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Russian woman slapped with $28 fine for feeding Thailand’s ‘ecologically-protected’ fish

A Russian woman was arrested by officers of Thailand’s Department of Marine and Coastal Resources on February 19

Racha Yai, Phuket flickr.com/Del Adams

Racha Yai, Phuket

© flickr.com/Del Adams

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Thai police reel in Russian tourist for feeding fish

BANGKOK, March 6. /TASS/. Olga Smirnova, a Russian citizen, who was arrested in Thailand for feeding fish in an ecologically-protected area, has been sentenced to a fine of 1,000 Thai bahts (roughly $28), head of the Russian embassy’s consular department in Thailand, Vladimir Sosnov, told TASS on Monday.

"We are satisfied with this decision. Now we are preparing to send her home since she missed her flight as a result of this incident," the diplomat said.

The 53-year-old Russian woman was arrested by officers of Thailand’s Department of Marine and Coastal Resources on February 19. She was accused of violating the rules of conduct in a protected nature reserve area after she fed fish on Racha Yai Island in the Andaman Sea in southern Thailand. On February 21, Smirnova was released on bail of 100,000 bahts (roughly $3,000).

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