Thai netizens have weighed in on a violent altercation sparked by a rush to purchase a limited-edition designer handbag, outside a major department store in Bang Yai district of Nonthaburi province.
A video of the incident was posted to the Pu Boripok, or Consumers, Facebook page on Friday, with the caption, “In front of Central Westgate right now, the chaos of teens wanting Merge bags.”
The post quickly gained traction, drawing comments such as, “This could have been avoided if the bags were sold online,” and “When will we stop making people wait in line for goods? They are probably resellers.”
Local media reports said some of those in the queue had been paid hundreds of baht to show up and hold a spot for the people who actually intended to buy the bags.
Commenters questioned the department store’s security response. They noted the numerous complaints regarding the brand but criticised the lack of action taken to address demand issues.
Merge, the Thai brand behind the 2,490-baht ‘A Day Bag’ featured in the video, has since announced the suspension of sales for the product.
In the statement, the brand stated, “Due to the unexpected violence at the department store, we have decided to indefinitely suspend the sale of this product from March 22, 2025, in the interest of safety. We are saddened by the incident and apologise for the inconvenience.”
The brand also urged its customers to follow official updates to avoid misinformation.
Object of desire: Merge has suspended sales of its A Day Bag following Friday’s disturbance. (Photo: @merge.official Instagram)