azepine00

Rather ironic to see this considering the country is a destination for sex tourism including less than benign variations - eg abuse, sex slavery, paedophilia.
Lets pretend it doesnt exist but instead throw a book at some moron who took butt selfie near temple..

Plato90s

Yes, you probably would. Visitors are not permitted to enter St. Peter's Basilica wearing shorts, so you would likely have broken into the site via trespassing. The police would probably arrest you.

True, and that's why I suggest a proportional punishment is 30 days in jail for people who deliberately disrespect a holy site for profit. And some people think the Netherlands is a modern nation despite the fact that it's a destination for both sex tourism (including trafficking in forced child prostitution) as well as narcotic abusers....

This tangential argument is like the earlier reference to a painting of topless women.

What exactly is the relevance to tourists deliberately flouting the law?

Dr. HFH

On what basis is our opinion of the provisions in the law for criminal penalties in another country relevant to anything? Does anyone here think that the Americans would care a bit if, say, some Brits decided that the punishment for some crime in the U.S. was too severe? Or vice versa? When we travel to another country, we're guests in that country; and, like all good guests, we are obligated to respect the laws, traditions, culture, etc., of the country we are visiting. It's not for us to decide which laws are appropriate, which are not, and then ignore the laws which we think are inappropriate. If we don't like the laws of some other country, we can choose not to visit it.


... thereby voluntarily undertaking the risk that they would be caught and penalized pursuant to the law.

MikeFromTokyo

Exactly. And Thailand is actually very tolerant of people’s differences as long as one does not willfully flout common sense respect and decency in a sacred consecrated area. Did these idiots think that a temple is some kind of a theme park attraction that exists for their amusement, and as a backdrop for their backside exposing photography? It’s totally disrespectful, and somehow I doubt they would have done the same in a place of worship in their own country.

CJKatl

You are correct until that last line. Surely they would do the same thing in America, which really points to so much of the problem.

There are a few threads in the Marriott forum right now that illustrate this, including one in which a few posters told someone to just ignore French law because French law is wrong on occupancy and another where people encourage someone to send his kid to a hotel to check in late at night despite the hotel having a rule that the child is too young to check in. They appear to have been taught to be selfish, entitled and condescending, which they would likely be in the US, Asia or the moon. I feel bad for them that they appear to have been brought up this way.

MikeFromTokyo

I do not feel bad for them in the slightest. I would hope for the maximum penalty applicable under the law.

Plato90s

Looks like the couple will soon be headed back to San Diego

Travis and Joseph Dasilva have been released, headed back home | San Diego Gay and Lesbian News

I'd say a week or two in a Thai jail plus the expense of rebooking has taught these two a lesson about respecting the laws of places they visit....

Loren Pechtel

Thailand should have made them pose for some more pictures. Exactly as they were in the temple shots, but in jail cells instead.

Plato90s

How is that punishment?

Give these 2 folks their camera back while in jail - they'd probably take the naked-butt selfies themselves.

MikeFromTokyo

CJKatl

They must know not to drop their pants in a Disney attraction, but if they think it's okay to do in a Wat maybe someone needs to tell them just to be on the safe side.

transpac

It seems like the Thai "authorities" dismissed any additional charges (computer crimes, sacrilege), and the DaSilvas have left Thailand.

Loren Pechtel

I don't think they would like having the pictures of them in jail about.

transpac

I'm under the impression that they were "held" in the Immigration Detention Centre (IDC-Suan Phlu), of which there are many, many, many photos, rather than a jail or prison. That said it's not the nicest place, so that should placate the "pitchfork & torch crowd" somewhat?

Dr. HFH

Yes, I believe that you are correct.


That's putting it nicely. The photos I've seen are pretty unpleasant. Not that my opinion of another country's judicial/legal system matters a whit, but I think that these guys should be punished. Apart from being technically illegal, what they did was sufficiently offensive to Thai culture that it has been made a crime. Actually, I always thought that that kid who was caned in Singapore for keying a car got the perfect punishment. It was severe enough that he wouldn't forget it anytime soon, didn't inflict any permanent damage on him, didn't lock him away in a miserable warehouse for years. His punishment was swift and severe enough to get his attention.

When I was in the police academy, the instructor sub-titled the use of force part of the course, "The gradual application of pain to persuade the recalcitrant subject to reconsider his negative attitude." Sounds about right to me. These two guys may think twice before they try a similar stunt in the future.