A French couple who caused a stir among locals after they were spotted having sex on a secluded beach in Thailand have been arrested.
Tourists Halan and Nadia, both 24, were caught engaging in sexual acts at Phuket’s Rayee beach on April 10, news.com.au reports.
The pair’s frisky rendezvous went viral after it was captured on film by mortified onlookers.
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In the footage, the couple appear to lay naked in the sand as they get wildly intimate in broad daylight.
Witnesses claim the pair were not afraid of getting caught and could be heard from a distance engaging in the erotic display.
According to local media, the explicit scene caused a flurry of complaints from locals, who condemned police for not patrolling the area.
“So many foreigners do this when they come here. They’re like animals. I would rather be poor, without any tourists visiting, than live in this environment,” one local said.
“Great, go for it. Because in our country, there are no rules or regulations. It’s shameful. You can do whatever you want because the laws aren’t strict enough,” another added.
Two French toursist were filmed having sex on a beach in Phuket. Credit: Supplied
Police responded to the outrage by launching an immediate search for the couple.
They were later tracked down at a hotel in the Kathu district where they were arrested.
Halan and Nadia were both fined 5000 baht (AUD $220) for “committing an indecent act in public by being naked or exposing the body, or committing other obscene acts”.
Police Colonel Anurak Parinyasathirakul said the couple claimed were not aware they were committing a crime.
“Officers explained to the two tourists why it was illegal to do what they did. They said they did not know it was an offence,” Mr Parinyasathirakul said.
“They said they were relaxed because they are on holiday and became carried away in the moment.
“Both of the tourists admitted what they did and accepted a fine. Their details were taken, and the immigration officers were notified of the case for consideration of their visas.”
Under Thai law, sex in a public space is punishable by a fine of up to 5,000 baht (AUD $220).