A short, candid clip of a passenger putting his feet up on the backrest of a Trang–Phuket coach has stirred a surprisingly loud chorus of online disapproval — and the traveller has since issued a direct apology. The footage, first shared on December 2 by Facebook user Y’Not Seven and quickly picked up by local pages, shows an Indian man travelling with a friend who removes his shoes and rests both feet on the empty seat in front of him. What might have been a private moment of discomfort became a public controversy within hours.
In the video the bus is not full, but that didn’t soften reactions. The person who filmed it labelled the behaviour “inappropriate” and “disrespectful,” and even claimed the man’s feet gave off an unpleasant smell that bothered other passengers. Those accusations struck a nerve. In the comments that followed, many Thai netizens condemned the action as rude and unhygienic, calling it an affront to public space and shared sensibilities.
“Why didn’t the driver warn him or fine him?” one commenter demanded. “Smelly feet on public transport is not funny. It makes people sick.”
“Give him a book on proper manners,” wrote another.
The story took a conciliatory turn on December 3 when the Phuket Times Facebook page reported that the man had contacted them via Messenger, asking for the photos and video to be deleted. The page shared screenshots of his messages: “Good morning, sir. Could you please delete the pictures? Sorry sir. Sorry for the inconvenience. Please respond. Could you please help me?”
He explained that cramped legroom on the Trang–Phuket coach made him uncomfortable, and he lifted his legs to relieve the pain. He maintained he had no intention of disturbing anyone and apologised for causing offence, promising not to repeat the behaviour. Whether that explanation satisfies everyone online is another matter; social media rarely sleeps on matters of etiquette.
There’s a broader context to why this small moment on a bus ignited so much debate. Public transport is where different cultures and personal habits intersect — sometimes awkwardly. Travellers and locals alike trade stories about breaches of unspoken rules, from elbow-to-elbow trains to quiet flights. The incident echoes a similar viral moment in September 2023 when a Thai TikToker named Keng called out a foreign passenger who rested his feet on her armrest mid-flight. That episode prompted a deluge of comments from users recounting their own experiences with inconsiderate behaviour on buses, trains and planes.
It’s easy to view these exchanges as online piling-on, but there’s a more useful takeaway. Courtesy in shared spaces matters precisely because those spaces are shared. What one person finds an innocent comfort — taking off shoes, stretching cramped legs — can feel like a breach of boundaries to others. That friction is magnified in a country like Thailand, where public displays of disregard for communal norms can trigger stronger reactions.
For travellers, the incident is a reminder to treat communal areas as extensions of someone else’s living room: keep them clean, keep them considerate, and be ready to adapt. A short, polite exchange with a nearby passenger or a discreet request to the driver might prevent a minor discomfort from ballooning into a viral spectacle.
For hosts and service providers, the spark points to an operational angle: drivers and conductors are often the unsung referees of public transport etiquette. “Why didn’t the driver warn him or fine him?” may be a common refrain, but enforcing manners is a tricky balance with passenger comfort and safety. Clear signage, brief safety-and-etiquette announcements before departure, or a gentle, pre-emptive reminder about removing shoes or keeping feet off seats could head off similar incidents.
In the end, the man’s apology — humble, direct, and public — may be the most constructive result. He reached out, asked for the content to be removed, explained himself, and promised to do better. Whether the video is deleted or remains online, the exchange has put a spotlight on small acts that can make communal journeys more pleasant for everyone.
As the debate continues to ripple through comment threads, one practical piece of advice stands out: when in doubt on public transport, choose the seat that keeps your world small and your manners large. It’s sympathy, not shame, that will make travel more comfortable for the next person who has tired legs — and for the passenger behind them.
Photo via Facebook/Phuket Times ภูเก็ตไทม์
This is just rude — feet on seats in public transport shows zero respect. I don’t care if the bus was empty, rules exist for a reason. Drivers need to intervene before things escalate.
As a former driver I agree, but it’s not always safe to confront passengers directly. Sometimes you risk a scene or even violence if you step in. A simple announcement would help.
Exactly, a pre-departure announcement would be common sense. If the company won’t enforce basic etiquette then they share the blame.
Cultural context matters here — some travellers don’t know local norms and make honest mistakes. Public shaming on social media can be disproportionate and hurtful. A private conversation would have been better for everyone.
I agree about proportionality, but there’s a public-health angle too: placing bare feet on seats can be unhygienic. Education campaigns, not pile-ons, are the right middle ground. Travelers should be taught basic expectations before they arrive.
Come on, it’s just feet — why blow it up online? People love drama. Still, a little more cultural awareness wouldn’t hurt.
Because social media amplifies incidents that reveal friction points, and hopefully it prompts useful discussion. But yes, the online pile-on rarely results in constructive learning.
Why are people acting like this is a crime? He apologized and said his legs cramped. Move on. We’ve all been uncomfortable on long rides.
An apology is fine, but the problem is the lack of personal responsibility in a shared space. You don’t get to make it your living room just because you’re uncomfortable.
I spoke up on a flight once and got trashed online for it, so I get both sides. But basic courtesy — feet off seats — is universal, and people should follow it.
Empathy here: long coach rides are brutal and sometimes you just need to stretch. A gentle nudge from a neighbor or driver would have solved it without viral shame. Posting a private message asking for deletion was the right move, in my view.
Empathy doesn’t mean ignoring boundaries. You can stretch without putting your feet on someone else’s seat. It’s about shared responsibility and small compromises.
I travel frequently between islands and tiny comforts can mean a lot, but public hygiene is nonnegotiable. A middle path: slip-on socks when you must rest your feet.
Why didn’t the driver warn him or fine him, like other commenters asked? Drivers should act as referees of etiquette, not just chauffeurs. Companies need policies and staff training.
Drivers are often underpaid and overloaded; adding etiquette policing is unrealistic. Better signage and short in-ride announcements would be cheaper and less risky.
We accepted his apology after he messaged us, but deciding to remove content is complicated. Our role is to inform, but we also weigh public interest and harm.
Thanks for responding, Admin PhuketTimes — that’s fair. I just want companies to do more than post stories; they should prevent incidents before they trend.
This incident is a small case study in public norms and sanctioning mechanisms. Viral shaming is a modern informal sanction, but it can be indiscriminate and ethnically charged. Policy responses should favor signage, education and staff empowerment over punishment.
I saw a similar flight incident and called it out because it felt invasive to me. Reactions are swift online because so many people carry similar annoyances. Still, calling for understanding is fair when there’s no malice.
Keng, your video started a lot of change though — airlines and buses noticed. Sometimes one loud voice pushes systems to improve.
I appreciate that, and I hope future clips lead to better guidelines rather than just insults.
Isn’t it weird that small personal habits cause national outrage online? Social media loves outrage cycles and this fits perfectly.
Outrage cycles reflect real tensions though; this is about respect and public hygiene, not just clicks. But yes, the amplification can be disproportionate.
If the man genuinely had leg cramps, the friend or driver should have been asked for help. There’s such an easy humane fix that would avoid spectacle. Everyone loses when small issues become viral fights.
I was on a bus once where someone stretched like that and I complained politely; the person apologized and adjusted immediately. Polite confrontation works when done calmly.
Good to hear that worked — calm, face-to-face conversation beats cameras every time.
This also raises racial undertones. Sometimes foreigners are vilified more quickly, which is problematic. We should avoid turning etiquette into xenophobia while still upholding standards.
Short public announcements before departure could be a no-brainer solution. ‘Please keep feet off seats’ takes five seconds and prevents viral rows. Why don’t more operators do it?
Because operators often focus on safety briefings and ignore courtesy announcements, and they underestimate how much small reminders reduce issues. It’s cheap prevention.
Exactly — prevention costs nothing and saves reputations.
I find it hypocritical when people film strangers for mistakes instead of helping them. Recording feels like entitlement masked as civic duty. If you care about hygiene, offer tissues, not a camera.
I wonder if the footage would have been taken down if the man hadn’t been from abroad. There’s a nasty streak online that targets outsiders first. Accountability is needed, but it must be fair.
Sometimes the outrage crosses into xenophobia, yes, but it also reflects genuine local frustration. The challenge is to call out rudeness without scapegoating entire groups.
From a sociological perspective, this neatly shows norm enforcement: formal (drivers, fines) vs informal (shaming, comments). Both have costs and benefits, and hybrid interventions tend to work best.
My 12-year-old would point out: ‘Don’t be gross, put shoes on a mat or keep feet down.’ Simpler rules are easier for everyone to follow. Complexity breeds mistakes.
Tourism impacts local norms and vice versa; hosts should share clear guidelines with guests. But visitors must also be willing to learn rather than plead ignorance. It’s give-and-take.
We published the screenshots after the apology to show accountability and the human side of the story. Our goal was not to shame but to report the exchange and its wider implications.
Isn’t the real issue that social media now enforces etiquette? People want to feel righteous by posting clips. We need better offline community norms instead of keyboard policing.
The man apologised and asked for the post to be deleted — that’s respectful. People should accept apologies and move on instead of hunting for punishment. Mercy matters online too.
Apology is good, but learning is better. I’m okay forgiving if companies also put measures in place to prevent repeat behavior.
Simple etiquette signs everywhere would save so much drama. ‘Keep shoes off seats’ and ‘Respect other passengers’ sounds basic but it’s effective. Why reinvent the wheel?
There’s always a tension between comfort and communal living. I think we need culturally sensitive etiquette guides for tourists that are widely shared at ferry terminals and bus stations.
Camera culture changes behavior; people act differently when they know they might be filmed. That’s not always bad, but it encourages public shaming rather than problem solving.
I feel for the man; long drives are painful and sometimes you do odd things to cope. Still, putting feet on empty seats looks bad and smells are a legit complaint. Learn and move on.
As someone who started this thread earlier, I just want to say thanks for the thoughtful replies. I hope operators pick up on the signage and announcements idea and act on it.