It was reported this week that tourists in Thailand could face the death penalty for taking selfies on a beach near an airport.
A portion of the Mai Khao beach near Phuket International Airport has become so popular for those wanting to take selfies that officials have imposed some drastic consequences on those who are caught doing it.
Airport Chief Wichit Kaeothaithiam made headlines when he told reporters that the “maximum penalty” for tourists who distract pilots near the Phuket International Airport was the “death sentence.” He added that others will face harsh fines like 40,000 baht ($1,253) or a jail sentence of up to 20 years.
However, the tourist authority have since clarified that while this technically is the case, the death penalty is reserved for those who are found to be taking selfies to purposely impede the captains’ performance on the planes.
“There is no such penalty for taking such selfies with landing planes in Phuket. We understand that the airport authorities are looking at ways to introduce a safety zone for tourists to take photos with the landing planes,” said a representative for the Tourism Authority of Thailand, who added that harsher punishments will be given to those who are “flying drones or shining flashlights or laser lights at planes.”
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◌ И ведь не отличишь✈️ ◌ Кто отличит, где я, а где самолёт , тому подарю миллион?? ◌ #ясамолет
While the initial comments have indeed been clarified, many still feel that having the death penalty on the table at all is a bit harsh. Others, however, feel that the lengths people are going to get the perfect selfie has gone too far, and that harsher consequences for taking dangerous selfies need to be put in place.
Authorities are justified in their concern for the safety of tourists as well as for airport safety. Just last year, a 57 year-old woman was killed while vacationing on a beach in St. Marten after a blast from a nearby jet knocked her to the ground. At the time, the woman had been holding onto a fence that separates the beach from the airport when winds generated by the jet’s engines blasted her back into a retaining wall.
What do you think about all of this? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
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