Department of Marine and Coastal Resources/ The Phuket News
The 53-year-old Russian tourist was reportedly caught on camera feeding breadcrumbs to fish.
A tourist who allegedly fed breadcrumbs to fish at an ecologically-sensitive coral reef in Thailand faces a hefty fine or even jail time.
Olga Smirnova was spotted by authorities patrolling Plub Pla Bay on February 19 in the popular tourist resort of Phuket, and was later arrested.
The 53-year-old Russian tourist is due to appear in court on the charge of violating the island’s strict environmental laws, The Phuket News reported.
Certain parts of Thailand have strict laws.
Officers from the Phuket Department of Marine and Coastal Resources reportedly told Smirnova through a translator that feeding fish was illegal and pointed to posters outlining the law.
Read more:
* Australian tourists in remote Indonesian islands forced to do walk of shame for theft
* Daring selfie seeker who was bitten by a shark gets slapped with hefty fine
* Baby bison dies after Yellowstone tourists put it in their car
* Loggerhead turtle pulled from the sea and stood on for photos
“We are taking a very strict stance on this. She has to pay the bail and remain in Thailand until her case is processed by a court,” a spokesman for the department said, according to the Mail Online.
Smirnova, however, reportedly could not afford the bail and is being held at Chalong Police Station.
The maximum punishment is one year in jail and a fine of up to 100,000 Baht (NZ$3980).
– Stuff
