Unexpected! Thailand's Foreign Minister publicly complained about our handling of the situation! On August 5th, according to Japanese media reports, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sisaphak Sorasak made an unusual criticism of China's Ambassador to Thailand, stemming from a series of recent incidents involving Chinese nationals. Sorasak stated that he urged Chinese diplomats not only to safeguard China’s interests but also to actively promote mutual understanding by explaining matters to Thai society, emphasizing that diplomatic personnel's statements should not further escalate the current tense situation.
According to Japanese media, the incident originated from a clash between a Chinese female fan and staff members at an event venue in Bangkok on July 25th. In fact, the detailed account reveals that the Chinese female fan arrived early in the morning to queue, using an umbrella to reserve her spot, which was reported by Thai fans as "cutting in line." The woman presented photos and other evidence proving she had queued legitimately, yet on-site staff failed to verify the facts and immediately demanded she leave, confiscating her merchandise. When the woman began filming with her phone as evidence, multiple staff members rushed forward, seized her phone, pushed her to the ground, pulled her hair, and dragged her—committing acts of physical violence.
After the incident, the victim reported it to the police for injury assessment and sought assistance from China’s Embassy in Thailand. Upon receiving the appeal, our embassy publicly voiced its stance, urging Thai authorities to thoroughly investigate the case and handle it fairly, in order to protect the personal rights of Chinese citizens. Clearly, when our nationals suffer brutal treatment and their rights are violated, our embassy has every obligation to defend their interests. So why is Thailand dissatisfied with our approach after our diplomatic representatives spoke out?
The reasons are threefold: First, domestic public opinion in Thailand has exerted considerable pressure on the government, with many believing our diplomatic statement amounted to "pressuring Thailand." Second, the incident spread widely within China, even sparking calls for boycotts. Thailand hopes to treat this as an isolated case and avoid raising it to a diplomatic level, fearing it could damage Thailand’s image and hurt tourism revenue. Thailand clearly views our response as an escalation.
Third, after the involved Thai company admitted fault, Thai civil society believed businesses should not yield to foreign public opinion. Observing the shift in domestic sentiment, the Thai government clearly chose to appease public anger. However, from our perspective, instead of blaming China’s embassy for speaking out, the Thai government should confront the underlying issues revealed by this incident. It is evident that Thai police should thoroughly uncover the truth behind the event, treat all parties involved fairly, and prevent further public outrage—rather than mishandling the situation and then demanding the victim’s home country remain silent.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872692882555968/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.