Aussie dad gets into fistfight with monkeys on Ko Phi Phi in Thailand (video)
An Australian dad got into a fistfight with a gang of monkeys on a Thailand beach after they attacked his one year old son. No pistols at dawn followed but it got quite feisty.
Riley Whitelum and his wife Elayna Carausu, along with their two sons, were on the Ko Phi Phi Islands when the incident occurred. While relaxing on the beach, one monkey attacked their infant while the others rifled through their bag.
Riley managed to rescue his son, Darwin, but not before sustaining injuries from the monkeys’ bites and scratches. The family subsequently required shots for tetanus and rabies, reported the Daily Mail.
The couple attempted to attract the monkeys earlier in the day for their sons to observe but failed. They returned to the beach at sunset, where they spotted the animals. When Riley approached the group, the monkeys headed toward their bag, which contained important items such as money, passports, phones, and wallets. One of the monkeys lunged at Riley and his infant son when he attempted to retrieve their belongings. Riley quickly grabbed his son, then got into a fistfight, punching one of the monkeys to frighten the rest away.
Elayna, who was snorkelling at the time, was unaware of the ordeal until after the fracas.
The 38 year old dad of two told his 29 year old wife…
“I’ve been in a punch-up with a dozen monkeys.
“I feel bad for punching a monkey, but they went for Darwin, it was scary. None of the people on the beach helped.”
Riley (left) and Elayna (right) in drama-free times with climate activist Greta Thunburg.
The couple then visited a nearby town to receive rabies shots, with Riley fainting from the painful injection. They were informed by the doctors that they see at least two people a day to treat them for monkey bites.
Riley and Elayna quit their jobs nine years ago, shortly after meeting, to travel the world by boat, despite having no prior sailing experience.
Their journey has been fraught with danger, including encounters with pirates and illnesses. They fund their enterprise through YouTube advertising and the crowdfunding platform Patreon, where fans can pledge anywhere from US$1 to US$100 per month to support their travels. The money goes towards boat maintenance and new filming equipment, with the couple sourcing most of their food from the waters beneath them.
While tensions can build living in such close quarters, Elayna maintains that their YouTube subscribers are not funding a lavish lifestyle, but rather supporting their ability to continue producing high-quality content while sustaining their travels. Despite the danger and occasional heated arguments, the couple claims to have enjoyed a whirlwind ride. Had they known about the monkey attacks on the beach, they would not have gone.
It is worth noting that monkey attacks on tourists are not uncommon in Thailand and visitors are advised to exercise caution and avoid feeding or approaching the animals.
