American YouTube star Nate Bartling has come under fire after uploading a video in which he mocks Thai people for their English
Bartling, who lives in Thailand, approaches random people on the street and tries asking them silly questions in English.
One segment shows Bartling asking two Thai men if they were having their period, “I’m on my period. Do you have a sanitary tissue? Are you on your period too?” The male students nod and Bartling laughs responding, “Yeah? Me too, me too.”
Bartling approached a number of students casually saying, “You look absolutely terrible today”. Confused, the students replied “thank you” or “I don’t know”.
The YouTuber approached the students outside of a famous tuition centre, where students prep for big exams.
Bartling introduces the six-minute video in Thai, explaining that he was testing the students’ comprehension of English as he believes that English taught in Thailand is focused too much on grammar and not on conversation.
The video has garnered almost 1 million views in three days, with many comments slamming the YouTuber for humiliating people.
สุดยอดความคิดเห็น (คห.ของคุณ Jack) https://t.co/MHVyzOppjR? #MyMateNate pic.twitter.com/YEYbMqinCY
— ชัลnda~• (@da_neezswm) November 26, 2016
Some have also claimed to have had their English responses edited out.
One Twitter user claims her friend was told to act like she didn’t understand the question.
And nobody in that clip can speak English.
Moreover, he said he would blur students’ faces , but what was that? (9)— ♛ (@cherryluvjs) November 25, 2016
“We replied to him in English, but he did not put that in the video. After that, he asked us what we thought of our education system. We answered in English, but he wanted us to answer in Thai,” she tweeted in Thai.
Facebook user Summerbig Loveoale Sawaddee said in the post in Thai, ”I think all Thais should admit that our English learning system needs to be improved. I reckon English competency among the majority of our students is not on par with neighbouring countries.”
Another Facebook user, Lek Mayne, wrote, ”You should respect all of us. That’s not funny at all. What if I ask you a question in Isan (northeastern dialect) language?”
In a follow-up comment, Bartling said he was not trying to humiliate the individuals featured in the video but instead was shedding light on the Thai education system. He also denied that the video was staged but admitted that several people who understood English were cut out of the video.
On commenter responded, “I get you mate, you’re trying to help, but us Thais don’t like to be told things bluntly. I myself am half British so I’ve had the luxury of being bilingual since childhood, so I know you’re trying to do good, but try a different approach next time mate.”
