Latest news with #TheThaiger
AsiaOne
5 days ago
- Health
- AsiaOne
Boy, 4, caught smoking under a Bangkok bridge sent to government-run shelter, Asia News
A 4-year-old boy in Bangkok was caught smoking under a bridge, a Thai Facebook user shared last month. In the video, the child is seen sitting on the stairs with a cigarette resting between his index and ring finger, exhaling smoke and smiling widely. The video has since amassed over eight million views. The boy has since been placed under temporary care of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security due to the unsafe living conditions caused by his parents' homelessness, reported Thai portal The Thaiger. The parents have been homeless for over a year, and the child has been living with them for that duration, Thai media reported. In the video, the man is seen asking the child to throw the cigarette away. "Don't touch it again. Absolutely no more smoking, no. Give it to me. I'm going to tell your father." He takes the cigarette away from the boy, stubbing it out. The man wrote in his Facebook post: "If he were older, I wouldn't have intervened because I've been through that myself when I was young." He shared that his own parents had both smoked, and he did the same. "The boy is the same," the man said in the post. His hashtags shared his concern for the boy.: "This clip is posted to warn your children" and "only four or five years old". The last frame in the video shows the boy's parents resting under a makeshift shelter. They appear to be homeless. According to the Thai portal, a social media influencer, Guntouch Pongpaiboonwet, sent his team to locate the boy's parents. When asked about the video on Facebook, the father said: "My son was probably just copying the teenagers. There were some teenagers loitering around." The parents had said earlier they do not smoke. The boy's mother added that her husband was suffering from health problems, leaving him unable to work. She is the sole breadwinner, often selling fish caught from a nearby river, but her earnings are not enough to make ends meet. The family started living under the bridge because they cannot afford to pay rent and have been relying on charity groups for meals, reports said. The parents added they plan to enroll their son in a school soon. The boy has two siblings who are living with relatives in other parts of Thailand, the parents said. According to Tobacco Control Laws, the legal age to buy and use tobacco products in Thailand is 20 years old. [[nid:718388]]
The Sun
08-05-2025
- The Sun
'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.
The Sun
08-05-2025
- The Sun
Israeli woman allegedly insults Thai cafe worker
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.' ALSO READ: Tourist in Thailand doused with water for allegedly throwing lit cigarette at food stall worker 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. ALSO READ: Canadian man opens Thai Airways plane door before takeoff in Thailand 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.
