‘Black with flat noses’: Thailand’s Thaksin under fire for alleged racist jibe at African women

Thailand’s former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has come under heavy criticism for delivering a racially tinged speech at a political rally where he allegedly said the country’s women struggle to become supermodels despite looking better than Africans.

The billionaire, who returned to the kingdom in August 2023 after spending 15 years in self-exile, said his Pheu Thai party would promote “pretty” Thai women as runway icons.

Thaksin reportedly described African women as “black with flat noses” who land model roles that fetch them millions of baht.

“African people, who have black skin and flat noses that make it difficult to breathe, are hired for millions of baht to be models,” he said at last Sunday’s campaign event supporting a candidate running in the Chiang Rai provincial election set for next month.

Thaksin also said Thai girls were prettier and they did not need plastic surgery to enhance their physical appearance.

“It’s time to encourage more Thais, including those from ethnic groups like the Karen, who possess natural beauty, to become international models.”

Senator Angkhana Neelapaijit demanded the Pheu Thai patriarch issue a public apology over his disparaging remarks that she called a “serious matter internationally”.