While Cambodia has already seen its fare share of naked foreigners this year, posing sans clothing at ancient temples on more than one occasion, Vietnam had been spared from such debauchery – until last week.
According to Zing, the above photo was posted on the Laocai.Net Facebook page on December 25, showing three nude foreigners in Santa hats reveling in their conquest of Indochina’s tallest mountain.
The photo was quick to spread across Vietnamese social media as users voiced their opinions on the au naturel photo shoot which, by Vietnamese law, carries cash penalties between VND60,000-100,000, according to Thanh Nien.
While some were offended, many seemed unfazed by the behavior. “Some commenters felt this was not a very serious matter, because this is the culture and character of westerners,” Zing explained.
“These guys probably like to travel nude,” wrote Facebook commenter Dao The. “In Europe, there are many services like this; there are whole villages where people live nude. If they like it let them do it, as long as it brings money into the country.”
“It's just art,” commenter Long Can added. “Personally, I think it's normal.”
Others, however, were pretty incensed. Even Laocai.Net itself posted the photo in an effort to shame such behavior. “This photo shocked backpackers,” the photo caption reads. “Don't know what to say about these three westerners. Everyone share this so that they will be condemned by administrators.”
Some sided with Laocai.Net, believing cultural differences were not a good enough excuse.
“This is Vietnam; don't compare it to the west,” wrote commenter Quang Ha.
Though the men in the photo have yet to be identified, their antics make us wonder whether they're the same folks behind that impromptu nhậu session on the roof of a moving taxi earlier this month.
[Photo via Laocai.Net Facebook page]
