Bare-bottomed Americans arrested over Thai temple photo

IT WOULD be considered nothing but harmless fun in Australia, but it’s considered deeply disrespectful in Thailand.

TWO American tourists who ran a popular travel social media account called “Traveling Butts” have been arrested in Thailand after posting a photo of themselves at a famous Buddhist temple with their rear ends exposed.

Deputy police spokesman Krisana Pattanacharoen said the men were arrested Tuesday night at a Bangkok airport and face public indecency charges.

The pair have been arrested and face public indecency charges.

Joseph and Travis Dasilva, both 38, caused an uproar in Buddhist-majority Thailand last week after their photo taken at Bangkok’s Wat Arun was widely shared, prompting a police investigation.

The couple, whom police identified only by their first names, maintained a since-deleted Instagram account where they posed for photos at famous tourist destinations around the world with their bottoms exposed. The account had more than 14,000 followers.

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.

Police said the men each paid a fine of 5000 baht ($A200) at a police station near the temple and have been handed over to immigration authorities.

Police are also considering charging the men under Thailand’s computer crimes act, which carries jail time.

Police are also considering charging the men under Thailand’s computer crimes act as the image was posted online, Bangkok Yai district police station’s deputy chief Wisit Suwan said.

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.