Instagram Travel Fraud Inspires Hysterical Social Media Backlash

Louktarn Ticha once was a pretty famous Thai air hostess for Emirates. Not that long ago, she had over 150,000 followers on Instagram, and they all watched her posting the most enviable travel shots. Until she was busted for Photoshopping.

Even though her photo editing skills weren’t the best, it wasn’t until December of last year that people started noticing the falsifications. One of Ticha’s followers discovered how one of her images, supposedly taken in Canada, actually was taken by Tiina Törmänen – with whom Resource Travel recently did an interview – in Lapland, Finland.

It didn’t take long for Ticha to start removing some of her photos. After a while, she even took down her Instagram account @ticha_ek. But not before inspiring dozens of fellow Instagrammers to follow her lead. Using the hashtag #ticha_ek, a lot of people suddenly seem to be going to their dream destination.

And it’s hilarious.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNwvSDvg6iS/

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นี่ต่างหากแสงเหนือที่แท้จริง เครดิทเจ้าของภาพ http://mcpswis.mcp.ac.th/html_edu/cgi-bin/mcp/main_php/print_informed.php?id_count_inform=14164 my another tribute to #ticha_ek

A post shared by bheereeuwarden (@bhiravadhn) on Dec 10, 2016 at 7:11am PST

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ก็ไม่เท่าไหร่หรอกนะ ชิลๆกับเพื่อนๆ ใต้แสงเหนือเบาๆ #โตแล้วกูจะว๊าปไปไหนก็ได้ ในส่วนของแฮชแท็กที่ขาดไม่ได้คือ… #ticha_ek ให้เครดิตนางนิดนึงอุส่าไปก็อปรูปนางมา ปล.ฝีมือการตัดต่อทุลักทุเลมาก ตัดได้หน้าใหญ่และนมแบนมาก อัพยศอดสูที่สุด 55+

A post shared by Namfhon S. (@sailor31_) on Dec 8, 2016 at 4:51pm PST

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แค่ไปดูแสงเหนือคิดว่าเจ๋งแล้วเหรอ จงดูกู! เหนือชั้นบรรยากาศกันเลยทีเดียว เครดิทภาพต้นฉบับ http://www.playbuzz.com/bookworm13/8-spectacular-space-sights This picture was made for entertainment only. Source of the original photo is given. #ticha_ek

A post shared by bheereeuwarden (@bhiravadhn) on Dec 8, 2016 at 7:32am PST

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#thevoice #ticha_ek

A post shared by ส.อ.วัชรพล สีทองแก้ว (@noomengineer402) on Dec 8, 2016 at 8:59pm PST

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สนับสนุนให้คนไทยท่องเที่ยวไปกับ photoshop #โตแล้วไปไหนก้อได้ #ticha_ek

A post shared by iGust. (@iguststory) on Dec 8, 2016 at 11:07pm PST

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เบื่อไง…จะไปถางหญ้าที่ไหนก็ได้! #แสงเหนือ #ticha_ek

A post shared by [ B I G ] (@pranod_t) on Dec 9, 2016 at 2:16am PST

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[original story and images via Coconuts Bangkok, ispiration via PetaPixel and Bored Panda]