Two Chinese tourists in Thailand have been jailed after a selfie of them holding a starfish went viral on social media, the Bangkok Post reported. The incident happened after pictures surfaced of him stepping on coral reefs and holding a starfish for a selfie during a diving excursion near Koh Racha Yai.
According to police, Sanyang Qin and Wen Zhang were taken by a travel agency representative to meet investigators at Chalong station. On Thursday, three Chinese tourists were accused of climbing onto coral reefs to catch starfish and photograph them while they were diving in Ao La near Koh Ratcha Yai.
After he posted his pictures and videos on social media on Friday, maritime security officials reported it to the police. An investigation by the Phuket Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Center revealed that the accused had indeed committed the crime.
On questioning, both the tourists admitted to the wrongdoing. Police accused them of disobeying a ministerial directive to conserve marine resources on the islands of Koh Ratcha Yai and Koh Ratcha Noi. The intention of the police is to collect evidence and bring them before the court.
The remaining tourist is being sought by the authorities for the same offence. In recent years, Thailand’s authorities have become increasingly active in protecting their marine environment. From new rules and regulations aimed at protecting their coral reefs and endangered marine species to closing off entire islands to help their environments recover from mass tourism.
(With inputs from ANI)
Read this also | Former Indian-origin police officer in UK jailed for sexually assaulting colleague
Read this also | UK: British man jailed for assaulting elderly Sikh in Manchester