The Italian National Coordination of Teachers in the Human Rights Sector expressed concern after Italian exchange students behaved inappropriately on Bangkok's BTS skytrain, prompting the Italian Embassy to issue a statement and highlight the need to use this incident as an opportunity to review the education system's role.
On 27 Jul 2026 GMT+7, the Italian news agency Tecnica della Scuola reported that the National Coordination of Teachers in the Human Rights Sector of Italy (CNDU) issued a statement expressing concern over a group of Italian high school exchange students in Thailand who behaved inappropriately on Bangkok's BTS skytrain, sparking widespread criticism.
CNDU stated that the fact the Italian Embassy in Thailand had to issue a statement distancing itself from the behavior of students involved in an educational activity is a very significant issue both in terms of education and institutional matters.
The statement said the incident was not merely playful teasing or ordinary youthful mischief, nor should it be explained solely as a result of social media trends. When the behavior of individuals or groups affects international relations and the country's image, it is necessary to question the educational responsibility of all stakeholders within the school community.
The Italian teachers' human rights network further stated that this incident should be used as an opportunity to review and reflect on lessons for the national education system, to promote responsibility, respect for others, and awareness of the impact of one's actions when traveling abroad.
This incident occurred after a group of Italian exchange students visiting Bangkok for study and observation behaved inappropriately and noisily on the BTS skytrain, triggering heavy criticism both in Thailand and Italy. This led the Italian Embassy to issue a statement expressing regret and confirming their disagreement with the students' behavior.
Source: Tecnica della Scuola