Tourist held in Cambodia over 'pornographic dance' asks for help

One of the 10 backpackers accused by Cambodian officials of producing pornographic images has reportedly written a letter pleading for help.

The group of tourists aged 20 to 33 – eight men and two women - were arrested during a party at a villa in Siem Reap last Thursday.

Cambodian police have released online images purportedly showing clothed and laughing tourists, with some in sexually-suggestive poses.

Sky News in the UK reports it has seen a letter from one of the detained backpackers.

The unnamed man urges his mother to contact the media to highlight his plight and asks for prescription letter, according to Sky News.

The 10 arrested are five British nationals, two Canadians, one Norwegian, one New Zealander and one from the Netherlands.

Police said they raided a rented villa in Siem Reap on Thursday where the foreigners were taking part in what organisers called a pub crawl and found people "dancing pornographically." While almost 90 foreigners were detained, all but 10 were released.

Photos released by police showed clothed young adults rolling around together on a dance floor.

On Sunday the 10 were formally charged with producing pornographic pictures, which the prosecutor said were then posted on social media.

The Khmer Times, an English-language newspaper close to the government, said some of the events were known as "Let's Get Wet."

A Facebook page for Let's Get Wet parties in Siem Reap advertised what it billed as "Asia's biggest pool crawl."

It also said every Thursday it offered "a whole day of partying in a Villa Mansion just out of town with hundreds of other backpackers" and featuring a DJ, barbecue and pool.

Photos on the Facebook page, which has now been taken down, showed young people in bikinis and swimsuits at pool parties.

Calls to the number listed on the page rang unanswered on Monday.

The United Kingdom's Foreign Office confirmed they were in contact with British nationals in Cambodia.