November 29, 2017
US Gay Couple, Instagram Stars Arrested in Thailand for Exposing Themselves at Temple
READ TIME: 2 MIN.
The American gay couple behind the popular Instagram account Traveling Butts, where they expose their behinds at various international locations, have been arrested in Thailand, USA Today reports.
The married couple, identified as Joseph Dasilva and Travis Dasilva, both 38, by San Diego Gay and Lesbian News, were arrested Tuesday night at Bangkok airport and face public indecency charges, deputy police spokesman Krisana Pattanacharoen said.
The men sparked an uproar in the country, which is primarily Buddhist, last week when their photo at Bangkok's Wat Arun temple went viral. The pic shows the men with their pants down and their butts exposed but blurred. The outrage prompted a police investigation.
USA Today reports the Traveling Butts Instagram account has been deleted but it had more than 14,000 followers. A new account called Travelling_butts has been created, which only has 16 posts and a few hundred followers. The photo of the couple in Thailand is one of the photos. Other posts include photos of the men exposing themselves at the White House, the beach and a snowy mountain. It's unclear if the new account was created by the couple, however.
Police said the men each paid a $150 fine at the police station near the temple and were turned over to immigration authorities. Authorities are considering charging them under Thailand's computer crimes act, Wisit Suwan, the deputy chief of the Bangkok Yai district police station, said, according to USA Today.
"Once they are through with the charges, the Thai immigration police will revoke their visas and push for deportation," deputy spokesman of the Thai immigration police, Col Choengron Rimpadee, told the BBC. "They will also be blacklisted from coming back to Thailand."
Visitors to temples in Thailand are expected to dress modestly and at some sites, people are not allowed to wear shorts or shirts that don't cover their shoulders.
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The controversial law is often used against political activists to stifle free speech online or against those accused of insulting Thailand's monarchy. It carries punishments of up to five years in prison.
According to San Diego Gay and Lesbian News, the couple reached out to City Commissioner Nicole Murray-Ramirez for help. He is currently talking to American authorities on how to proceed.
"Though I am very disappointed in their actions, I am talking to U.S. government officials to see what assistance we can give them," Murray Ramirez told San Diego Gay and Lesbian News.
Check out the NSFW pics below.
