PATTAYA, Thailand – A foreign influencer known as shayanparstv has sparked widespread controversy online after posting a video of himself dragging a large speaker and playing loud music inside a moving MRT train headed towards Khlong Toei station in Bangkok.
While the influencer was playing music loudly, a Thai passenger shouted “Hey!” at him in frustration, prompting the influencer to stop. He later uploaded the video with a caption mocking the incident, saying, “He yelled like I ruined his life.”
The video quickly went viral and drew mixed reactions from Thai netizens. Some criticized the influencer for being disrespectful and praised the Thai passenger who spoke up, while others claimed that Thais tend to overreact and called it unnecessary drama.
Further investigation revealed that this wasn’t the influencer’s first offense. He had previously recorded similar content on the MRT and at Siam BTS station. In another recent clip, believed to involve the same individual, he was seen playing loud music while waiting for a train, prompting a security guard to intervene and ask him to turn it off.
A man wearing glasses who confronted the influencer—referred to online as “Pee Waen” (Brother with Eye Glasses)—was praised by many viewers for standing up and calling out the behavior. Although his tone was emotional, netizens defended his reaction, saying no one knows what had happened beforehand to provoke such frustration.
The incident has also reignited debate over Thailand’s visa policies. Some argued that the root of the issue lies in the country’s overly lenient visa-free policy, which they believe allows low-quality tourists to flood in. Others, however, countered that the core problem is poor law enforcement and a lack of moral responsibility, not the visa system itself.
Critics of the free visa policy claim that requiring visas helps filter out problematic visitors, as embassies often assess applicants based on financial stability, travel plans, education, and criminal records. Without that screening, irresponsible or disrespectful tourists are more likely to enter.
Some even shared personal experiences dealing with foreign customers, stating that while Indian and Chinese tourists used to be respectful and good spenders, recently the overall tourist behavior has declined drastically.
Others maintained that bad manners have nothing to do with visas, pointing out that respecting others is a universal value, regardless of nationality. They emphasized that Thailand grants visa-free entry to about 30–40 countries, while Thai citizens cannot travel visa-free to most European or American countries.
Nevertheless, the controversy is seen as a reflection of deeper societal issues—ranging from the influence of social media content culture and lax immigration controls to a lack of accountability among tourists. Regardless of the ongoing visa debate, many agree that Thailand must strengthen the enforcement of social norms and public behavior laws to foster mutual respect in shared spaces.
