Thai sex show owner arrested after Rihanna visit

BANGKOK - Agence France-Presse

Rihanna performs in Perth, Australia, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013, during the first concert of the Australian leg of her Diamonds World Tour. AP photo

Thai authorities said Monday they had arrested the owner of a sex show visited by pop icon Rihanna - the latest crackdown inadvertently triggered by the singer's tweets.
 
The bar owner on the island of Phuket has been charged in connection with the lewd performance, local district chief Veera Kerdsirimongkol told AFP.
 
"It was the result of the visit by Rihanna. The authorities will be more strict towards inappropriate shows or wildlife attractions," he said.
 
Thai tourist officials were left red-faced after Rihanna's tweets underscored the kingdom's seedier side.
 
"Either I was phuck wasted lastnight, or I saw a Thai woman pull a live bird,2 turtles,razors,shoot darts and ping pong, all out of her p***y," she wrote in a message on September 20 to her more than 32 million followers on Twitter.
 
Last month two men were arrested for possessing a protected slow loris after Rihanna posted a picture of herself with the primate on a night out in Phuket during her "Diamonds" world tour.
 
Use of the slow loris and other protected species for tourist snaps -- while common in Thai tourist resorts -- is officially illegal.
 
According to wildlife protection campaigners, mother lorises are often killed while the young are stolen. The primates' teeth are also removed due to their toxic bite.
 
Foreign diplomats have urged Thailand to crack down on scams and crimes against tourists in Phuket.
 
Local tourist police volunteers warn against venturing into strip clubs offering "ping-pong shows" due to the risk of overpriced drinks and threats of violence against people who refuse to pay.