The incident became a hot topic closely watched by fans both in Thailand and abroad when GMMTV issued an urgent statement after a clash occurred between security personnel and Chinese fans at the gathering area during the 2026 International Novel Fair. The incident video quickly spread online, going viral and trending on Chinese social media platforms, sparking heavy criticism.
Here is a summary of the drama that unfolded:
- A Chinese fan violated seating reservation rules by sneaking in, pretending to remove the original seat owner's name tag, and placing an umbrella to claim the seat.
- When staff intervened to warn and ask her to leave the walkway blocking the artists, she ignored them and a dispute ensued, dragging on for 10-20 minutes, disrupting the schedule. The area had to be blocked off for artist safety, and nearby fans shouted to warn the artists to avoid the problematic spot.
- The situation escalated when a female staff member tried to escort her out and shielded the camera to prevent her from filming the artists. The Chinese fan became upset and kicked the female staff's leg first, prompting the staff to restrain her by locking her down to control the incident.
- This led to outrage on Chinese social media, accusing Thai staff of using excessive violence and claiming the fan kicked in self-defense, which angered the staff who then tackled her to the ground.
- The fan's tank top was torn, her bracelet broken, and her official merchandise confiscated. She was dragged from an upper floor down to the first floor amid cheers from some bystanders.
- Thai fans present clarified that Chinese media reports claiming a male officer tackled the fan were heavily distorted, as video clearly shows all staff involved in negotiation and restraint were female.
- The full video confirms the staff did not violently choke or aggressively tackle the fan to tear her clothing as reported by Chinese media. The turning point was when, as they were exiting, the fan resisted and kicked the female staff's leg, forcing staff to lock her down and fall together to stop the disturbance.
- GMMTV issued a prompt apology, admitting some excessive force was used by the outsourced staff at times, expressing regret. They suspended the outsourced security team’s contract and denied rumors about suing the fan.
- After the statement, a strong backlash arose from Thai fans on X (formerly Twitter), launching the hashtag #BanGMMTV. Many viewed the statement as unfair to the staff who were assaulted first, criticizing the company for suspending staff without punishing or addressing fans who broke rules and caused chaos. They accused the company of prioritizing profits over fairness and protecting event personnel.
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