BANGKOK, Thailand – The Italian Embassy in Thailand has issued a three-language apology after a group of Italian students sparked criticism online over their behavior on Bangkok’s BTS Skytrain, while representatives of the group publicly apologized and said those involved will return to Italy.
The incident gained widespread attention after a video circulated on social media showing a group of Italian students allegedly making loud disturbances on a BTS train. According to reports, when a Thai passenger asked them to stop, the situation escalated into a confrontation, with some members of the group responding in a disrespectful manner and making gestures that drew criticism from Thai social media users.
The behavior triggered widespread discussion, with many Thai users expressing disappointment over what they described as disrespect toward local passengers and Thai culture. In a statement released in Thai, Italian, and English, the Italian Embassy expressed regret over the incident and strongly condemned the inappropriate behavior shown by the young Italian travelers, who were visiting Thailand as part of a school educational trip.
The embassy apologized to Thai people and anyone affected by the incident, emphasizing that respect, politeness, and peaceful coexistence are values shared by both Thai and Italian societies.
“The inappropriate behavior of this group of young tourists does not represent Italian people as a whole,” the embassy said, adding that the actions do not reflect the values of mutual respect, friendship, and courtesy that form the foundation of Thailand-Italy relations. Meanwhile, four Italian representatives who were present during the incident released a video apology, saying they wanted to apologize to Thai people and Thai culture. One representative said they had planned to speak out earlier but delayed because of concern and fear. They acknowledged that waiting was a mistake and apologized for the actions that affected Thai people and Thailand.
Another person apologized for a previous comment saying, “Sorry for bringing money to your country,” admitting that money cannot replace respect and expressing regret for offending Thai culture and people. A third representative said the behavior on the BTS was unacceptable and apologized for their own actions and those of the group. They said the students involved would return to Italy as soon as possible and that the group would receive further cultural guidance to ensure greater respect in the future. The representatives also thanked Thailand for welcoming them and asked for forgiveness, as online reactions gradually shifted from anger toward understanding and reconciliation.
