A couple have sparked outrage among locals after they were filmed having sex on a remote beach in Thailand.
French tourists Halan, 24, and Nadia, 24, were arrested after footage of the pair naked on the sand in Phuket went viral over the weekend.
In the footage, the pair can be seen fully stripped down as they engage in sexual acts in broad daylight at Rayee Beach.
According to horrified onlookers, the couple made little effort to hide their rendezvous, with some claiming they could be heard from across the beach.
The incident has since sparked backlash among locals, who slammed police and authorities for not monitoring 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,” said another.
Following widespread outrage, police tracked the pair to a hotel in the Kathu district, where they were arrested.
According to police, both admitted to engaging in intercourse on the beach and were subsequently charged about $157 for “committing an indecent act in public by being naked or exposing the body, or committing other obscene acts.”
Local Police Colonel Anurak Parinyasathirakul said the tourists claimed they “did not know it was an offense.”
“They said they were relaxed because they are on holiday and became carried away in the moment,” he said.
“Both 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.”
The incident comes amid a string of similar cases involving badly behaved tourists on the holiday island.
In February last year, a couple was reported after having sex on the back of a tuktuk in the Karon area, despite multiple warnings from the driver.
Just weeks later, another couple were filmed having sex in a hotel room with the windows open before the woman later stepped onto the balcony naked.
In September, a Russian national was filmed having sex on a moving black Ford pick-up, and was arrested the following day at the airport.
In January this year, a taxi driver was forced to remove a couple from his vehicle after they allegedly refused to stop having sex and attempted to attack him.
Days later, two men were caught engaging in a sex act near Patong Beach. A Saudi national was arrested at a nearby club, while police continued to search for another man.
According to locals, the rapid surge in tourism as the Thai government implements a visa-free scheme has brought a steep rise in disruptive behavior and other illegal activity.
According to the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, around 14 million tourists travelled to the island in 2025, with Russia, China, India, the UK and Australia among the highest number of visitors.
