Thai airport apologizes after Singapore’s Peranakan shophouses were used to promote Phuket, but said it had been done intentionally

SINGAPORE: There was some confusion, not to mention embarrassment, earlier this week when a mural showing Singapore’s iconic colourful Peranakan shophouses was seen at Phuket International Airport. A netizen posted a photo on social media on Monday (Dec 16), which then went on to be widely shared.

Thai Facebook user Ejijum Phuket wrote that it had been a friend who had spotted the mural and had been quite puzzled about it.

“I’m so embarrassed. My friend arrived at Phuket Airport and sent me this picture asking where it was so he could take a picture,” he wrote, adding, “I’m so embarrassed!”

He also wrote that Phuket has many beautiful houses, as well as its own shophouses similar in style on Thalang Road, but that the airport “used their friend’s house” to promote the island.

A netizen commenting on his post appealed to the airport to take the mural down, adding, “You’re embarrassing yourself,” while others called for the person responsible for the gaffe to be dismissed.

The official account of the Airports of Thailand also weighed in, thanking the post author and saying that the matter would be forwarded to the airport at Phuket for further action.

It also apologised for any inconvenience caused, but Ejijum Phuket replied, “This is not an inconvenience or a problem with the service. It is more a matter of national pride. Using a picture of a neighboring country is strange. It is not that we do not have a house like this so we have to borrow the view of Singapore.”

In a Facebook post of its own, the Phuket International Airport — HKT wrote that the inclusion of the photo of the Peranakan shophouses in Singapore had been purposely done.

It wrote that the pictures of Sino-Portuguese architecture in Singapore used to decorate the interior of the airport’s passenger terminal and that it was aware that these were being shared online, but these were just some among many photos promoting the island.

Moreover, the pictures imply that similar architecture can also be found in Phuket. The airport posted other photos of its building’s interior.

Nevertheless, it apologised for having caused any confusion or misunderstanding and said it would endeavor to rectify the issue.

Some Thai netizens appeared to be less than happy with the post, however, with one even asking, “Do you want Phuket to be part of SG???” /TISG

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