A Hindi warning sign at a hostel in Bangkok left one Indian traveller wondering why a notice meant for tourists from around the world had been written specifically for Indians.Digital creator Sparsh Sunil recently shared a video from Thailand in which he pointed out a notice at his hostel asking guests to drink water using a glass. What caught his attention was that the message was written in Hindi as well as English.His curiosity got the better of him, so he asked the hostel owner why Hindi had been added when Bangkok welcomes visitors from countries across the world.The answer, according to Sunil, was that some Indian guests simply didn’t listen to the instructions.“Unhone mujhe bataya ki maante nahi hai, sunte nahi hai (They told me that they do not follow or listen to what they say),” he said in the video.For Sunil, that small notice became a much bigger conversation about how Indians behave when travelling abroad.
“You are the ambassador of the country”
In the video, Sunil also described other incidents he said he had witnessed during his time in Thailand. He claimed he had seen Indian men asking Thai women inappropriate questions outside massage parlours.He also recalled an incident involving an Indian man who, according to Sunil, asked a Thai woman for a photograph but appeared more interested in photographing her than the surrounding place.Sunil said such behaviour can affect how people view Indians travelling overseas.“I don’t understand what you are doing. You are spoiling the image of the country. And don’t think that North Indians do this, South Indians don’t do this. When you go out of the country, you are an Indian. You are the ambassador of the country. So you spoil the country’s image, and then we have to feel ashamed,” he said.The point of his video wasn’t simply about one sign, though. Sunil used it to make a broader appeal to Indians travelling abroad: follow local rules, respect people and remember that behaviour in another country can shape how you’re perceived.
His message sparked a debate online
In the caption accompanying his video, Sunil wrote, “We often complain about how the world sees India… but sometimes, we also need to look at how we behave when we travel abroad.”He went on to mention loud behaviour, littering, ignoring queues, disregarding local rules and treating public spaces carelessly as examples of things that may seem minor to one person but can leave an impression on others.“You’re not just a tourist. You’re also representing your country. Travel with respect. Follow the rules. Keep the place clean. And remember, being Indian abroad is something to be proud of,” he wrote.The post quickly drew reactions from other social media users, with several people saying they had encountered similar notices or behaviour while travelling.“Well done, brother, for pointing this out,” one person commented.Another wrote that civic education and awareness should be treated more seriously, while one blunt reaction read: “Indian and civic sense… both are opposite.”Someone else shared an experience from Thailand that they found even more embarrassing. They claimed they had visited a washroom where a Hindi-only notice reportedly read: “Zameen par peshab karna mana hai.”Whether every incident described online reflects a wider pattern is difficult to establish from individual accounts. But Sunil’s video has touched a familiar nerve: when travelling abroad, basic courtesy, cleanliness and respect for local rules matter, regardless of where you’re from.