Italy has issued a formal apology after a group of Italian teenagers visiting Bangkok were filmed insulting a Thai woman on a public train. The incident occurred on the BTS SkyTrain when the woman asked the students to lower their voices, prompting a derogatory response.

A video circulating on social media showed the female passenger telling the teenagers, “In Thailand we don’t scream,” and inquiring about their nationality. The students mocked her by answering “Thailand” and subsequently used offensive language. One of the teenagers made an obscene hand gesture while the others continued to laugh and behave noisily. The group’s teacher was heard in the background making a sarcastic remark about bringing money into Thailand and telling the woman to “shut the f*** up,” while also downplaying the behavior by saying, “They are just children.”

The footage was initially posted on the TikTok platform on Thursday but was later removed; however, it had already garnered more than 16 million views on X (formerly Twitter). The viral nature of the video triggered widespread condemnation from Thai social media users, many of whom expressed their anger on the official Facebook page of the Italian Embassy in Bangkok. Some also identified the teenagers and targeted their schools’ social media accounts. There were reports and videos of local residents gathering outside the hotel where the Italian group was staying, demanding a public apology.

In response to the backlash, the woman involved filed a police complaint. Subsequently, a video emerged showing the teenagers and their teacher issuing a formal apology directed to her, her family, and the Thai people.

The Italian Embassy in Bangkok released a statement on Sunday expressing “deep regret” and condemning the conduct, emphasizing that the behavior of the underage tourists did not represent the Italian people. The embassy confirmed that the students would be sent back to Italy and pledged to reinforce cultural respect among the group moving forward.

“We thank you for welcoming us and kindly ask for your forgiveness,” the embassy added in its statement. The apology video recorded by the teacher and pupils was part of the efforts to address the incident and promote understanding.