A Japanese content creator apologised after staging a fake pickpocketing video on Bangkok’s Khao San Road, prompting criticism online and a police complaint from one of the people featured in the footage.
The video was originally posted on the TikTok account @washizu_aoi1211 before being deleted following widespread backlash. It was later reposted on X by user @DEATHDOL_NOTE, who criticised the creator and translated the video’s caption into English.
According to the translated caption, the creator asked, “Will I get pickpocketed if I leave my wallet visibly sticking out of my pocket in Thailand?”
The footage showed the Japanese man walking along Khao San Road with an orange wallet filled with cash protruding from his pocket while interacting with people working in the area.
The video appeared to show several people secretly removing the wallet, leading many viewers to believe they had witnessed genuine pickpocketing in Thailand.
The creator later admitted that the Khao San Road prank had been staged. He said he had asked each person featured in the video to pretend to steal the wallet and promised to pay them for participating.
One of the people who appeared in the footage, a Burmese national working on Khao San Road, later filed a complaint with Chana Songkhram Police Station.
According to the complaint, tourists, particularly foreign visitors, believed he was a real pickpocket after watching the video and began treating him with suspicion. His sister also alleged that he lost his job after the staged video circulated online.
The incident drew criticism from both Thai and Japanese social media users. In response, the content creator posted a video apologising for his actions, admitting that he had prioritised attracting views over the consequences of the content.
He also claimed that he had spoken with the worker’s younger sister and that the employer allowed the man to return to work after watching the apology and clarification.
Despite the apology, many online users continued to criticise the creator and called for legal action as well as sanctions against his social media accounts.
Police have not yet announced whether any legal action will be taken in connection with the incident.
【害悪度A】
TikToker（フォロワー約60万人）
フリダム日記備考
「タイで財布をポケットから目立つように出していたら、スリに遭うのか？」という検証動画を投稿し、実際にスリ被害に遭ったかのような内容を公開。
↓
しかし、その動画は後に完全なフェイクであったことが判明。
↓… pic.twitter.com/8KhiWkgbC5— DEATHDOL NOTE (@DEATHDOL_NOTE) July 12, 2026
@washizu_aoi1211 本当に申し訳ありませんでした
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