And after the ingratitude shown by Lavar Ball toward Pres. Trump securing the release of his shoplifting son in China, it'll probably be a cold day in Hell before Trump repeats the process with the current pair.

I could crack a joke at their expense, but for the sake of being brief, I'll just say I don't think the President should butt in when Americans want to make asses of themselves in foreign countrys.

Oh, for fuck's sake.

Just pay your damn fine, and let the Thais deport your asses.

And when they get back home? seize their passports and don't give them back any time soon.

Feeling a bit cheeky today, Patrick?

Old RPM, not at all. They should be thoroughly em-bare-assed at their uncouth behavior.

Obviously, their parents didn't rear them properly. And I'll end this tirade now.

Americans Joseph Dasilva, 38, and Travis Dasilva, 36....

Two thirty-somethings are arrested for baring their asses at historic sites in Thailand. And the US Government is supposed to intervene on their behalf? Based on what?

Are we to send in the Marines to rescue two idiots? Do we really want to cash in any markers we have with the Thai government for these two? Do we prepare a ticker-tape parade to celebrate their return?

And, no Seth Myers, it is not the president's job to bail Americans overseas out of the consequences of their own stupidity. Intervening for the UCLA players was a nice thing that Trump did, not "his job." Even if he did subsequently ruin it by publicly demanding thanks.

Back to these two. You idiots are almost forty years old. You are way past the age when public mooning is funny (is it ever?), or even dismissible as an immature prank. Grow the hell up, pay your fine, come home sheepish, and shut up.

The UCLA players at least had youth and immaturity as an argument for their behavior, although most of us know by the time we reach 12 that shoplifting is wrong.

Other countries are not in the habit of tolerating immature behavior, dismissing mooning in public as a mere prank. No wonder we're a nation of Pajama Boys and Julias, still living with our parents at 26.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

Not seeing why the US government should be involved in any way.

Conan:

I would point out that they might not be able to "come home sheepish," at least not right away. In addition to the fine, they could be sentenced to up to seven years in jail, according to the other websites I've looked at about this story.

Which is fine with me. Throw the book at them, Thailand. Based on the reactions I've read to this story so far, they aren't exactly garnering sympathy here in the U.S.

Apropos of nothing (having not heard of this story until this post), I happened to google the name Michael Fay yesterday, looking for a where-are-they-now.

He became a butane addict/abuser.

I didn't know butane could be abused. In my day we smoked shabby weed through cherry papers and drank Boone's Farm.

I feel like a few hundred bucks is not worth making an international incident over... how much are public indecency fines stateside? Did they want to have to do Thai community service instead?

I'm surprised at all of the puns, and not one comment about it being at the Cracks of Dawn temple.

That being said, my guess is if you check their phone you'll probably find many more pictures of things that fly in Bangkok but not in the US.
Some time in jail may do them good.

The thing is, if they don't get the aid they're requesting, they'll say, "You're discriminating against us because we're gay!"

Try it in Mecca, see what happens.

Too many people seem to be assuming that all they'll have to do is pay a fine.

It's possible, yes, but there is also a possible prison sentence of up to seven years. Let's remember, we're not talking about the U.S. You don't know that a fine is all they will be facing. Not that I care what happens to them. Personally, I hope they go to prison. Morons.

Why would the Thai government go to the expense and trouble to lock up some Americans when you can impose a hefty fine and then deport them with the added benefit of declaring them persona non grata?

Try it in Mecca, see what happens.

Non-believers are not permitted to travel to Mecca. Infidels can get as close as the regional bus terminal, but that is located outside the city limits. Had they gotten there and done that, I suspect we'd only hear about some missing Americans in the kingdom, not about their dried and bleaching bones out in the desert.

Who the hell invented "belfies", anyway? Even with straight couples, there is still one big, hairy behind (out of two) to contend with. Wouldn't this count as pornography?

And, it must be asked, is this mostly a gay community thing, or is it becoming common among straights as well?

(Gee, I must get out more. After all, there are all those big, hairy behinds to observe. /sarc)

...cherry papers and Boone's Farm

I think Crid & I finally agree on something.
Cherry papers, boy I forgot all about those.
Shit, I feel old.

On topic, let these two idiots take care of their problems themselves, like adults. Even though it's obvious they're not there yet.

And, it must be asked, is this mostly a gay community thing, or is it becoming common among straights as well?

I've never heard of it before today.

But if it's a "below-the-belt selfie," as Amy described it, wouldn't a dick pic qualify?

If that's the case, then "belfies" have been around for a while.

One of the points that no one's raised yet is that these two idiots wouldn't have gotten in any trouble at all, if they waited until they were out of the country and back in the U.S. to post it to Instagram.

"Why would the Thai government go to the expense and trouble to lock up some Americans ..."

I think you are highly overestimating the quality of Thailand's prisons. I doubt these two would be sent to one of the nice ones for the politically favored. Also, many judges don't use economics as part of their rulings. They aren't the ones paying so they really don't care how much it costs.

"I think Crid & I finally agree on something.
Cherry papers, boy I forgot all about those.
Shit, I feel old."

Seconded. In 1974, I was in the 7-11 across from my high school when this fine Chevelle pulled in, driven by some longhaired weirdo that might have weighed 100 pounds. A blonde goddess (what is she doing with him!?) got out of the passenger side, walked in, got some 1.5 rolling papers and slipped back into the car, which, of course, left at once for a better neighborhood.

In 2015, back in town, I was in the 7-11 across from my high school when this fine Chevelle pulled in, driven by some longhaired weirdo that might have weighed 100 pounds. A blonde goddess (what is she doing with him!?) got out of the passenger side, walked in, got some 1.5 rolling papers and slipped back into the car, which, of course, left at once for a better neighborhood.

It wasn't the same car, guy or girl, but it was a good argument that the Matrix exists.

It wasn't the same car, guy or girl, but it was a good argument that the Matrix exists.

That or coke head gold diggers

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/public-safety/sd-me-buttocks-arrest-20171128-story.html

“That’s how they express themselves artistically,” said M.G. Perez, a San Diego friend of the married couple.

One hopes the Thai government expresses itself artistically with a dash of Warmbier.

“That’s how they express themselves artistically,” said M.G. Perez, a San Diego friend of the married couple.

Also known as hate speech, rich white men disrespecting poor brown peoples cultures

"Also known as hate speech, rich white men disrespecting poor brown peoples cultures"

I gotta disagree with lujlp here. Not only because I despite the term "hate speech", which means whatever the speaker wants it to mean. I expect these idiots are happy to disrepect everyone's cultures and symbols.

Actions have consequences. Disrespecting things that other people hold important can piss those people off. Doing this in a foreign country? Where even a cursory internet search will tell you that they have very strict laws?

I'll stick with my earlier statement: play stupid games, win stupid prizes. I hope the US government stays out of it. It's entirely on these idiots.

I had forgotten about 1.5's.

I gotta disagree with lujlp here. Not only because I despite the term "hate speech", which means whatever the speaker wants it to mean. I expect these idiots are happy to disrepect everyone's cultures and symbols.

The fact that hate speech "means whatever the speaker wants it to mean" means that lujlp is not incorrect.

I don't know that it's hate that motivates them, but, for lack of a better term, I would call it "contempt speech." If that term ever catches on, I want to be remembered as the person who coined it.

They simply don't give a rat's patoot about what's important to other cultures. Perhaps they're atheists (and given that most religions hate gay people, I can't blame them) and find this whole business of intricate and beautiful centuries-old temples intended only to glorify non-existent gods by providing a safe space for people to mumble to these fictitious gods to be smirkable.

And they're probably also rather vain besides being exhibitionist. I've seen other pictures of them (they're easy enough to Google search these days), and they have reasonably impressive gym bods and are both quite lean. Their gimmick seems to be providing soft-porn thrills by showing their buttocks in front of famous landmarks. Sometimes they go completely nude, but are only ever seen from behind.

And to reiterate, I don't care what happens to them. And I will be angry if the U.S. government lifts a single finger on their behalf. I don't care if they have to serve the full seven years.

There was a movie years ago about a college kid who got caught with weed in Turkey and got sent to a horrible prison for life. In some countries, making fun of the leader can get you the death sentence. One should check these things out.

So they're idiots. But years in a Thai prison? I'm not saying they didn't set themselves up by their narcissistic thoughtlessness for whatever they get, but I hope they don't go to prison for it.

I suspect their indecent photos were intended to entertain their friends and followers in the US, and not intended to desecrate or express contempt for the landmarks. As Patrick said, "I don't know that it's hate that motivates them... They simply don't give a rat's patoot about what's important to other cultures." Such considerations probably never even enter their minds, here in the US or anywhere else in the world. But I can understand how their actions could be felt as desecration or contempt by the people who revere the landmarks. Imagine if foreign tourists to the US publicly posted such indecent photos taken at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier or Arlington National Cemetery.

I'd like to see them get off with no more than paying the maximum fine, making profuse, grovelling, public apologies to the Buddhists and the people of Thailand, and being escorted (maybe while sitting backwards on a mule? - nah, just kidding) by police from the venue of their apologies directly to the next plane heading anywhere outside of Thailand.

They simply don't give a rat's patoot about what's important to other cultures. ~ Patrick at December 1, 2017 2:33 AM

And that's the problem here. It's not contempt for Thai culture, it's indifference - narcissism to the point of solipsism. As you said, they're vain. Nothing matters but their own ego gratification.

Perhaps that doesn't deserve a 7-year prison sentence, but it deserves something. And that something is not a taxpayer-funded rescue. Thailand will recover if they get away, but the next Western tourist to commit even a minor transgression there will be held to a higher standard and punished double for the ones that got away.

I grew up Catholic and was in a Catholic Boy Scout troop. Most of the boys in the troop were also Catholic. On one trip, we were in a non-Catholic church service. The celebrant was saying something and I was talking to my friends, in hushed tones, but loudly enough to disturb those around me. The troop leader tapped me on the shoulder and motioned for us to shush. I looked at him and said, "But we're not ."

He took us aside and explained, that what our religion was didn't matter here. We show respect for the other guy's religion / belief system / culture. It's called manners.

My Dad was Lutheran and was always respectful when obliged to endure a Catholic ceremony (weddings, funerals, etc.). And some of those Catholic ceremonies can test the patience of Job; my uncle's wedding mass took over 2 hours.

Between those two adults, I managed to learn some manners. These guys need to learn a few.

I suspect their indecent photos were intended to entertain their friends and followers in the US

Irrelevant.

I'm sure the people who say sir or ma'am intend respect. Doesn't mean the NYC housing authority wont fine them into oblivion

Am I the only one who thinks caning would hit the spot?