PHUKET — A French couple were arrested and fined after being caught having sex on a public beach in Phuket, with authorities now seeking to have them deported.
Officers from Kamala Police Station detained Halan, 24, and Nadia, 24, both French nationals, at a hotel in Patong district at around 9pm on Thursday after a video of the incident spread widely on social media.
The pair were charged with committing an indecent act in public and fined 5,000 baht each — the maximum penalty under the offence.
The incident took place at Layi Beach in Kamala subdistrict, Kathu district, where the couple were seen engaging in sexual activity in full view of other tourists and beachgoers.
Police said they have referred the case to immigration authorities, who may revoke the couple’s visas and deport them from the country.
Authorities urged all foreign visitors to respect Thai law and culture, adding that the behaviour had damaged Phuket’s reputation as a tourist destination.
