A British backpacker has been arrested for stripping off in front of other stunned tourists as they posed for a group photo during a holiday in Thailand.
Joseph William Kershaw, 23, was captured on camera by a Krabi resident strolling along Ao Nang Beach with his clothes in hand before taking a photo in front of the Sailfish statue.
Images show a gathering of about twenty to thirty young foreigners on the paradise beach, all cheering as Kershaw waved his genitals, ignoring the shocked locals and passing motorists.
The incident occurred on April 8, after the group of tourists arrived at the site accompanied by a Thai guide.
It wasn’t long before Kershaw began stripping off his clothes in the Thai heat, all the way down to his underwear, as his companions cheered at his brazen display.
Joseph William Kershaw, 23, was caught on camera by a Thai resident undressing and waving his genitals in front of tourists and residents of Krabi
Krabi locals told Thai media that his behavior disrespected both the monumental sculpture and the community
Kershaw was arrested on April 9 and fined £110 for the ‘minor offence’
According to local reports, the Thai tour guide did not intervene.
But while his friends may have found the nude display entertaining, locals were unimpressed. They alleged that his behavior disrespected the monumental sculpture and the Krabi community.
The person who filmed the incident told local TV station Channel 3 that both Thais and tourists were present at the scene, but this did not seem to faze the careless Brit.
After several complaints from locals and after seeing the footage, Krabi Immigration Police and Ao Nang Police Station managed to identify Kershaw and discovered that he was in Thailand on a tourist visa.
He was arrested at his hostel yesterday afternoon and marched to Ao Nang police station, where he issued a groveling apology in a blue T-shirt and baseball cap.
Kershaw admitted to being the man in the video and claimed he stripped naked because he was drunk and overly excited.
Kershaw said in the video at the police station: “I’m ashamed. I’m very sorry to all people, I was very drunk. I appreciate that this is not acceptable in your culture and will not happen again.
‘I am very sorry… and I am grateful to all of you for being helpful and kind, and I apologize. I’ll never do that again.’
Officers were pleased with his apology and reassurance that he would behave.
Police said today that Kershaw had been fined 5,000 Baht (£110) for the behaviour.
Kershaw issued an obsequious apology and admitted he was drunk and over-enthusiastic at the time of the incident
The 23-year-old said: ‘I’m very sorry… and I’m grateful to all of you for being helpful and kind and I apologize. I’ll never do that again.’
Lt. Col. Wirat Inyod, head of the local immigration police, said the suspect had been fined and released.
Kershaw will not appear in court.
The police officer said: ‘He came here on a tourist visa. He was fined because this is only considered a minor offence.”
Lieutenant Colonel Wittaya Thongkong of Ao Nang Police Station added: “The suspect was fined for publicly performing such a disgraceful act by undressing himself, exhibiting his undressed person or any other act of to commit obscenity under Section 388 of the Thai Penal Code.
“The investigating officer fined him up to 5,000 baht.
“Regarding the locals’ accusation that he was working illegally, we investigated and found that the suspect, who entered legally on a tourist visa, did not perform any work.
In 2019, six tourists – three Britons, an Austrian, a Japanese and a Thai resident – were arrested for swimming naked on Ao Nang beach.
The group, all aged between 17 and 20, reportedly admitted to being drunk at the time. They each had to pay a fine of 500 baht.