Whale of a collection: Thai masseur wows beachgoers with intriguing 50 million baht puke treasure
A Thai masseur captivated the public’s attention by showcasing his intriguing collection of whale puke while plying his trade on beaches in the southern province of Phang Nga. If proven to be authentic, it could be worth 50 million baht.
The owner of a local furniture store in Phang Nga, Wirat Ratso, invited reporters from ThaiRath to explore the whale puke collection at the house of his neighbour, 48 year old Prapheut Sithatrad.
Prapheut yesterday gave the ThaiRath team a tour of his whale vomit collection also known as ambergris. The items were packed in several plastic boxes on Prapheut’s motorcycle sidecar.
The largest solidified whale puke weighs about 9 kilogrammes while the whole puke weighed over 50 kilogrammes.
Prapheut expressed his confidence that each piece within the collection was authentic and the treasure could make him rich overnight. Prapheut burned some of the puke to provide evidence of its authenticity. Upon burning, the outer shell turned into light brown colour and created a smell similar to myrrh. Its attributes matched with other authentic whale vomits used to produce perfume.
Prapheut made known that he lived in Koh Samui in Nakhon Si Thammarat province before moving to Phang Nga around six to seven years ago to work as a masseur on several beaches. He started collecting the whale puke five years ago after he first found it on Natai Beach.
Prapheut said a voice in his head told him that the vomit would make him rich after he carried it home. Since then, he has made sorties to the beach every time there’s a heavy downpour to look for the puke, which carries the discharge to the shore.
Prapheut checked the vomit was genuine by searching about it on the Internet and found that his collection ticked all of the boxes.
Prapheut expressed his intent to sell his unusual fortune through the media. He revealed that he wanted money to build a house for himself and his family members.
The furniture store owner, Wirat, told the media that he would help Prapheut advertise the whale puke and transport it to a university science and research centre to officially verify its authenticity.
Whale puke, also known as ambergris, is a substance that is formed in the digestive systems of sperm whales. The vomit is excreted through the whale’s faeces. The substance is formed to protect the whale’s digestive system from sharp and hard objects.
The ambergris is used in the production of perfumes, which helps the fragrance last longer. Its unique aroma is often described as earthy, sweet, and animalic. However, due to the high cost and rarity of natural ambergris, synthetic alternatives are commonly used in modern perfumery.
The sale of whale puke or ambergris is illegal in many countries to protect the whale as some might hunt the whale to extract its natural valuable commodity.
