Tiger Woods was yesterday forced to run the gauntlet of about 100 sacked Nike employees who staged an angry protest inside the lobby of the Bangkok hotel where he is staying.
The world's top golfer, who arrived in the Thai capital to play in the Johnnie Walker Classic, was leaving a ceremony inside the building where he had been conferred with an honorary doctorate in sports science.
Woods, whose mother is Thai, would have been expecting a warm welcome to the land where he has been hailed as a hero during past visits.
But this time he had to be escorted through the noisy protesters by a phalanx of bodyguard and officials as he returned to his room.
Looking somewhat taken aback, he put his head down and walked past without making any comment as the protesters shouted questions at him.
Organisers said Woods, whose contract with Nike nets him $100 million over five years, should listen to their claims that they have been unlawfully dismissed by Nike in Thailand.
"He should be able to really understand why that company can give him so much money," said Thai Labour Committee official Lek Junya Yumprasert.
"It would take the workers here 72,000 years of work for Nike on their wages here to make that money," she said.
The demonstrators said they were part of a group of 1,016 workers who were still waiting to be compensated a total of 41 million baht (£853,000) after being laid off by Nike in September.
Carrying placards reading "Tiger Woods putting around workers rights" and "Tiger Woods please help us" the workers gathered in the foyer of the Shangri La hotel and resisted attempts by hotel staff and Woods's entourage to shift them.
Nike, which unions say employs roughly 70,000 Thais, has frequently been accused of ill-treating its Asian employees. It is charged with subjecting them to inadequate pay and poor working conditions, as well as banning union membership.
During the degree ceremony, Woods said it was a "tremendous honour" to be recognised for his sporting and charitable achievements. "This is a humbling experience," he said.
