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Soldiers Banned from Online Shopping in Thailand
The army chief yesterday issued an order prohibiting all troops, units, and organizations under his command from buying products sold through the online shopping platform Lazada.
According to the Bangkok Post, his orders come in protest at a recent promotional video aired on TikTok that he claims contains a slight on the Thai Royal Family.
According to the army’s deputy spokeswoman, Lazada vehicles were also banned with immediate effect from entering military areas.
The action was an expression of our duty to protect the [royal] institution. We also had to take action against an organization involved in improper conduct and causing disunity in Thai society, she said.
Lazada’sonline shopping promotion offended Thai institutions and deeply hurt the Thai people, she claimed.
Lazada’s online shopping festival campaign
This order follows an online advertisement by transgender influencer Aniwat Prathumthin, better known as Nara Crepe Katoey on social media, in which she and another woman mocked the disabled.
As part of Lazada’s online shopping festival campaign, Intersect Design Factory produced the ad to target social media audiences using a popular TikTok influencer.
Intersect contacted Nara to perform in the ad, which was shown on her TikTok account.
This video shows Nara and a woman in a wheelchair, Thidarat Chaokuwiang, having fun and joking around.
Many netizens have criticized the outfit worn by the disabled person in the TikTok video, believing it is an oblique reference to the royal family.