I suspect that a lot of the ridicule was just because the boy was a young movie star/pop culture icon. If it had been someone important politically or from some other ‘respectable’ field, they might have reacted differently.
In fact, they’d be showing off all they know about the history and politics of Thailand :-)
(If you get homesick for the food, this is a great little company: https://importfood.com/ . I’m addicted to the AMAZING ELEPHANT TOM KHA SOUP!)
Love Thai food. As with any food, it’s best in country. Thailand is one place where you could spend your entire time eating nothing but street food, and have some of the best food of your life.