Two foreign women were confronted during a party held within a temple in Phuket, after appearing in bikinis.
The video of the incident, widely shared online, sparked a lively debate about respecting traditions and cultural differences in Thailand.
Some internet users disapproved of these inappropriate outfits in a religious place, while others criticized the Thai man for his coarse behavior during the video recording.
Two tourists in bikinis at Chalong Temple: what the video shows
Tourists in bikinis during a party inside the Chalong temple in Phuket.
The Thai man filmed the two women walking around the Chalong Temple fair and shared the video on the Facebook page Phuket Andaman News.
In the video, the two women are seen asking him to stop filming them and walking away.
The man is heard shouting 'Get out! You! Get out! Get out!' while the women and their friends seem confused and angry.
He would have wanted the women to leave because the party was held within the temple grounds and their clothing was deemed inappropriate.
A strict dress code in Thai temples
Sign indicating prohibited clothing in Buddhist temples in Thailand.
Visitors are generally expected to dress modestly when entering Thai temples.
See: Dos and Don'ts when visiting a Buddhist temple in Thailand
Covered shoulders, long shorts or skirts and the absence of beachwear are among the rules generally recalled at the entrance to religious sites.
It is unknown whether the man tried to explain these rules to the women before calling out to them.
The language barrier may have prevented him from finding the right words.
An online debate between respect for traditions and cultural misunderstanding
Sign indicating that sunbathing and wearing bikinis are prohibited in Sanam Luang Park in Bangkok.
The online reactions were mixed.
Some internet users supported the man, stating that foreign visitors should learn about Thai traditions and culture before visiting the country.
They stated that the fair was clearly taking place in a temple and that the women should have known their clothing was inappropriate.
Others criticized the man's attitude, considering it impolite to chase visitors away without giving them a clear explanation.
They argued that foreigners may not have known Thai customs and that he should have explained the problem to them calmly and politely.
Some commentators also pointed out that the women attended the party but did not enter the main hall of the temple in bikinis, suggesting that locals should be more flexible with dress codes in the fair area.
Dress code in sacred places: recurring controversies in Thailand
Tourists in bikinis in front of a Chiang Mai temple, a scene deemed disrespectful by many Thais. Photo: Chiang Mai Exposed V2
This is not the first case to provoke strong online reactions in Thailand.
In recent years, several cases of tourists posing in lightweight clothing in front of temples or sacred sites have already shocked public opinion and revived the debate on respect for local traditions.
See: Sunbathers in Thailand: New Case of Tourists with Inappropriate Behavior
A recent incident was reported in Chiang Mai in January, when four foreign women in bikinis were sunbathing outside a temple.
See: Thailand: controversy after photos of tourists in bikinis in front of a temple
A local resident took photos and posted them online while criticizing their behavior.
In this particular case, if some internet users took the side of this resident, others criticized him for taking photos and publishing them without permission.
They added that cultural differences should be taken into account and that visitors should have been politely warned rather than being exposed online.
See also:
A tourist causes a scandal in Thailand after a simple bus ride
Do's and Don'ts in Thailand, essential things to know
Thailand: 2 Australians arrested for tagging a Chiang Mai temple
Cultural shock in Thailand: 2 tourists sunbathe in a temple
Source: The Thaiger
4 comments
Indeed, a lot of nonchalance and disdain on the part of these 2 women in bikinis, who apparently completely ignore the rules of propriety that prevail within the temple grounds and not just inside the temple itself.
On the other hand, the tone used by the Thai man who films them, ordering them to leave the outer festive grounds of the temple, is very clumsy and most likely due to his lack of knowledge of the English language…
When browsing the messages and comments on the Thai video site, it must be noted that many Thai commentators blame this man for having filmed the 2 women at length instead of trying to calmly explain to them how to dress respectfully for the place visited, even if, in this case, on that day, a 'kermesse' style party was organized there…
There is food for thought in this incident where the responsibilities, causes and consequences of the incident are shared, misperceived, misinterpreted and mismanaged…
This could have degenerated much more violently !!!
I was also struck while watching the video that, apart from the man in the video, the many other people, Thai men or women, who cross these 2 tourists do not seem to be shocked by their light clothing… but that does not excuse their ignorance and lack of respect in their dress presentation…
Even walking down the street in this outfit is not appropriate, whether in Thailand or elsewhere…
Unfortunately, we still see eccentric people walking around bare-chested for men or as if they were on the beach like these women.
It's just a matter of good education and respect for others.
It has nothing to do with cultural differences…
It's a matter of education…
Education depends on culture.