Italian
A group of Italian students, on a trip in Thailand, has “stained” Italy’s good reputation by behaving in an extremely rude manner. The apologies of the Italian Embassy in Bangkok. One of the underage boys shouts:“I will bring you my money”
World – A group of Italian boys on a trip in Thailand was chatting loudly on a train, a place where, according to Thai culture and not only, it is very disrespectful to disturb. A passenger asks them to lower their voices, but the boys react by worsening their situation with insults and vulgar gestures.
One of them goes so far as to say a phrase that has infuriated the Thai population: “I bring you my money,” as well as all the Italian tourists who always behave correctly.
The passenger recorded everything with a smartphone and the video went viral on social media, sparking anger and outrage in the country, so much so that the Italian Embassy and the chaperones of the boys, high school students from the province of Agrigento, publicly apologized.
It wasn’t enough. The passenger who received the insults, a 25-year-old girl, went to the police to file a complaint. Last night the conclusion: the officers stopped and brought six of the vacationing boys to the station.
Local authorities likely wanted to send a strong message to foreign tourists who behave disrespectfully in Thailand. Everything ended with a symbolic fine: 1,000 baht (27 euros), along with apologies to the insulted passenger, along with the video. We hope, also with a bit of shame for the young Sicilians since the agents also released the photo of the stopped boys (even though they blurred the faces because they are minors).
Where are the parents?
Just a few days ago, the law for the punishment of minors was approved: For those aged between 14 and 18, the capacity to understand and will shall no longer need to be assessed case by case, but will be presumed until proven otherwise. The threshold of 14 years and the reduction of penalty remain unchanged, but the burden of proof radically changes.
This is a change in method, even before it is a change in substance: until now, the minor’s capacity had to be positively verified on a case-by-case basis by the judge, based on a specific assessment of their psychological maturity. With the reform, however, that capacity is presumed, and it will be the defense that must eventually prove otherwise during the proceedings.
The crucial question remains: where are the parents? Where has their role as educators gone? And the school? In this case, there were also chaperones on the trip. What a shame!
