Indians in Thailand criticised for using bags to reserve queue spots

A viral video from Thailand has triggered fresh criticism of Indian tourists after it showed a group “reserving” their place in a queue by leaving bags in line while they sat elsewhere. The clip, shared on Instagram by a user identified as Shivam Pandey, shows luggage positioned among people waiting, while the travellers film the scene from the side, presenting it as a clever workaround rather than a breach of etiquette.

The backlash was swift. Many social media users called the behaviour unfair to those physically standing in the line and said it reflected poorly on Indians abroad. Hindustan Times reported that commenters described it as a “lack of civic sense” and argued that it feeds negative stereotypes, especially in tourist-heavy countries where locals and visitors already feel the pressure of crowding.

What makes the episode travel so widely is that queues are not just a practical system in Thailand, they are a social norm. In many Thai public spaces, waiting your turn is treated as basic courtesy. Leaving objects to “hold” a spot can be read as queue-jumping by proxy, because it shifts the burden of waiting onto others while you keep the benefit. The irritation is not really about bags. It is about perceived fairness.

There is also a cultural mismatch at play. In parts of India, people sometimes mark a place with a helmet, bag or token when queues are chaotic, poorly managed, or involve long waits. That informal approach can feel normal back home. But in settings where the rule is simple and widely followed—stand where your turn is—such tactics stand out immediately.