An Italian educational travel company has apologised to the Thai public after footage of a group of European teenagers behaving disruptively on Bangkok’s BTS Skytrain sparked widespread criticism online.
The confrontation took place at around 7pm aboard a Silom Line train travelling towards Sala Daeng station. Video of the incident quickly circulated across Thai social media, drawing anger over the group’s loud behaviour, verbal abuse and offensive gestures towards other passengers.
The woman who recorded the footage said the dispute began after she politely asked the teenagers to speak more quietly because they were disturbing commuters inside the carriage.
Rather than lowering their voices, several members of the group allegedly began filming her on their mobile phones, laughing and shouting vulgar insults directed at her and her family.
The argument intensified when one teenager reportedly told the passenger: “Sorry for bringing money to your country.”
As the group left the train at Sala Daeng station, several teenagers were also seen making obscene hand gestures towards passengers who remained inside the carriage.
After the video gained widespread attention, Thai social media users identified the group as students from Liceo Scientifico A. Einstein, an Italian school whose pupils were visiting Thailand as part of an educational trip.
The online backlash prompted several of the students believed to have been involved to make their personal social media accounts private.
Tour Operator Issues Formal Apology
TravellingFox Estate INPSieme, the Italian company responsible for organising the visit, subsequently released a statement apologising for the incident and stressing that the teenagers’ conduct did not reflect its principles.
“We sincerely apologise that this brief incident portrayed an image that does not reflect the values we have held and promoted for many years,” the agency stated.
The company acknowledged that many of the students were minors and suggested that the excitement of travelling abroad could sometimes result in excessively boisterous behaviour in public.
However, it emphasised that the students’ age and enthusiasm did not excuse their actions.
“This does not excuse or justify any inappropriate gestures or conduct, which do not represent our tour company’s values, nor do they represent the majority of our trip participants,” the statement read.
The tour operator also pointed to its long-standing involvement in Thailand, saying it had brought thousands of Italian students to the country over the past two decades.
“Thailand is a country we deeply love for its exquisite beauty, rich culture, and the hospitality of its people,” the firm added, reiterating its commitment to encouraging cultural exchange, mutual respect and personal responsibility among young travellers.
