Thai influencer criticised online for dancing shirtless at famous Lawson in Japan
A popular Thai influencer with over 6 million followers has received a lot of criticism online after he posted a clip where he danced shirtless on top of a van at the famous Lawson convenience store with a view of Mount Fuji in Japan.
The clip, posted on 17 Nov, was captioned: “I don’t pay attention to the words of people who disrespect me.”
Thai netizens condemn him for stunt
In the clip, Jaturong Papho can be seen on top of a black van dancing without a shirt on. As he does so, multiple onlookers from across the street can be seen taking a video of him.
However, a few others can also be seen trying to take their own photo of the iconic Lawson convenience store with the majestic backdrop of Mount Fuji.
Source: @jack_papho69 on TikTok
The clip has garnered over 6.3 million views and more than 300,000 likes on TikTok. The clip has been met with an overwhelmingly negative reaction, with most condemning him for the act.
“They probably view us the way we view Cambodians,” one Thai commenter lamented, referencing Thailand’s poor impression of Cambodia due to frequent conflicts.
Source: @jack_papho69 on TikTok
Another commenter expressed disbelief that the man would do something like this despite being a father.
“I’m not surprised Japan doesn’t like tourists,” said another.
Influencer said he’d leave the clip up
After the massive reaction online, Mr Jaturong addressed the situation on his personal Facebook.
“I’m not deleting the post because I don’t want to run away from my problems,” he wrote.
Viewing it as a reminder for his mistakes, he said he has to deal with the consequences of things he has already done rather than trying to erase evidence of it.
He then apologised and said he’d accept any criticism directed at him.
Meanwhile, his wife posted her own response to the incident. She said she is only making this statement to protect herself and their child.
“I tried to stop him,” she wrote. “Despite already being a father, he never has the wherewithal to be considerate toward his own child.”
She added that she had already requested that he take down the clip, but he had not done so.
Famous Lawson a sore spot for Japan
The famous tourist spot has previously been noted as a spot of controversy when local authorities tried to clamp down on travellers causing problems for locals by not respecting local laws.
The Lawson store is located in a regular neighbourhood, but frequently draws large crowds trying to get their own photo. Travellers would frequently crowd the street to take photos, preventing cars from passing.
In May 2024, a 2.5-metre tall mesh barrier was installed to prevent people from taking photos from across the street. It was then removed a few months later.
Also read: Japan to construct 2.5m barrier to block Mount Fuji from view due to inconsiderate tourists
Japan to construct 2.5m barrier to block Mount Fuji from view due to inconsiderate tourists
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Featured image adapted from @jack_papho69 on TikTok.
