Chinese tourist arrested after spitting on bus in Thailand amid coronavirus pandemic
A Chinese tourist sparked panic after she allegedly starting spitting on a bus after claiming that another passenger sprayed disinfectant into her mouth in Thailand.
The 35-year-old woman was travelling on the coach from Ubon Ratchathani, northeastern Thailand to Saraburi province last Thursday (March 19) afternoon.
A passenger sprayed the disinfectant in the bus, then the Chinese woman became angry as she claimed that the disinfectant went into her mouth.
The woman snatched the disinfectant bottle from the passenger and then began to spit on the bus.
Footage from on the bus shows the Chinese tourist holding the disinfectant in her hand and asking "what is this", while shouting at the conductor.
They argued about the matter until the bus arrived at the bus terminal in Saraburi, where she got off and went to catch a train to Bangkok.
Officials said she continued spitting inside the carriage in an attempt to get the taste of the spray out of her mouth.
She later arrived at night and was arrested amid fears that she may have caused the spread of the coronavirus.
However, she was taken to the hospital for the coronavirus test and the result shows that she was not infected.
Transport officer Lt Col Surasak Sittiyai said the incident was a misunderstanding between the tourist and the passenger.
He said: "A Thai passenger said she saw the Chinese woman spit her chewing gum in a napkin and she was disgusted, so she sprayed the disinfectant inside the bus and it went into the Chinese's woman's mouth.
"Then she argued about what solution she was sprayed and why she had to spray it and it angered the Chinese."
The 35-year-old woman was travelling on the coach from Ubon Ratchathani, northeastern Thailand to Saraburi province last Thursday (March 19) afternoon.
A passenger sprayed the disinfectant in the bus, then the Chinese woman became angry as she claimed that the disinfectant went into her mouth.
The woman snatched the disinfectant bottle from the passenger and then began to spit on the bus.
Footage from on the bus shows the Chinese tourist holding the disinfectant in her hand and asking "what is this", while shouting at the conductor.
They argued about the matter until the bus arrived at the bus terminal in Saraburi, where she got off and went to catch a train to Bangkok.
Officials said she continued spitting inside the carriage in an attempt to get the taste of the spray out of her mouth.
She later arrived at night and was arrested amid fears that she may have caused the spread of the coronavirus.
However, she was taken to the hospital for the coronavirus test and the result shows that she was not infected.
Transport officer Lt Col Surasak Sittiyai said the incident was a misunderstanding between the tourist and the passenger.
He said: "A Thai passenger said she saw the Chinese woman spit her chewing gum in a napkin and she was disgusted, so she sprayed the disinfectant inside the bus and it went into the Chinese's woman's mouth.
"Then she argued about what solution she was sprayed and why she had to spray it and it angered the Chinese."