Tourists leave after spray painting graffiti on a wall near Tha Phae Gate, the main entrance to the old town in Chiang Rai, Thailand, October 18, 2018, in this still image taken from a CCTV footage obtained from social media. Thanakharn Kotkhumlue/via REUTERS
October 19, 2018
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Two tourists charged with vandalism for spray painting graffiti on a wall in northern Thailand face up to 10 years in prison if found guilty, police said on Friday.
Briton Furlong Lee and Canadian Brittney Schneider, both 23, were arrested at a guest house in Chiang Mai on Thursday and are being held at the provincial court, police said.
CCTV video footage showed the pair spray-painting a red brick wall near Tha Phae Gate, the main entrance to the city’s old town.
“They admitted to the crime,” Police Major Anon Cherdchutrakulthong told Reuters. “When people visit somewhere they should know not to (leave) graffiti.”
Reuters was unable to reach Schneider or Lee for comment.
Anon said they do not yet have a lawyer, adding that the young man and woman showed signs of having been intoxicated.
Video footage obtained by Reuters showed the words “Scouser Lee” painted on the wall in an apparent reference to the English city of Liverpool. Thai police did not confirm Lee’s hometown.
The pair face up to 10 years in jail, a fine of up to one million baht ($30,656) or both, if found guilty, police said.
(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpnat and Amy Sawitta Lefevre; Writing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre; Editing by Darren Schuettler)
