British tourist faces 10-year jail term for ‘spray-painting’ ancient Thai wall

A British tourist could be jailed for up to 10 years after allegedly spraying paint on an ancient wall in northern Thailand.

CCTV footage is said to show Lee Furlong and Canadian Brittney Schneider, both 23, spraying a message on the walls of the Tha Pae Gate in Chiang Mai province at around 4am on Thursday.

A person can be seen spraying the wall in CCTV footage. Credit: AP

Teerasak Sriprasert, chief of the Chiang Mai police, said the pair were drunk and have been charged with vandalising ancient artefacts.

It carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and £23,500 (one million baht) fine.

The 13th century Tha Pae Gate is part of a wall that forms a square around Chiang Mai’s inner city.

Furlong Lee (right) and Brittney Schneider (second right) are taken to the scene by Thai police. Credit: Chiang Mai News/AP