Two foreigners – a Hungarian and a Dutch man – were arrested for picking up sea animals off Koh Pha Ngan, Surat Thani, to take selfies and a video and posting these on social media, a move that sparked widespread criticism from netizens.

“We tracked down the suspects and identified them as Attila Ott, a Hungarian national, and Francesco Simonetti, from the Netherlands,” Department of Marine and Coastal Resources director-general Sophon Thongdee said. “Ott is a diving instructor and owner of Pink Panther Scuba Dive Club on Koh Pha Ngan, while Simonetti is a chef at Il Barracuda Restaurant & BBQ, also on Koh Pha Ngan.”