Thailand (again): Topless teenage revellers fined B500 for obscenity

[Danee]

From: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/232503/topless-teenage-revellers-fined-b500-for-obscenity

Three teenage girls, who danced topless before a crowd of Songkran revellers, said they did it purely out of fun, according to police.

The three surrendered to police last night, said Metropolitan Police Division 6 chief Suwat Jaengyotsuk.

As a mainly male audience cheered and the trio's festive mood skyrocketed, they took off their shirts and danced topless on a car roof on Friday, the last day of the Songkran festival, near the intersection of Silom and Narathiwat Ratchanakharin roads.

"They claimed they were not drunk," said Pol Maj Gen Suwat.

The three, whose names and faces have not been revealed, appeared at a police station in Thonburi last night.

Yannawa police chief Monchai Sriprasert said the girls "feel embarrassed".

They are aged between 14 and 16 years old, police said, and they were fined 500 baht each on obscenity charges.

Anybody who has distributed video footage of their topless dance over the internet should also face charges, Pol Col Monchai said.

Police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said those who cheered the girls on and urged them to take off their clothes should be considered supporters of the crime, although they will not be prosecuted.


Meanwhile, Culture Minister Nipit Intarasombut swiftly ordered the removal of a painting of topless women from the the ministry website after speculation that it may have influenced the girls.

The website featured the watercolour painting by Somphop Butrach, depicting three topless women otherwise dressed in ancient Thai garments, welcoming the Thai New Year.



"Sometimes, art and obscenity overlaps," Mr Nipit said. But he said if people considered this painting to be indecent, he was worried that other artistic pictures and statues of topless women could no longer be displayed in public.

"Or maybe we have to buy bras to cover up the Nang Ngueak and Peesua Samut sculptures to prevent obscenity," he said, referring to a topless mermaid and female sea giant from the Phra Apai-manee legendary tale.




Here is another link reporting on it. 

If the girls were American, they'd be in negotiations for a reality show. But since they're Thai, they are being tracked down by the culture ministry and the police, who plan to fine them and force them them to contemplate the holiday's true meaning, possibly by reading books about Songkran to kindergarten students. (The public nudity fine, I should note, is only about $16.50.)

Watching this, its only in fun. If they had their shirts on? No deal.  They took off their teeshirts.  No big deal but of course, breasts are offensive.


<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/22533823?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="">Coyote dancers in Silom get topless</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user6785001">Sansern Kaewkamnerd</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>