'My money builds your country' - Israeli tourist allegedly insults Thai cafe worker over shoe removal rule
An Israeli tourist in Thailand has gone viral for her alleged rudeness towards a café worker after she refused to remove her shoes.
Currently circulating widely on social media, the viral video shows the woman, seated in the café, arguing with the employee.
In the video, the worker can be heard telling the Israeli woman to 'go back' to her country, adding: 'You are not welcome here.'
In response, the tourist allegedly retorted: 'I'm sorry, but my money, okay, builds your country.'
The video has sparked backlash, with many condemning the Israeli woman's arrogance and disrespect towards the host country.
'No amount of tourist money buys basic respect,' a user on X commented.
According to the Thai news portal The Thaiger, the tourist later shared her side of the story, stating that her comments were 'misinterpreted' and explained that she insisted on keeping her shoes on because of her aching feet.
'I was trying to emphasise how much Israelis contribute to the Thai economy, not to belittle the culture,' she was quoted as saying.
The Israeli woman also alleged that another customer, not any of the café staff, recorded the verbal altercation, and she maintained that she was allowed to keep her shoes on.
'The person who filmed the video and her friend violently chased me out of the café. Even though I left to avoid the situation, the video is distorted and does not show the violence that happened to me at all,' she was also quoted as saying.
Despite her explanation, it fell on deaf ears, allegedly due to Israelis gaining a 'reputation' for their 'unruly antics' across the region, according to the report.
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