VIDEO: Thailand Airport Apologises After Security Guard's 'Slant-Eye' Gesture Toward Chinese Passengers

A video has gone viral on social media, showing a security personnel at Thailand's Suvarnabhumi Airport making an allegedly discriminatory "slant-eye" gesture towards Chinese passengers.

Thai Airways flight TG674 from Bangkok to Beijing denied boarding to 22 Chinese passengers on July 29, after which a security guard allegedly made a discriminatory "slant-eye" gesture. The incident reportedly took place on July 29,

According to airport CCTV footage and a statement, a group of Chinese fans following a celebrity on the same flight attempted to enter an airport lounge and were escorted out by staff. The name of the celebrity has not been made public.

These fans then followed the celebrity into the boarding area. For security reasons, the airline decided to deny boarding to the 22 passengers. This led to a confrontation between the fans and airport personnel. The airport security personnel can be seen making the "slant eye" gesture in the footage.

Suvarnabhumi Airport on Tuesday apologised over the inappropriate conduct and said that the security guard had faced disciplinary action for the act.

Airport explains incident

The fans were preparing to board the same flight, airport management said. They followed the artist to the passenger lounge although they had no entry rights.

“Airline personnel considered that the group of fans could have caused disorder on the aircraft and the situation could have been uncontrollable after take-off,” the Suvarnabhumi Airport management said in a statement.

Disciplinary action taken

"Security guards were trying to ensure the safety of passengers and flight operations. However, some behaved inappropriately and in ways that did not meet service standards and airport regulations," the management added.

Airport management apologised for the reaction by the personnel concerned and said the security guard had faced disciplinary action.