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Tourists in Thailand taking Phuket airport runway selfies could face death penalty
- Mai Khao beach in Phuket is popular with selfie seekers the world over, as aircraft take a low approach to land at the nearby airport
- But they are distracting pilots and authorities have now banned them from entering the area. The maximum penalty for trespassing is death
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For selfie seekers, it’s the perfect Instagram-ready shot: standing on a beach with outstretched arms as a massive airliner soars overhead.
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Few places in the world can offer such a vantage point, which is why Mai Khao beach in Thailand’s Phuket province has proved so popular. But recent changes to the law mean tourists hoping for their very own “runway selfie” now risk life and limb – and not just because of the aeroplanes.
Concerns over aviation safety have led to the introduction of a 9km-long exclusion zone on the beach, with the maximum penalty for trespassing being death.
Vijit Kaewsaiteam, vice-president of Phuket International Airport, told local media the ban was imposed to prevent pilots from getting distracted.
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Some had been dazzled by bright lights that were shone into the cockpit at night, he said, while drone photography also posed a safety risk.
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