Bungee adventure firm fined after woman jumps naked
The manager of an adventure bungee jump operation in Thailand has been fined after a female model visiting from Hong Kong stripped off her skimpy bikini and made the jump naked.
Coconuts Bangkok reported that the woman, who was visiting Chang Mai, turned up at X-Centre Bungee Jump at Mae Rim to perform the controversial stunt.
Images quickly went viral and a video clip attracted much attention before YouTube removed it for violating its policy on nudity.
Coconuts Bangkok reported that police “rushed to the scene” when they learned of the incident, only to find the video and photos of the naked tourist they had seen online were already a week old.
Manager Bancha Chulakul told police the unidentified tourist visited the venue earlier this month, claiming she was a model and needed the footage for her portfolio.
Authorities fined Bancha THB 1000 (AUD 38) for obscenity and released him, the site said.
Thai-language management website The Manager reports that Thai authorities have since been working with their Hong Kong counterparts in a bid to limit the use of the images and video on social media, to protect Chang Mai’s reputation as a “City of Culture”. Pixelated versions featuring more distant angles were still circulating at last glance.
The activities of Chinese tourists in Thailand have stirred controversy in recent months, with locals complaining about tourists defecating in the streets during Chinese New Year celebrations.
Thai tourism authorities distributed etiquette manuals in Mandarin to help stop the unhygienic practice.
Written by Peter Needham
