Copulating couple cause culture shock

UTTARADIT: Government officials in Uttaradit have been put on high alert after a teenage couple was caught having sex right outside the culture office in the Provincial Hall on the afternoon of September 20.

On that day, the town was packed with people coming to watch a festival being held in Phraya Phichai Dap Hak Sports Stadium, opposite the hall.

Uttaradit resident Thongsak Yammansri told reporters that he happened upon the canoodling couple at about 2 pm, after he felt the urge to relieve himself while watching the procession of floats displaying local fruits and beauty queens.

As he was wandering past the offices of the provincial election commission and culture office, Thonsak was shocked to see two teens, whose ages he estimated to be no older than 17, brazenly making love in broad daylight on a stone bench.

“When I saw them I was shocked,” said Mr Thongsak.

“I wanted to stop them, but was embarrassed. So I just made a lot of noise so they would know they had been spotted. When I came out of the toilet, they had already gone. That day was a public holiday, so the government officers were not working. Also, most people were watching the opening of the festival, so there weren’t many people around,” he said.

“I guess they were a young couple who wanted to give it a try, but didn’t have money for a hotel room,” conjectured Thongsak, who said he feared it could be the start of a worrying new social trend.

“I can’t believe that today’s young people could be so daring – and in such a bad way; having sex in inappropriate places with no fear of being seen,” he lamented.

Sairung Thadajang, from the Uttaradit Provincial Cultural Office, said that after hearing about the incident in the press she was very shocked and immediately went to examine the spot where the couple were caught.

“Teenagers nowadays see all sorts of things on the Internet and don’t know what they should and shouldn’t do,” Ms Sairung complained.

“Underage sex is a big problem in society now. The Culture Office has tried to combat it by controlling Internet use and arranging cultural activities to give youths something to do, but only some groups are interested,” she explained.

Uttaradit Vice-Governor Jakrin Plianwong said that he had not yet been informed of the incident, but would now be investigating it in full.

From now on, members of the provincial volunteer guards will be asked to increase patrols in and around the seat of the provincial government to ensure there is no recurrence or other untoward events taking place there, he said.