Italian Students Fined and Deported After Bangkok Train Abuse

The Embassy of Italy in Bangkok and the Italian government issued formal apologies after a viral video showed a group of underage exchange students and their chaperone behaving aggressively toward a Thai woman, Ms. Sugus, on a BTS Skytrain around July 23, 2026. The confrontation began when Ms. Sugus asked the students to lower their voices, leading to a dispute where the youths used profanity and obscene gestures. A teacher accompanying the group was filmed telling the woman to "shut the f*** up" and making disparaging remarks about "bringing money to your country."

Public outcry escalated rapidly, with the footage garnering over 16 million views and sparking protests at the group's hotel. The Royal Thai Police mediated the conflict at Samre Police Station, where five students were fined 1,000 THB each for public insult, and one student paid an additional 1,000 THB for an indecent act.

In response, the Italian Embassy condemned the behavior and released a video featuring students and group leaders pleading for forgiveness. While the embassy coordinated the immediate return of the most involved students to Italy, Ms. Sugus dropped further charges following the apology. Royal Thai Police spokesman Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phiwphan warned that such gestures are legal offenses under Thai law, while the victim's father, Mr. Prapat, urged the public to cease online harassment of the students.