Apple apologises for its ‘out of office’ Thailand ad

Tech giant Apple issued an apology on Friday after its recent advertisement sparked widespread criticism for negatively portraying Thailand.

The video, part of “The Underdogs: OOO (Out of Office)” series, depicted outdated images of the country, including an old airport, congested transportation and a shabby hotel.

The ad went viral and drew intense backlash on social media accusing Apple of damaging Thailand’s image.

Apple said it had worked closely with Thai companies to produce this fifth advert in The Underdogs series, adding that the aim was to shed light on Thai culture and perspective in a positive way.

“We would like to apologise that the advertisement has failed to present the Thai way of life in a complete and appropriate manner,” a statement from Apple said, adding that the advert had been pulled off the air.

Meanwhile, a House committee on tourism said on Thursday that it will summon executives from relevant agencies such as the Tourism and Sports Ministry, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Creative Economy Agency and Apple Thailand to clarify this issue next week.

“The government has a policy to promote soft power, but the advertisement severely affects Thailand’s image,” committee spokesperson Sarttra Sripan said, noting that a recent film about illegal businesses in Southeast Asia has discouraged Chinese people from travelling to Thailand.