Thailand’s military government has warned Thai women not to follow a social media trend of posting their selfies that show the lower half of their exposed breast. The trend has gone viral with female artists such as Rihanna and Nicki Minaj taking part, and many Southeast Asian women also joining the trend.

The Thai government warned that posting those kinds of images is against the law and could land Thai women five years in jail. The basis of the warning is the 2007 Computer Crimes Acts that prohibits obscene computer data that is accessible to the public and may damage Thailand’s security or cause public panic, reports the Telegraph.

Anandha Chouchoti, spokesperson from the Culture Ministry explains, “When people take these ‘underboob selfies’ no one can see their faces. So it’s like, we don’t know these belong to, and it encourages others to do the same.”

But the spokesperson admits, “We can only warn people not to take it up. They are inappropriate actions.”

Thailand’s warning coincides with an announcement by Facebook that posts showing bare buttocks, genitals and breast with nipples are banned, except for images that show breastfeeding and post-mastectomy scarring.

Besides Rihanna, other celebrities known for such photos include Lauren Goodger who has appeared in The Only Way Is Essex and Celebrity Big Brother wearing a red dress with a red triangle in the breast area that exposes the lower part and side of her frontal assets.

To contact the writer, email: v.hernandez@ibtimes.com.au

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