Festival attack with water pistol starts diplomatic 'war'

It appears to be the first international incident sparked by a water pistol.

The wife of a Finnish diplomat has apologised for slapping a four-year-old Thai boy across the face during last week's Songkran New Year festival.

The case has appeared to highlight the cultural divide between farangs - foreigners - and Thais.

During the event that in recent years has evolved into a good-natured orgy of water and flour fights, Elia Aittola ended up surrounded by a crowd of angry Thais outside a Pattaya police station.

Ms Aittola had asked young Jiravat Suntaros and his friends not to soak her as she made her way to a Pattaya restaurant with friends.

But in a scene constantly repeated across the nation during the week-long festival, the request was duly ignored.