Thai stars wearing skirts had to kneel to take pictures, netizens argued fiercely

The image of female artists kneeling at the TikTok Awards Thailand 2025 is causing fierce controversy. The online community said that the arrangement of the photo squad was inappropriate, disrespectful to women and raised questions of gender discrimination.

The TikTok Awards Thailand 2025 ceremony, which took place on the evening of November 8 in Bangkok, is becoming the focus of controversy after a group photo was widely spread on social networks. In the photo, female artists – most of whom are dressed in evening dresses and high heels – are asked to kneel in front, while male artists and representatives of the organisers stand upright in the back.

This image quickly attracted millions of views on the X platform (formerly Twitter), leading to a wave of criticism from audiences inside and outside Thailand. Many people think that letting female artists kneel while men stand upright is a manifestation of gender inequality. inappropriate and unprofessional in the organization.

On beauty forums and social networks, a series of comments expressed their frustration at the arrangement of the photo squad. Some argue that forcing women to kneel in tight clothes and high heels is not only inconvenient but also potentially risks exposing sensitive images, affecting the personal image and safety of artists.

"Why can't we stand on an equal footing? Putting women on their knees is degrading to them," one X user wrote. Meanwhile, many international accounts also spoke out, asking GMMTV to publicly apologize and commit not to repeat the same incident.

Some feminist activists in Thailand have also spoken out, saying that this incident is not only an organizational error but also reflects the gender stratified thinking that still exists in the entertainment industry. They called for female artists to be empowered to reject requests that are detrimental to their image and body.

Up to now, GMMTV – the organizer of the event – has not yet given an official response. The artists participating in the photo shoot also did not make a public statement, making public opinion even more outraged. Some viewers flooded GMMTV's official page to leave critical comments, calling for a boycott of programs produced by the company.

Some young artists who have collaborated with GMMTV were also dragged into the debate, when fans asked them to speak out about the incident. However, the majority remained silent, leading many to believe that there was internal pressure to control speech.

This incident is not just a story about a group photo, but a wake-up call about how the entertainment industry treats female artists. In an era where gender equality is upheld, asking women to kneel while men stand upright is unacceptable. It reflects an old-fashioned mindset where form takes precedence over human respect and safety.

Media experts say large-scale entertainment events need to be held with greater gender sensitivity, especially when images can go global in just a few hours. An awards ceremony is not only a place to celebrate talent, but also a place to showcase the culture, values, and progress of the industry.

Some producers of shows in South Korea and Japan – where the entertainment industry is thriving – have also shared that they have encountered a similar situation and have changed the arrangement of the lineup to ensure image fairness among the artists. They think that the incident at GMMTV is an expensive lesson for the whole industry.