A Japanese influencer with approximately 600,000 followers on TikTok recently faced severe criticism after filming a staged 'social experiment' pickpocketing video on Bangkok’s Khao San Road, prompting him to issue a public apology on the 13th.
The video wrongly portrayed a Burmese man, who participated in the shoot, as a pickpocket, causing him to lose his job.
According to ThaiHeadline News, the video posed the question: “If you walk with your wallet sticking out of your pocket, will it get stolen?” At first, the video appears to show the creator himself being pickpocketed, before revealing that the scenario had been staged in advance. The video’s creator later admitted that he asked a local man to pretend to take a wallet from his pocket in exchange for game props or money, but the man was unaware that the footage would be edited in a way that misled viewers into believing he was a real thief.
After the video went viral, the man depicted in the staged scenario reportedly faced suspicion from tourists and local residents, severely affecting his regular work on Khao San Road. According to circulating official documents online, the victim has reported the incident to police, accusing the video of defaming his reputation and negatively impacting the image of tourism on Khao San Road.
Additionally, a woman claiming to be the victim’s sister posted on social media stating that her brother had no idea he was participating in the filming, and that the video, after being edited, misleadingly depicted him as a thief.
The video also sparked strong backlash within Japanese online communities, with numerous social media users criticizing the influencer’s actions.
Subsequently, the TikTok influencer released an apology video, admitting that he made the video to chase views and openly acknowledging the trouble caused to Thailand, the victim, and his family. He further revealed that, after the victim’s sister contacted him and informed him that her brother had lost his job and had not known he would be portrayed as a thief, he specifically recorded a video apologizing to the family and requested that it be shown to the employer to clarify the facts.
According to the influencer, the victim’s sister later let him know that her brother had been allowed to return to work. In the apology video, he bowed and admitted that the entire incident was entirely his personal fault.