Rihanna‘s tendency to over-share on Instagram has usually only lead to worries about her marijuana fixation and way too much information regarding her and her notorious ex-beau, Chris Brown. However, it appears the pop star’s love of social media had some unforeseen ramifications for two men who met the starlet while she vacationed in Thailand.
The singer has been in Thailand on the island of Phuket taking a break from her Diamonds World Tour. She shared photos of her enjoying the sights and getting close to some of the native wildlife. Rihanna posted a link on Twitter to an Instagram image of her in sunglasses with a furry little primate perched on her shoulder. The animal is called the slow loris it’ is native to Southeast Asia and listed as a protected species.
“Look who was talkin dirty to me!” Rihanna tweeted along with the image.
Apparently, she had no idea of the animal’s “protected” status. The loris is an endangered species. It is known to be illegally traded all over the world. Authorities immediately sought out the two men who brought the loris out to the star and both men were subsequently arrested.
“Phuket authorities were alerted to the picture (of Rihanna), and last night police arrested the two individuals who brought out the loris as a photo opportunity for tourists,” said Weera Kerdsirimongkon, a Phuket district police chief.
The two individuals, reportedly a 20-year old and a 16-year old, could face charges of posession of protected animals. The charge carries a penalty of up to four years in prison and a 40,000 baht (roughly $1,300) fine.
According to Weera, the area is known for vendors exploiting exotic wildlife. Tourists pay to pose with the animals.
“It’s like a cat-and-mouse game. But this time it’s bigger because a celebrity like Rihanna posted the picture, and there were more than 200,000 `likes’ from around the world,” Weera said.
Rihanna has not spoken about the incident. She ended her stay in Thailand the following Sunday. She’s now reportedly headed to Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
