Boris Johnson, the UK Foreign Secretary, may have missed his calling as a comedian. At least, he thinks so. The rest of his country is not so sure. The wannabe funnyman made jokes about his citizens and sex tourism in Thailand during a major speech about Brexit yesterday.
Here is the speech in full:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aZnYFMkZ2E
In the diatribe, which laid out some of the country’s plans post-Brexit, the conservative politician said that “the right deal on aviation and visa-free travel” will let Brits “ever more intensively to go on cheapo flights to stag parties in ancient cities,” implying that his countrymen only travel for debaucherous reasons, not to soak in the rich culture of the world.
He also decided to pretend that he didn’t know what his people get up to in the Land of Smiles: “I have just discovered we have more than a million who go to Thailand every year where, according to our superb consular services, they get up to the most eye-popping things,” which many took to be a nod to the sex tourism, ill-advised bar girl liasons, and the Pattaya bar fights that Brits in Thailand have been known for.
British Twitter (Britter?) was not pleased with his comments, calling the former Oxford University Union president “insulting,” “sleazy,” and “un-PC.”
Boris Johnson gave a 4,600 word national address on #Brexit today. He didn't mention Ireland, or Northern Ireland, once. He did talk of stag parties in ancient cities and eye-popping activities by British citizens in Thailand. Insulting, reckless behaviour.
— Stephen Donnelly (@DonnellyStephen) February 14, 2018
In a keynote speech on Brexit Boris Johnson is talking about measuring the English channel with his fingers, referring to it as a moat, and making jokes about the things that go on when Brits go to Thailand. This is terrifying.
— Liam Kirkaldy (@LiamKirkaldy_) February 14, 2018
Poverty stricken people being exploited by tourists is not something that should be joked about – what a brainless bigoted buffoon johnson is. https://t.co/yUzF5QTSUv
— Wales@TheUnitedNations (@WalesAtTheUN) February 14, 2018
Johnson was actually here in Thailand just a few days ago, where he met with PM Prayuth Chan-ocha and posted this tweet:
Pleasure to meet Thai PM Prayut Chan-o-cha. Discussed range of issues from bilateral trade and investment to regional security and the Illegal Wildlife Trade. I look forward to further strengthening the UK's relationship with #Thailand in the future pic.twitter.com/DB19YBdZZO
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) February 12, 2018
We don’t think they discussed stag parties or sex tourism but, with these two loose cannons, you can never tell.
