When do three colors become a flag, and where does a sidewalk turn into an insult?
Recently in Korea, according to a Thai resident who posted footage of a kilometer-long sidewalk painted in a way that resembles the Thai flag.
“This is a walkway in Korea that has been reconstructed recently,” narrates user Areeya Nin. “If you look closely, that’s a Thai flag right there! Many Thais live in the area. I don’t know if the walkway is meant to reflect anything, but I wouldn’t step on that.”
Although the sidewalk appears quite old, the paint job is apparently recent, and speculation online has taken it as some sort of smear against Thailand because of accusations online and elsewhere that South Korea cheated in the recently concluded Asian Games.
Sathitkul Thammaturak, secretary to Thailand’s ambassador in Seoul, traveled to Incheon province to inspect the walkway in person.
Sathikul met with Ku Yong Kwan, the head of the sidewalk project, who insisted the walkway was repainted before the Asian Games 2014 and wasn’t intended to offend Thais.
Sawgu added that no Thai locals have lodged and complaints. He will take the issue to consider in the meeting.
In the end, no one conclusively answered whether it was intended to be a flag.
Related:
Kee Gong: ‘Hail to the Host’ thanks South Korea for Asian Games (VIDEO)
