British backpacker facing jail after spraying ‘Scousse Lee’ on 800-year-old Thai fortress
He said he was “terrified” and apologised for being “so stupid”.
Speaking from his hotel, he said: “I’d been drinking all day. I’d had some bad news from my family and I went out drinking. I mean, I was really, really drunk.
“I saw the spray can and just picked it up. Honestly, I didn’t know what I was doing. When I woke up the police were here.
“They took me to the station and I was in shock. I’m terrified of what will happen now.”
He said: “I’ve spoken to my family and I’m trying to get some help. I really need it.
“I honestly don’t know what to do. My visa runs out in two days – that’s another problem.
“I’d been having such an amazing time here. The best time of my life. I’m just devastated that I’ve done something so stupid.”
He added: “I’m sorry to all the Thai people that have been offended by it. I’ve been an idiot. I was blind drunk when it happened.
“I couldn’t even write properly, that’s how drunk I was.”
Furlong now faces prosecution under Thailand’s Antiques, Objects of Art and National Museums Act, which punishes “anyone who invades an ancient site, or damages, destroys, degrades or renders it useless”. Police Lieutenant-Colonel Teerasak Sriprasert said: “The accused will be investigated and prosecuted according to the law.”
Yesterday he took the pair to the wall, where they pointed to where the graffiti had been – as it had since been cleaned.
Lt-Col Sriprasert added: “The accused were questioned and confessed that the incident happened at 4am.” Furlong and Schneider reportedly told police that they had been drinking with friends at a nearby restaurant until they were drunk.
They said they were walking back to the Mad Monkey Hostel when they found the spray paint on the ground and decided to put graffiti the wall as a “prank”.
The pair only stopped when a passing taxi driver intervened and told them off. They then walked back to the hostel.
Residents reported the crime at first light and it took police a couple of hours to track them down from CCTV footage.
Tha Phae Gate is part of a crumbling wall built in the 13th century as a fortress to protect Chiang Mai in northern Thailand.