Over 20 Chinese Passengers Denied Boarding: Bangkok Airport Security’s ‘Slant-Eye’ Gesture Sparks Controversy

Controversy erupted at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport over denied boarding! Over 20 Chinese passengers who had completed check-in and security checks were suddenly asked to leave the jet bridge before boarding, and were ultimately denied boarding collectively.

What fueled even more controversy was a circulating video of the scene, showing a security staff member in uniform allegedly making a gesture of pulling at the corners of his eyes towards the Chinese passengers—sparking accusations of racist intent as the incident continues to ferment.

According to Thai media outlet ‘泰国网传媒,’ the flight in question was Thai Airways TG674, originally scheduled to depart from Bangkok to Beijing at 11:50 pm on July 29.

Multiple passengers claiming to be involved stated that they all held valid tickets and had completed check-in, security checks, and were waiting in line at the gate. Unexpectedly, during boarding they were instructed by staff to leave the jet bridge, and were subsequently refused boarding.

The passengers said that despite repeated inquiries about the reason for refusal, they never received a clear explanation; soon after, the checked luggage of the affected passengers was also unloaded, while the flight departed as scheduled.

According to international aviation security regulations, the checked baggage of passengers who do not board cannot be transported on the flight, so unloading luggage is a standard security procedure, not a deliberate attempt to create difficulties for passengers. However, what truly sparked controversy was that the airline has yet to explain why over 20 passengers were denied boarding.

Security Suspected of Making Discriminatory Gesture, Igniting Public Outcry

Another focal point of the incident is an online video clip.

The video shows multiple security staff in uniform confronting passengers, among them one alleged to make a slant-eye gesture—many netizens believe this is a racist gesture targeting East Asians and have called for an official investigation.

So far, authorities have not confirmed the identity of the person involved, and it is unclear whether they are airport staff, airline staff, or third-party security. No entities have yet made an official statement about the incident.

As the incident gains attention, various versions of the events have spread online.

Some netizens claimed that some passengers on the scene were crowding and jostling while following celebrities, which led to the airline’s refusal to board. However, many passengers who said they were involved denied these claims, stressing they were simply returning home as regular travelers and had no relation to so-called ‘sasaeng’ (extreme celebrity fans).

As the accounts from both sides are contradictory and the publicly available videos do not fully present the course of events, the truth of the incident still awaits clarification from an official investigation.

According to Thai civil aviation regulations, airlines may lawfully refuse boarding based on flight safety, security, or if passengers violate safety rules.

However, the public is not questioning whether the airline had the right to refuse boarding, but rather on what grounds the decision was made in this case. Did the denied passengers violate any rules? Why was an entire group denied boarding? Did the procedure comply with regulations?

Many involved passengers also questioned why the airline provided no clear explanation, nor any formal documentation or appeals process.

As of now, neither Thai Airways nor Thai civil aviation authorities have released a formal investigation result or public statement about the incident.