Thailand's culture ministry has announced plans to regulate the behaviour of Thai fashion models on the catwalk, including ordering them to keep their breasts and nipples covered, a report said Saturday.

The move comes after the Thailand's culture ministry rapped the local edition of Elle magazine in November for running a fashion show in Bangkok fashion city at which Thai models paraded in flimsy clothes that exposed their breasts and nipples.

The display caused a sensation in conservative Thailand and even a greater furore when tabloid newspapers splashed photos of the Thai models in their pages. Thailand's culture Minister Anurak Jureemas told reporters that a new committee would draft regulations ordering Thai fashion models to cover-up or face fines, higher taxes or even public denouncement.

For example, we could reward Thai models who complied with the regulations as the best-dressed people of the year and punish the violators by denouncing them as the worst-dressed people of the year, Minister Anurak said.

Top Thai model Methinee Kingpayome slammed the plan as "ridiculous" and likely to stifle Thailand's ambition to turn Bangkok into Bangkok Fashion City, Asia's new fashion hub.

I am confused and tired with the Thai culture ministry, Thai model Methinee Kingpayome said. Using tax penalties against us, Thai models, would be unfair, she added.

And it's ridiculous to reward Thai models as best-dressed people. Fashion models are not children. The Thai government should reserve rewards for children, she further said.