There is usually a sign outside temples in thailand asking visitors to remove thier footwear -- at least most temple i have been to , in bangkok and the country as well. It would be the right of a thai to ask someone to remove footwear -- mai fren lai -- just the same as it would be the right to ask someone not to smoke in your house. If , of course , there was a sign .
Some temples do not require this and do not have a sign.
It is hard to accept this story at face value as almost everywhere, the muslims respect buddhist custom and vice versa --- highly unusual for this to have occured if it did the way it is described
