A yoga instructor from the UK was detained in Thailand for allegedly conducting tantric sex classes priced at £10 behind a popular restaurant. Thai law enforcement officials arrested Maria Shchetinina during a class at a restaurant in Koh Phangan on November 4. The 40-year-old British national was apprehended following a tipoff from a Facebook user who reported that she was offering “sex yoga” sessions to foreign tourists for 400 baht each.
Reportedly teaching under the name Maria Sky Love, Shchetinina was operating as a yoga teacher with a work permit for a “customer relations manager” role, which the police deemed invalid. Promotional material for her classes indicated that they took place at the Ethos restaurant every Tuesday from 4:30 to 6:00 pm and featured sexually suggestive movements.
Traditionally, tantric yoga incorporates erotic and spiritual elements, sometimes involving sexual practices within a ritualistic or yogic framework. Shchetinina was part of a broader police crackdown targeting undocumented foreign workers on Koh Phangan, known for its annual Full Moon Party.
Upon her arrest, Shchetinina mentioned that her lawyer had approved her actions. Subsequently, she was charged for engaging in unauthorized work. Law enforcement officers seized teaching materials, enrollment tickets, flyers, notes, and a sign bearing her image and a QR code.
Lieutenant Colonel Winit Boonchit stated that Shchetinina’s actions violated the Foreigners’ Working Management Emergency Decree, as her role as a tantric yoga instructor exceeded the permitted job scope. She was charged with working beyond authorized limits and transferred to the inquiry officer at Koh Phangan Police Station for further legal proceedings.
The police raid was prompted by social media reports regarding Shchetinina’s provocative posts. Koh Phangan, a popular tourist destination known for its beaches and retreats, has gained a reputation as a “hippie paradise,” attracting expatriate communities drawn to its scenic beauty.
Shchetinina’s arrest occurred shortly after the apprehension of an Israeli couple featured in a viral sex video at Wang Sai Waterfall on the island. District chief Suriya Bunphon ordered the couple’s arrest after the video circulated on social media, leading to their detention by police and immigration officers at their accommodation. The couple confessed to the act and now face legal consequences for public indecency.
