British tabloids sent notes of apology to the family of two northern hill tribe girls that they earlier accused of stealing items from a female tourist in viral articles.
Chiang Mai provincial governor Pawin Chamniprasert, alongside Honorary Consul of the British Consulate in Chiang Mai Ben Robert Svasti, delivered the notes of apology from four newspapers: The Sun, Daily Mail, The Telegraph, and Daily Express in the UK and Australia, to the family of the two girls.
The girls were accused of stealing a watch from a British tourist while they posed for a photograph with her at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep temple in Chiang Mai.
The photo was shared by the woman’s boyfriend on Reddit, in a post uploaded titled “Girlfriend in the progress of having her watch stolen.”
Tabloids picked up the story when it went viral in October 2016 and it affected the Hmong community and tourism in the province.
In a story on Daily Mail, the hill tribe girls were referred to as “adorable thieves.”
It was later revealed after an investigation that the tourist in the picture had not lost her watch.
After receiving the apology letters, the family of the girls has revealed that they are grateful for the gesture and that the truth has been verified as they have been teaching their children to be good and honest.
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