China names and shames 4 tourists over Thai airport incident

[Jonathan Fairfield]

China names and shames 4 tourists over Thai airport incident

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese authorities have named and shamed four travelers over an incident at Bangkok's airport in which they vented their frustration by belting out the Chinese national anthem.

The four were part of a group of Chinese tourists whose flight home had been delayed by eight hours until 3:00 a.m.

When the plane arrived, they refused to board until their compensation demands were met, then broke into the national anthem amid hooting, shouts and general chaos in the departure lounge.

A 57-second clip of the incident recorded on a mobile phone circulated widely on the Internet in China, prompting an investigation by the China National Tourism Administration, which said Saturday it had added their names to its list of those accused of "uncivilized behavior."

The four "incited other travelers to disrespect public order in the airport, spoke and acted hysterically, seriously harmed the image of Chinese travelers abroad," the administration said in a statement. Their names will remain on the list for between two and three years.

While inclusion doesn't ban them from flying, the list can be checked by airlines and travel agencies, who then have the option of refusing them service. The list is public and can also be viewed by police, customs and border security agents, banks and others issuing credit.

Numerous incidents of bad behavior by Chinese tourists abroad, from fighting with air crews to defacing cultural artifacts, have drawn widespread derision in China. That prompted the administration last year to create the list, which now contains 11 names.

Others named and shamed have included a couple who poured instant noodles soaked in hot water onto flight attendant and made insults and threats in a dispute over seating. Another opened emergency doors on a domestic flight during a delay and still another had climbed onto statues of revolutionary heroes to have his photo taken.

Rising incomes and cheap flights have permitted record numbers of Chinese to travel domestically and abroad, touring scenic and cultural spots around the world. Among other complaints are line-cutting, smoking in public, littering and fouling public toilets.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-09-13

Video: Chinese tourists sing national anthem at Don Mueang

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOEOsUlUf7o

[robertthebruce]

I bet they were SPITTING MAD.....

[EricBerg]

"That prompted the administration last year to create the list, which now contains 11 names."

Only 11 in a bit less than a year?????????? Did they miss that group in Terminal 21 a month ago. With the market in MOM's week? Messing up small shops, complaining about prices and buying nothing.

And what about that group at Doi Suthep a few weeks earlier? Pushing away a few small kids to make a clean group picture without others. Then complaining the parents they should keep their kids away. They even outclass the Thai in littering.

Loud, uneducated, uncivilised, unhygienic, barbarians. And then they only get 11 on that list!

[cooked]

I wonder if these are people that have a bit more money than most and are used to being treated with deference. Way to go!

[JeremyBowskill]

Crap, any Brit in Spain would do better than that!

[MaxLee]

Well let them have a Chinese attitude adjustment at home....

[Veeke]

I never knew China allows this much freedom - I cannot think of hurting religious sentiments or national anthem unless I am in a mood to commit to suicide

[NanLaew]

... and still another had climbed onto statues of revolutionary heroes to have his photo taken. ...

Thailand had a revolution?...

[kmj]

... and still another had climbed onto statues of revolutionary heroes to have his photo taken. ...

Thailand had a revolution?...

They don't say it happened in Thailand, this is about actions happening anywhere I think.

[lvr181]

Only "revolution" in Thailand I can think of, is many people......going around in circles and not actually achieving anything!

I will let you fill in the blank as to who the "people" are

[Mot Dang]

I surprised they didn't sully the floor for good measure.

[Assurancetourix]

... and still another had climbed onto statues of revolutionary heroes to have his photo taken. ...

Thailand had a revolution?...

Had, has and will have ;

every year around the sun

[tigermonkey]

... and still another had climbed onto statues of revolutionary heroes to have his photo taken. ...

Thailand had a revolution?...

It is a mis-translation. The translation of the original should read " had climbed onto statues of heroes who were revolting, to have his photo taken"

[Prbkk]

Fuss about nothing: just some light-hearted high jinx. They add some colour and movement to the otherwise dull airport experience.

[moe666]

they killed all of the people who could have taught this bunch some manners, they have been taught manners by a bunch of farmers and uneducated people

[chilli42]

Its only a matter of time until someone has a punch up with these clowns. That will certainly make headlines.

[arrowsdawdle]

I wonder if these are people that have a bit more money than most and are used to being treated with deference. Way to go!

If they were those kind of people they would have occupied the terminal and shut down the airport.

[puukao]

7 billion clowns on this planet.

Even 10 million being crazy is a low percentage.

Get used to these stories, from all nationalities.

*give me that beer, it's noon somewhere!!!!

[arrowsdawdle]

... and still another had climbed onto statues of revolutionary heroes to have his photo taken. ...

Thailand had a revolution?...

Had, has and will have ;

every year around the sun

Except that when it is the army doing the revolting it is no longer called revolution, it is Thailand going retrograde.

[espinoza]

I guess as Chineese they do not have any consumers rights at all. Like guaranties in Thailand.

[glasswort]

With a bit of luck Thailand will take notice and name and shame all those guilty of harming the reputation of Thailand. Corrupt policemen, politicians and jet ski operators is a good place to start.

[CHRISTIANa9]

I never knew China allows this much freedom - I cannot think of hurting religious sentiments or national anthem unless I am in a mood to commit to suicide

That's the point, once outside China they think it's free for all, cause they know their family will never be billed the cost of a bullet. Once in a provincial train station, a China national out of boredom started ringing the bell signaling train arrival. How do you deal with such people?

[Thian]

I agree with the Chinese that the Thai have to take care of their kids more. You can't let them run around everywhere, in malls, shops and restaurants and even in moobaans where cars are driving.

For the rest i totally agree that the chinese have to learn manners before they are allowed to travel.

Why not make that list public so hotelowners can also refuse to host them. It's costing them customers when groups of unmannered chinese are staying there.

[kiwikeith]

"That prompted the administration last year to create the list, which now contains 11 names."

Only 11 in a bit less than a year?????????? Did they miss that group in Terminal 21 a month ago. With the market in MOM's week? Messing up small shops, complaining about prices and buying nothing.

And what about that group at Doi Suthep a few weeks earlier? Pushing away a few small kids to make a clean group picture without others. Then complaining the parents they should keep their kids away. They even outclass the Thai in littering.

Loud, uneducated, uncivilised, unhygienic, barbarians. And then they only get 11 on that list!

Correct, I used to drive tour busses full of chinese in NZ, the new rich I think you would call them or would be if they could be's.

Every restuarant and venue that you took them to was littered with food scraps and cigg butts, not to mention that they will walk over the top of anyone in their path.

Most venues were chinese controlled or owned they were of no value to tourism as it all went into chinese pockets.

[goreme]

There's a lot of 'new money' in China, apparently almost 500M of them in the middle class alone which is more than entire population of US - the biggest consumers in the world.

Their behavior is no different or worse than the hordes of Americans who traveled to Europe in 70s-80s and were often disliked and frowned upon for their rude, loud mouth behavior. Same can be said for the increasing number of Russians traveling to Thailand who, not only are openly disrespectful but drink way too much and often become belligerent and even violent.

The main difference we have here is that the Chinese are far more numerous, aren't caucasian and speak an impenetrable tonal language, which to the uninitiated sounds like high pitched squabbling. This exacerbates their negative perception often encouraging veiled racism if not outright hostility.

Folks should keep in mind that this is a country with almost 1.5B people which has changed dramatically, economically in just the last 20 years and without them, the global economy would have collapsed during 2008 banking meltdown.

Edited September 13, 2015 by goreme

[outsider]

This was shot at swampy. I know that pub, had a few cold ones on a few ocassions at that pub while waiting for me flights. Wonder to where I should send the link so the caveman in the video can be 'named and shamed'.

Edited September 13, 2015 by outsider

[Yann55]

they killed all of the people who could have taught this bunch some manners, they have been taught manners by a bunch of farmers and uneducated people

Actually it would be more accurate to say they were un-taught manners by a bunch of uneducated farmers. Mao Tse Tung was a peasant himself, he hated the arrogance of the educated classes and soon had it replaced by the arrogance of the uneducated classes.

One might thus argue that the problem is arrogance rather than education or lack thereof.

Interestingly, Mao was quite the bookworm himself and had a tremendous memorizing capacity, which proves that one can acquire a massive amount of book-knowledge and still remain a very uneducated person. Education is mostly about learning to respect our fellow humans and take their well-being into consideration even when it clashes with our own agenda/pleasure/priorities. However the word is also used to define the acquisition of academic knowledge, which makes it a very inaccurate and confusing concept.

All around Asia (and especially in Thailand), rich people are happy to call themselves the 'elite', even when they have no academic knowledge whatsoever and nothing remotely looking like manners. As a matter of fact they think that manners are what the poor show to the rich, and being polite to a farmer or a poor person would seem utterly absurd to most of them.

The more power China acquires and the more arrogance will be displayed by Chinese nationals, especially in countries they regard as vassal states, which includes all of South East Asia. The meekly and subservient attitude of most ASEAN countries (with the possible exception of Indonesia) towards China and the Chinese can only serve to reinforce that sentiment.

[GAZZPA]

There's a lot of 'new money' in China, apparently almost 500M of them in the middle class alone which is more than entire population of US - the biggest consumers in the world.

Their behavior is no different or worse than the hordes of Americans who traveled to Europe in 70s-80s and were often disliked and frowned upon for their rude, loud mouth behavior. Same can be said for the increasing number of Russians traveling to Thailand who, not only are openly disrespectful but drink way too much and often become belligerent and even violent.

The main difference we have here is that the Chinese are far more numerous, aren't caucasian and speak an impenetrable tonal language, which to the uninitiated sounds like high pitched squabbling. This exacerbates their negative perception often encouraging veiled racism if not outright hostility.

Folks should keep in mind that this is a country with almost 1.5B people which has changed dramatically, economically in just the last 20 years and without them, the global economy would have collapsed during 2008 banking meltdown.

Nice speech.

Doesn't change anything though, there is still a problem with badly behaved Chinese tourists who believe that their new money lifts them to a status of "untouchable". I can't stand being near a loud table of Chinese people in a restaurant, it ruins your whole night.

As for China being the saviour of the world during the economic crisis well, they have built their entire wealth on exporting to other countries so maybe the Chinese could have shown some willingness to help their trading partners who have helped them lift their country. However, when asked if they would help the answer was "we are a developing country, why would we help a developed country?".

I for one am excited to see the slow but definite move of manufacturing back into the West and more investment into poorer Asean countries such as Vietnam. A balance is what is needed in the world, at present China has too much power as the"worlds" factory.