A self-proclaimed guru has been arrested in Thailand for allegedly hosting weekly ‘sex yoga’ classes on an infamous party island.
Maria Shchetinina, 40, sparked concerns over her weekly tantric sessions for tourists visiting the island of Koh Phangan, where the Full Moon Party is held.
She used the name Maria Sly Love and charged clients just £9 per class, teaching clients meditations, tantric massage, and ‘sacred sexuality’ form behind a local restaurant.
Police stormed the new-age themed Ethos restaurant on November 4, following investigations into the allegedly ‘sexually indecent’ yoga classes that Maria advertised on social media.
Body camera footage showed officers detaining the teacher while she was leading yoga exercises for customers sitting in front of her on mats.
She told police: ‘My lawyer said it’s ok, it’s good.’
Cops said they checked her passport and work permit, which showed she worked as a customer relations manager for a residential property management company.
She was detained for carrying out work that was not listed on her documents.
They seized from her various teaching materials, enrollment tickets, advertising flyers, her tantric yoga notes, and a sign with her picture and QR code.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Winit Boonchit said the raid came after locals reported Maria’s ‘risque’ social media posts.
The officer 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 for working as a foreigner outside the authorised scope and was handed to the inquiry officer at Koh Phangan Police Station for further legal action.’
Koh Phangan police had previously arrested Polish YouTuber Michal Grygoruk in March for similarly holding sex yoga classes on the island.
Koh Phangan is known as a ‘hippie paradise’ for its serene beaches, spiritual retreats, and bohemian communities drawn to its natural beauty.
The island’s combination of yoga schools, vegan cafes, and psychedelic Full Moon Parties has made it a popular tourist destination since the 1980s.
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