Coffin floats through the flooded streets of Bangkok

PHOTO: Bangkok residents surprised by a coffin floating down the flooded streets. (via Nation)

Flood waters can be deadly, but locals in Saphan Mai, located in the northern part of Bangkok, were shocked by the sight of a coffin floating by in the floodwaters that swept through the streets. The floating coffin was captured on videos and posted on social media where it quickly went viral.

People may have feared and questioned: Is it possible that the rains and floods had been so strong that the water had begun to unearth the dead and swoosh them through the streets of Bangkok?

Well… no. After a flurry of attention, the source of the runaway (or float-away?) coffin was identified and don’t worry – there was no dead body inside. The casket had escaped from a local shop that manufactures them.

Burapha Coffins has a branch in Saphan Mai, and the owner of the shop said yesterday that Thursday night the neighbourhood was inundated with heavy rains for hours. The downpour resulted in a flash flood so powerful, that it carried away not one but two for sale coffins from his shop.

The shop owner said his staff worked feverishly to move their stock upstairs in a race against time with floodwaters rising. They managed to save most of the store inventory, but two rogue coffins floated out of the store and down the street.

Someone spotted the unusual sight on Soi Phaholyothin 54 and made a video of the incident which they shared online. Internet users may have been stunned and spooked but a coffin floating down the street, fearful of what could be inside, but the shop owner said that locals are well aware of his shop and probably put two and two together quickly.

“But I was worried that if the coffins floated out of the neighbourhood, they might scare people, particularly at night.”

After locals had some fun getting pics and videos of the sailing coffin, both escaped caskets were eventually corralled and returned to the shop.

SOURCE: The Nation

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Neill Fronde

Neill is a journalist from the United States with 10+ years broadcasting experience and national news and magazine publications. He graduated with a degree in journalism and communications from the University of California and has been living in Thailand since 2014.

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