“You’ve got a better chance of winning the lottery,” Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat

Screenshot from Dr. Thon’s video

Dr. Thon Thamrongnawasawat of the Faculty of Fisheries at Kasetsart University, Bangkok says you have a bigger chance of winning the lottery or being run down by a charging buffalo than being bitten by a shark in Thailand.

Dr. Thon’s message was loud and clear – don’t worry about sharks. Not to mention Thai roads and the horrendous annual road toll.

He was talking today in an online video that came with the headline: A sea that doesn’t have sharks is like a jungle without tigers.

“The chance of being bitten by a shark is one in a hundred million to one in two hundred million,” said Dr Thon.

“They can misunderstand thinking your foot is a fish and have a nibble. Then they realise – that’s not a fish and off they swim”.

Dr. Thon gave his message of hope dressed in an outfit adorned with sharks.

“Each year there are 5-6 deaths from sharks all over the world. Compare that to being hit by a buffalo or a cow (there are many). Some 500 die from hippo attacks and 2,000 from bees and hornets. There are only small sharks here – Thais have eaten all the big ones!”

“Thais, like all people, have watched too many movies about sharks. They think that if there is a little blood the sharks will be on the scene, circling. No! That’s the movies.

“Billions go in the sea to swin and there are hardly any bites – there is much less chance than winning the lottery”.

SOURCE: Thai Rath