A British woman claiming to be a yoga guru has been arrested in Thailand for allegedly hosting weekly ‘sex yoga’ classes on Koh Phangan, the island famous for its Full Moon Party.
Maria Shchetinina, 40, who used the name Maria Sly Love, charged clients £9 per class for sessions that included tantric massage and ‘sacred sexuality’ teachings. The classes were held behind a local restaurant.
Police raided the Ethos restaurant on November 4 following complaints about her social media advertisements. Body camera footage showed officers detaining her while she led yoga exercises. Authorities found her work permit listed her as a customer relations manager, not a yoga instructor.
Lieutenant Colonel Winit Boonchit said: ‘The suspect’s behaviour violates the Foreigners’ Working Management Emergency Decree because working as a tantric yoga instructor is outside the permitted scope of jobs.’ She was charged with working outside her authorised scope and handed to Koh Phangan Police Station.
This is not the first such arrest on the island; Polish YouTuber Michal Grygoruk was detained in March for similar sex yoga classes. Koh Phangan, known as a ‘hippie paradise’, has long attracted tourists with its yoga schools, vegan cafes, and Full Moon Parties.
