PASAY, PHILIPPINES – In an unusual display of protest at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in the Philippines, a Vietnamese woman paraded naked through the airport premises. The incident occurred when Thuytrang Nguyen, a 34-year-old tourist, was asked to pay fines for overstaying her visa before she could return to Vietnam on Saturday.
The displeased visitor expressed her opposition by heading to a restroom and emerging stark naked, as depicted in videos of the protest. Keeping her composure, the clothes-free traveler walked past the immigration counter’s security station, through the security area, and towards the body scanner.
The sight of a stripped-down passenger walking harefoot left the airport staff stunned, and they hastily followed her, appearing unsure how to intercept her. Finally, they managed to halt her movement and attempted to calm her down by providing her with clothes, food, and drinks.
Due to her behavior, authorities restricted Nguyen from leaving the country, branding her as “psychologically incapacitated.” Later, she underwent a medical examination and was deemed fit to board a flight back to Hanoi, Vietnam, on June 9, after she paid her overstayed visa fee.
The language barrier further aggravated the tense situation as Nguyen was unable to communicate in English or Tagalog. Gen. Manuel Sequitin, the assistant general manager for security and emergency services, commented that her interaction with the authorities had to be facilitated through Google Translate.