Reality television personality and former Love Island star Zara McDermott has found herself at the centre of a fiery cultural storm after a series of Instagram posts from a sacred Thai temple backfired spectacularly.
The 27-year-old influencer shared a carousel of sun-drenched images to her 1.8 million followers, posing in a vibrant orange bikini against the majestic backdrop of Bangkok's revered Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn. The move has been met with a torrent of criticism from both Thai locals and her own followers, who have branded the photoshoot as deeply disrespectful and ignorant.
A Sacred Site or a Backdrop?
Wat Arun is one of Thailand's most iconic and spiritually significant Buddhist temples. For devout Thais, it is a place of worship and reflection, not a setting for a beach-style photoshoot. Local customs and etiquette dictate that visitors dress modestly when entering temple grounds, a norm McDermott's bikini-clad appearance blatantly disregarded.
The backlash in her comments section was swift and severe. One furious user wrote, "Have some respect. This is a temple, not a beach club." Another echoed the sentiment, stating, "This is so inappropriate. You should be covering up in sacred places, not parading in a bikini." The criticism highlights a growing frustration with Western influencers who prioritise 'the gram' over cultural sensitivity.
More Than Just a Fashion Faux Pas
This incident transcends a simple dress code mistake. For many, it represents a broader pattern of cultural appropriation and a lack of awareness from visiting celebrities. It underscores a perceived entitlement to use culturally significant landmarks as mere props for content, without understanding or acknowledging their profound importance to the local community.
McDermott, who is in Thailand filming for a new BBC project, has yet to publicly address the controversy or remove the offending posts. Her silence has only served to fuel the anger further, leaving many to wonder if the pursuit of the perfect picture is worth the cost of causing deep cultural offence.
