Thailand has banned drunken tubing activities along the Pai River in Mae Hong Sonprovince after a video of tourists enjoying the activity went viral.
Head of the Mae Hong Son Tourism Authority Office, Mr. Phanuwat Khatnak, said that authorities had already banned the consumption of alcoholic beverages while tubing last year. However, stricter enforcement is to take place after authorities noticed the video depicting foreigners drinking while tubing.
Mr. Phanuwat also said that operators must now offer at least one lifeguard for every ten tubers.
Last week, the video went viral in Laos, with social media users mistakenly believing that the events had occurred in Vang Vieng, Laos. The original TikTok video owner, however, confirmed that the events in the video took place in Thailand.
Tourists who visit the town of Vang Vieng in Laos enjoy similar tubing activities, whichis why many Lao people believed the location of the video to have been in Laos.
Tubing in Pai River has been increasingly popular since the country reopened last year, according to The Nation Thailand. But the activity is only possible from November to May when the water level is low or near waist level, being prohibited during the wet season.
