used against a Chinese national during a confrontation with event staff at a book festival in Bangkok. The embassy said it had been informed of the incident at the International Novel Festival 2026, held at Samyan Mitrtown, and noted that organiser GMM TV Co., Ltd. had acknowledged that “excessive force was used” during the altercation. The embassy urged Thailand to establish the facts promptly, take appropriate action and said it would provide assistance to the Chinese citizen within the scope of its duties. Dispute over seating escalated The confrontation took place during a special meet-and-greet event with artistes, where organisers had imposed strict seating rules. Each attendee was entitled to one assigned seat, with reserving or transferring seats prohibited. According to reports from Thai media, the dispute began after the Chinese attendee occupied a seat that had briefly been vacated by a Thai participant intending to save it for a friend. It was also reported that the Chinese woman had purchased a reservation through a booking service, which would have breached the event’s rules. Staff reportedly spent between 10 and 20 minutes attempting to resolve the matter, showing photographic evidence that she had not been in the original queue and repeatedly asking her to leave. Thai reports said she ignored the requests, remained focused on her mobile phone and shook off a staff member’s arm. The situation turned physical when staff attempted to remove her and blocked her camera while she was filming. Thai accounts say the woman then kicked a female staff member in the leg, prompting other staff members to restrain her, describing it as a standard safety response to violent behaviour. Conflicting accounts fuel online backlash A different version of events quickly spread on Chinese social media, where users claimed the woman had arrived at 6am and possessed evidence proving her place in the queue. According to those accounts, staff refused to examine the evidence before using force, including grabbing her phone, pressing on her neck and dragging her away. Chinese social media users also claimed she kicked staff only in self-defence before being thrown to the ground by what was described as a long-haired male security guard, leaving her clothing torn and official merchandise damaged. The incident triggered widespread criticism online in China, with calls to boycott Thai artistes and demands for an apology and punishment. Rumours also circulated that organisers planned legal action against the woman for damaging Thailand’s tourism image. Thai attendees disputed many of those claims, sharing videos they said showed only female staff were involved, rather than a male security guard. They also questioned claims that the woman had been waiting since 6am, noting that the shopping centre did not open until 10am. They argued the footage showed the woman resisted staff and kicked a female employee before both fell to the ground. The Chinese embassy has asked Thai authorities to clarify what happened, while the differing accounts circulating online underline the importance of awaiting the outcome of any official investigation before drawing conclusions. Related story GMMTV-suspends-guard-after-Chinese-fan-clash-backlash Join the discussion? 28 July 2026
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