24 minutes ago, Cabradelmar said:

It's all about respect, or lack thereof. Respect the land, the history, the language, the traditions, and the societal norms. Travelling should be about understanding where you are, and appreciating what makes that place unique. The best travellers do not simply visit a culture. They listen to it, and learn from it. If you can't do that, maybe you should travel less. Sure, Thais can be loud (at festivals, Karaoke, etc.). They love to have fun (in the right places). But what you don't typically see are Thais being loud and obnoxious on public transport. Context is everything for a Thai. And yes, the Thai women took the bold (and decidedly, un-Thai) approach of confronting the offenders. I'm glad she did. Sometimes people need to be called out in order to bring problems to the fore.

I've seen Thai women in my hometown in the UK prostituting themselves by the Railway station and associated pubs nearby.

Is that your ' context ' for Thais, I'm pretty sure that's not an activity in the holiday brochures for the UK nor expected behavior.

It doesn't take much once the Thai press and social media shakes up a storm to turn a small event, that could be nipped in the bud, into a World war.

Now we have the Thai vigilantes boasting and saying they know where the Italian students are staying.

1 hour ago, Robin said:

There is sometimes an unfortunate trend to think that people n a foreign country do not understand what visitors are saying, so the visitors have freedom to say what they like, regardless of how offensive it is.

The itlianns behaviour is not acceptable, and it is no excuse to call them "minors" They appear to me to be young adults and quite old enough to know how to be have decently in public.

Groups of Thais might have been known to talk loudly, but this is no excuse for others to copy their boorish behaviour. One bad deed is not righted by another.

I am pretty sure the Italians knew enough English to understand the Thai lady when she started effing and jeffing!!

UPDATE

Pattaya police step up patrols at Bali Hai Pier

Pictures courtesy of Amarin

Pattaya police strengthened security at Bali Hai Pier on July 25, after social media reports claimed a group of Italian exchange students at the centre of a BTS dispute could be travelling to Koh Larn.

Officers found no sign of the students at the pier, which is Pattaya's main departure point for passenger boats to the island. There was also no gathering of local residents or social media users, despite online speculation.

The reports followed the circulation of a video showing a group of Italian exchange students making noise on the BTS Silom Line while travelling towards Sala Daeng station.

Online backlash follows BTS video

Internet users subsequently said they had identified the group as exchange students from a school in Italy. Video clips and information were sent to the school, with calls for it to investigate the students' conduct.

Several students seen in the footage later made their TikTok and other social media accounts private following the heavy criticism.

Further social media posts then claimed that the group was due to visit Koh Larn, in Chon Buri province. Reporters went to Bali Hai Pier in Pattaya to check the reports.

Police presence at the pier

The atmosphere at the pier remained normal, according to the on-site check. Pattaya City Police officers were carrying out their usual security duties and patrols, although commanders had instructed them to increase checks and monitor for anything unusual.

Police said their senior officers had been made aware of the reports and had told personnel to tighten security and maintain order in the area.

As of the latest update, officers had not found that the Italian exchange students had arrived at Bali Hai Pier.

25 July 2026

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

As for the comment about "bringing money into the country," that's a common expression used worldwide by pompous, arrogant, self-important people who feel they're being unnecessarily berated by a local over something trivial.

No actually tourists are bringing a lot of money into the country.

Probably 20 per cent or more of the GDP is from tourism. Maybe you can do the research and get back to me.

And most of the central Bangkok area prices cater only to tourists and rich Thais. The average Thai cannot afford a 400 Baht rooftop cocktail and all those expensive restaurants. The entire central Bangkok area is a fake construct for tourists and expats with deeper wallets than locals.

And the tourists are on high adrenaline. They're only here for a short time and in party mode. Italians are naturally more talkative than Asians. They're not commuting to work like the locals. It's completely blown out of proportion that they were a little loud on the BTS and being treated as a crime.

This situation shows a seething underlying hatred or racism or whatever it is. And lack of appreciation how much the tourism industry supports the country.

Edited July 25Jul 25 by save the frogs

4 hours ago, motdaeng said:

if it had been a loud and annoying group of chinese tourists, some of you would probably see this thai lady's intervention ( well done) very differently ...

by the way, english is not her native language. why judge her for using words that may not have been the best choice? many people sound more direct or awkward when speaking a language that isn't their

own ...

I have heard some excuses for using obscenities, but yours takes the Blue Riband.

Not the best choice of words?

If we had used the Thai equivalent and the roles were reversed, the Thais would be all out for stringing us up.

To point out it is against the law to take photos or video without the persons permission !!

UPDATE

Thai woman files Police report over Italian students on BTS

Picture courtesy of Amarin

A 25-year-old Thai woman has filed a police complaint at Samre police station after a confrontation with a group of Italian students on Bangkok's BTS Skytrain. The dispute, captured in a video shared online, began after she asked the group to lower their voices.

Sugar, the Thai passenger involved, said on 25 July that she had decided to seek action against those involved to defend the rights of Thai people. The video has prompted widespread criticism online over the students' behaviour.

Complaint follows BTS confrontation

According to Sugar, the students had been noisy from the time they were on the platform and continued once they boarded the train. She said she tolerated the disturbance for some time before speaking to them.

"I thought the students would lower their voices, but that did not happen," she said. "Imagine 20 or 30 teenagers talking loudly together in a narrow BTS carriage - how loud would that be?"

She said the group then shouted a word together in Italian which she believed was offensive, before laughing at what she described as an insult aimed at a Thai person.

The earlier video showed an argument between the passengers, with the students accused of using abusive language, making sexually threatening gestures and later raising middle fingers after leaving the train.

Adult accused of backing the group

Sugar said an adult woman accompanying the students did not intervene to stop them. Instead, she said the woman told her that it was unrealistic to expect such a large group of students to be quiet.

The woman was also alleged to have said: "I bring money to your country, and you still have a problem?" Sugar described the remark as rude. She further said the woman used the phrase "fuck you".

Sugar said the adult's response encouraged the students' conduct, rather than restraining it. She said visitors should respect others wherever they travel and should not impose on people in public spaces.

25 July 2026

4 minutes ago, Georgealbert said:

UPDATE

Thai woman files Police report over Italian students on BTS

Picture courtesy of Amarin

A 25-year-old Thai woman has filed a police complaint at Samre police station after a confrontation with a group of Italian students on Bangkok's BTS Skytrain. The dispute, captured in a video shared online, began after she asked the group to lower their voices.

Sugar, the Thai passenger involved, said on 25 July that she had decided to seek action against those involved to defend the rights of Thai people. The video has prompted widespread criticism online over the students' behaviour.

Complaint follows BTS confrontation

According to Sugar, the students had been noisy from the time they were on the platform and continued once they boarded the train. She said she tolerated the disturbance for some time before speaking to them.

"I thought the students would lower their voices, but that did not happen," she said. "Imagine 20 or 30 teenagers talking loudly together in a narrow BTS carriage - how loud would that be?"

She said the group then shouted a word together in Italian which she believed was offensive, before laughing at what she described as an insult aimed at a Thai person.

The earlier video showed an argument between the passengers, with the students accused of using abusive language, making sexually threatening gestures and later raising middle fingers after leaving the train.

Adult accused of backing the group

Sugar said an adult woman accompanying the students did not intervene to stop them. Instead, she said the woman told her that it was unrealistic to expect such a large group of students to be quiet.

The woman was also alleged to have said: "I bring money to your country, and you still have a problem?" Sugar described the remark as rude. She further said the woman used the phrase "<deleted> you".

Sugar said the adult's response encouraged the students' conduct, rather than restraining it. She said visitors should respect others wherever they travel and should not impose on people in public spaces.

25 July 2026

Everybody better be careful and make sure you're not having a bad day when Sugar is around.

<>

Edited July 25Jul 25 by save the frogs

3 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Everybody better be careful and make sure you're not having a bad day when Sugar is around.

She's off for her ten minutes of fame!

"by the way, english is not her native language. why judge her for using words that may not have been the best choice? many people sound more direct or awkward when speaking a language that isn't their own ..."

32 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

I have heard some excuses for using obscenities, but yours takes the Blue Riband.

Not the best choice of words?

could it be that you don't speak multiple languages?

if you do, I'm surprised you didn't understand it ... but, never mind 😀

2 minutes ago, motdaeng said:

"by the way, english is not her native language. why judge her for using words that may not have been the best choice? many people sound more direct or awkward when speaking a language that isn't their own ..."

That's complete nonsense.

She was deliberately using swear words.

And in fact, everyone knows that when you start using swear words at people, there is a chance they will retaliate with aggression.

And I wouldn't be surprised if she was deliberately trying to goad them into acting out aggressively to have video evidence of it and put them in more serious trouble.

6 hours ago, jaiyenyen said:

"The company said the group consisted of young students, many of them minors, taking part in a study trip aimed at learning about a new culture and fostering respect for the host country".

If many of them were minors, where was their guide/chaperone?

It also looks like the aim of the study trip failed miserably.

That was my thought. Where was the teacher or chaperones? If they were truly on a learning trip about new cultures and fostering respect for the host country, why wasn't the teacher teaching them that. Kids can get out of control, but the teacher might have told them to cool it after a few minutes. I might have been kicked out of the program for acting like that, back in the day.

Having said that, the lady probably shouldn't have used the F- word if she was trying to teach the kids respect. It was a bad situation that went south fast.

A. Teens and under age? Why don’t they have one or several chaperones. Seems insane that you would let a bunch of kids loose in any city without some adult supervision, especially Bangkok.

B. How do you get to ICON Siam on the Sukhumvit line?

C. I didn’t know Thailand had Karens.

D. Speaking of the Karen, can I rent her to chastise Thai people when they’re in a public space talking loudly, in a group and having a good time, or worst of all using the speakerphone function of their phone in a quiet cafe?

OK. That’s all I’ve got.

52 minutes ago, motdaeng said:

"by the way, english is not her native language. why judge her for using words that may not have been the best choice? many people sound more direct or awkward when speaking a language that isn't their own ..."

could it be that you don't speak multiple languages?

if you do, I'm surprised you didn't understand it ... but, never mind 😀

I do speak other languages as is known to people on here, however, foul language in English, especially the words she used are offensive, aggressive and definitely risk retaliation.

Your defence of her using them and excuses are pure drivel.

Italians making too much noise. I must remember this the next time I am staying in Thailand and some Thais are having a party and 100dB music blaring out until 2 am.

2 hours ago, Cabradelmar said:

It's all about respect, or lack thereof. Respect the land, the history, the language, the traditions, and the societal norms. Travelling should be about understanding where you are, and appreciating what makes that place unique. The best travellers do not simply visit a culture. They listen to it, and learn from it. If you can't do that, maybe you should travel less. Sure, Thais can be loud (at festivals, Karaoke, etc.). They love to have fun (in the right places). But what you don't typically see are Thais being loud and obnoxious on public transport. Context is everything for a Thai. And yes, the Thai women took the bold (and decidedly, un-Thai) approach of confronting the offenders. I'm glad she did. Sometimes people need to be called out in order to bring problems to the fore.

I am wondering if she had done the same if it were Thai youngsters. So why for foreigners only. Nowhere there are billboards or stickers whete people can read that a low voice is needed in a BTS. How can you vondemn people for things theu cant know

1 hour ago, Scouse123 said:

I've seen Thai women in my hometown in the UK prostituting themselves by the Railway station and associated pubs nearby.

Is that your ' context ' for Thais, I'm pretty sure that's not an activity in the holiday brochures for the UK nor expected behavior.

It doesn't take much once the Thai press and social media shakes up a storm to turn a small event, that could be nipped in the bud, into a World war.

Now we have the Thai vigilantes boasting and saying they know where the Italian students are staying.

This is not about what, or who, UK authorities allow to get away with, or can't control, and is entirely irrelevant to the case at hand. Bad behavior on display by foreigners, and the local woman's reaction, is the topic. Whataboutism is simply a logical trap and a distraction. Your using counter-accusation (as it pertains to the UK) to avoid addressing the main topic of the article, and fails to prove anything as to this particular event. Feel free to try again.

11 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

I am wondering if she had done the same if it were Thai youngsters. So why for foreigners only. Nowhere there are billboards or stickers whete people can read that a low voice is needed in a BTS. How can you vondemn people for things theu cant know

We're not talking about Thai children. And if you take public transport you would know that one rarely sees Thai youth acting out. So, who knows "what if", it's a moot point. Btw, the system now makes public announcements to avoid excessive noise (in fact, BTS guidelines state that creating excessive noise or disturbing others can lead to a 500 baht fine and removal from the train system.).

I believe the loud and rude miscreants have come to the attention of the Italian Embassy here, tracked down and summonsed for a public apology, already delivered.

From what I've seen, it's people from a certain ancient Asian nation with a ton of EVs who turn every bus, train, and public place into a stadium—you can't even hear your own headphones. So why is everyone going after the pasta-eaters?

5 hours ago, Ctkong said:

She is just protecting her red line and had the gut to stand up for her beliefs. The other Thais just bear with the loud noises and kept quiet due to their kreng jai culture . The Italians are indeed too loud in the train.

In my opinion, the Italians were just being excited kids on holiday. She was the one that turned nothing into something. I wonder if she would have done the same if it was a group of Thai kids.

How do you say mountain out of a molehill in Italian?

Someone just sent me this:

10 hours ago, Keeenok Powell said:

I’m with the Eyeties on this.Excited kids on holiday.None behaving badly.Also the entitled Thai lady was the only one to swear.

They were swearing and gesturing at her right away before she responded and said it right back to them. Her English was poor but she was trying initially to explain to them that they were being too loud and it's not the Thai way on BTS (it carries a 500bt fine actually).
Their teacher was totally to blame for joining in and encouraging their obnoxious and intimidating behaviour.
I don't blame the Thai lady one bit for becoming angry. If you listen she asks to help them, trying the usual Thai way of seeking mutual understanding and face saving, where are they going, where are they from? Explaining they are on the wrong line for tourist areas etc. I watched the whole thing. It was nasty. Mob rule, the crotch grabbing and thrusting at her was disgusting. The Teachers should be sacked for their part in it. Instead of shutting it down they joined in!
Here on a "Cultural exchange"?! Yeah right. Absolutely no respect or research done on Thai customs. Horrible bunch of bullies.

2 hours ago, LivingNThailand said:

That was my thought. Where was the teacher or chaperones? If they were truly on a learning trip about new cultures and fostering respect for the host country, why wasn't the teacher teaching them that. Kids can get out of control, but the teacher might have told them to cool it after a few minutes. I might have been kicked out of the program for acting like that, back in the day.

Having said that, the lady probably shouldn't have used the F- word if she was trying to teach the kids respect. It was a bad situation that went south fast.

The 'Teachers', a male and a female joined in giving the kids free reign to escalate. Both should be sacked.

3 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

UPDATE

Thai woman files Police report over Italian students on BTS

Picture courtesy of Amarin

A 25-year-old Thai woman has filed a police complaint at Samre police station after a confrontation with a group of Italian students on Bangkok's BTS Skytrain. The dispute, captured in a video shared online, began after she asked the group to lower their voices.

Sugar, the Thai passenger involved, said on 25 July that she had decided to seek action against those involved to defend the rights of Thai people. The video has prompted widespread criticism online over the students' behaviour.

Complaint follows BTS confrontation

According to Sugar, the students had been noisy from the time they were on the platform and continued once they boarded the train. She said she tolerated the disturbance for some time before speaking to them.

"I thought the students would lower their voices, but that did not happen," she said. "Imagine 20 or 30 teenagers talking loudly together in a narrow BTS carriage - how loud would that be?"

She said the group then shouted a word together in Italian which she believed was offensive, before laughing at what she described as an insult aimed at a Thai person.

The earlier video showed an argument between the passengers, with the students accused of using abusive language, making sexually threatening gestures and later raising middle fingers after leaving the train.

Adult accused of backing the group

Sugar said an adult woman accompanying the students did not intervene to stop them. Instead, she said the woman told her that it was unrealistic to expect such a large group of students to be quiet.

The woman was also alleged to have said: "I bring money to your country, and you still have a problem?" Sugar described the remark as rude. She further said the woman used the phrase "<deleted> you".

Sugar said the adult's response encouraged the students' conduct, rather than restraining it. She said visitors should respect others wherever they travel and should not impose on people in public spaces.

25 July 2026

She is absolutely right and if you watch the whole thing and listen carefully it entirely supports what she says here.

3 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

I am pretty sure the Italians knew enough English to understand the Thai lady when she started effing and jeffing!!

They started it! In fact the 'Teacher" clearly said 'F**k you to her first off.

Maybe the Thais should boycott pasta and pizza?

Mamma Mia -- this has all become way too extra.

Thailand is funny.

One of the biggest mass tourism magnets in the world, yet giving strong signals they don't actually welcome the tourists. Schizo stuff.

17 minutes ago, Chutney said:

She is absolutely right and if you watch the whole thing and listen carefully it entirely supports what she says here.

And wearing a mask, I thought she was a hero, and would want all the Thai nation recognising her?🤔