LNP – Half-naked Thai tourist in Arugam Bay: Male or female?

A legal controversy is brewing following the sentencing of a Thai tourist in Arugam Bay, after a social media post questioned how the court interpreted gender in a topless incident involving the foreign national.

The 26-year-old Thai tourist was recently handed a suspended five-year prison sentence by the Pottuvil Magistrate’s Court after pleading guilty to charges of indecent behaviour and causing public disturbance.

The individual, identified in court as female, was arrested earlier this week after images emerged on social media showing the tourist walking topless near a hotel.Â

However, the situation has taken a new turn after a photo of the Thai national’s passport, also shared online, showed the sex listed as “M” (male) and includes the title “Mr.”, raising questions about how the court determined the offence, given that Sri Lankan law does not criminalize shirtless behaviour for men in public.

The post suggests that the ruling could highlight a legal grey area, as Sri Lankan law does not currently recognize gender identities beyond the male-female binary.