Holidays are often seen as an opportunity to relax, explore new places and meet interesting people. For one Indian traveller visiting Thailand's famous Phi Phi Islands, however, what began as an exciting day soon turned into a frustrating experience.
Content creator Prerna Tiwari recently shared a video on Instagram recounting an incident she witnessed during a boat tour in Thailand. Her experience has since sparked a wider conversation online about civic sense, public behaviour and the impression travellers leave when visiting other countries.
A pleasant tour takes an uncomfortable turn
According to Prerna, the tour group included travellers from several countries, including Sri Lanka, Russia, Malaysia and India. While most passengers were enjoying themselves and following the instructions given by the boat captain, she alleged that one Indian family repeatedly ignored the rules.
According to Prerna, the family was making excessive noise and throwing food around despite being asked several times to stop. She added that there is nothing wrong with enjoying a holiday and having fun, but there is a difference between enjoying yourself and disturbing other people around you.
The incident that left other passengers upset
According to the influencer, tensions escalated when one of the family members allegedly threw a water bottle towards a relative sitting nearby. However, the bottle reportedly struck a tourist from Malaysia instead.
Prerna recalled that the woman was visibly upset by the incident and reacted by throwing the bottle back towards the person who had thrown it. She said the episode left several passengers uncomfortable and attracted unwanted attention from other travellers on the boat.
"I felt ashamed being Indian"
The influencer admitted that she felt embarrassed witnessing the situation. She said she later approached the Malaysian tourist to check if she was alright. According to Prerna, the woman described the incident as "rubbish" and made it clear that she was unhappy about what had happened.
Prerna expressed concern that such incidents can contribute to negative stereotypes about Indian travellers abroad. "I felt ashamed being Indian," she said in the video, urging people to be more mindful of their behaviour when travelling internationally.
Social media users share similar experiences
The video quickly went viral, with many users sharing similar experiences from their own travels. One person wrote, "Oh God, I've experienced something similar myself. It's quite embarrassing when our own countrymen fail to uphold the respect and dignity of India." Another user commented, "This happened to us too in Mauritius. There was a Gujarati family on our cruise who were behaving very strangely. They were shouting loudly and throwing things into the water."
A third person remarked, "International beizaatti toh we Indians gets that stays on a foreigner soil." Another user shared, "I had seen something disturbing too on my island tour from Phuket. The boat company gave us refreshments. A very well-dressed, educated-looking man dumped his trash into the ocean near Maya Bay instead of throwing it into the dustbin."
While many commenters acknowledged that poor behaviour is not limited to any one nationality, the discussion highlighted a broader point about responsible tourism.
Many felt that people often forget that their actions abroad can shape how others perceive their country. The incident has reignited conversations about respecting shared spaces, following local rules and being considerate towards fellow travellers while visiting destinations around the world.
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