A confrontation between a Chinese fan and event security at the International Novel Festival 2026 has escalated into a wider dispute between Thai and Chinese fan communities, after organiser GMMTV issued a statement addressing the incident today, July 27.
Footage of the altercation, which showed a physical confrontation between a female Chinese attendee and event staff, spread rapidly across social media in Thailand and China over the weekend.
Accounts of what triggered the incident differ. Some reports say the dispute began after the fan allegedly entered a reserved seating area, with the situation escalating as staff attempted to remove her.
Footage circulating online shows the fan kicking a staff member as she was being escorted from the venue, after which a staff member tackled and restrained her outside.
Following an internal review, GMMTV acknowledged that security personnel had used force beyond what it considered appropriate at certain points during the incident.
The company said those involved were outsourced staff rather than direct employees, but said it accepted responsibility for supervising all personnel working at its events. (full statement below)
GMMTV said the staff involved had been suspended pending the outcome of a full investigation. The company denied online claims that it had taken legal action against the Chinese fan, saying no lawsuit or criminal complaint had been filed.
In its statement, GMMTV said it did not support violence in any form and does not have a policy of discrimination based on race or nationality. It said the incident was a dispute between individuals and should not be seen as reflecting the company’s attitude towards fans of any particular nationality.
The company said it would review its event management procedures, including security operations and staff supervision, to reduce the risk of similar incidents in future.
The statement has not settled the dispute online. Many Thai social media users have accused GMMTV of failing to adequately defend the Thai staff member involved, with some pointing to footage they say shows the fan did not comply with venue rules.
The backlash comes amid concerns about anti-Chinese sentiment in Thailand, with some commentators framing the dispute along national lines.
The hashtag #แบนGMMTV, meaning “boycott GMMTV,” has trended on X as users continue to share clips of the incident.
ให้โอกาส ถ้าดูแล้วยังไม่เห็นอีก ก็เข้าใจเลยว่าคงเห็นแต่เงินจริงๆ#แบนgmmtv https://t.co/CDXr3N5knP pic.twitter.com/rd6w1QcU9T
— 𓂂 ֯ 𐔌꒰ ͡ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ʟɪᴍ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆ (@hafsky07) July 26, 2026
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