Tourist, not monk: Thai man surrenders after dangerous snake ride
A Thai man dressed in a monk robe surrendered to the police after a video of his dangerous ride on a Pattaya road with a snake draped over his shoulder went viral. He insisted that he was a tourist, not a monk.
The 40 year old witness, Bang-on Chom-ngam, shared the video of the motorcyclist riding recklessly with a snake on his shoulder on the Facebook page Chon Buri News, hoping to identify the rider.
She suggested that the motorcyclist should face legal consequences for his dangerous actions, regardless of whether he was a monk or not.
In the video, the motorcyclist is seen wearing a yellow monk robe and riding at high speed. He stood up and lay down on the motorcycle while riding, shocking Bang-on, who was travelling nearby.
His motorcycle was also decorated with dried flowers, garlands, and glasses, which obscured the registration plate.
The motorcyclist, identified as Prasert, later turned himself in at Bang Lamung Police Station yesterday, March 18.
Prasert insisted that he was not a monk, as the public had assumed. He was simply a tourist who rode his motorcycle from the eastern province of Rayong to Pattaya.
Prasert explained that he collected the monk robe and the dried flowers on his vehicle from multiple shrines and graveyards that he passed during his journey. He believed in the superstitious powers of each item and brought them with him.
Prasert further explained that he wore the monk robe because it was comfortable and dried quickly when he sweated.
The man revealed that the snake seen on his shoulder was his beloved pet, a ball python. He obtained and raised the animal legally. The snake had been imported from abroad but was not included in the 14 species banned from being kept.
Despite Prasert’s explanation, the police proceeded to fine him for his dangerous riding, although the amount of the fine was not disclosed to the public. Officers also ordered him to remove all the floral decorations from his vehicle.
Latest Thailand News
