Culture Minister Weera Rojpotchanarat vowed to fine the “pretties” up to B5,000 each for public indecency and prosecute anyone sharing photos of them online following complaints from attendees at the VIP and press preview on Tuesday (March 24).
The show at Bangkok’s Impact Arena opened to the public yesterday and will run until April 5.
Mr Weera said the ministry could not sit idle following complaints that models showed off curves on more than just cars. One booth had models outfitted in only tiny bikinis and body paint.
Such revealing attire did not fit the cultural context of Thailand, he said, and called for cooperation from the organisers to have models cover up.
The Culture Surveillance Bureau has been assigned to follow up the order.
Bureau chief Yupha Taweewattanakitborvon warned that the models could be fined up to B5,000 for inappropriate public acts and anyone posting indecent images could be found guilty of violating the Computer Crimes Act.
The 36th Bangkok International at Muang Thong Thani hopes to draw 1.5 million visitors this year. A staple of the annual show is the models, or “pretties” – most of them women hired to lure visitors to booths.
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