Water monitor leads to death of motorcyclist, but Thai TV finds it funny

CCTV showed a terrible accident from Nonthaburi on Monday in which a young motorcyclist died because a car slowed for a crossing water monitor.

Thai News Agency TV made much of the fact that the accident had its initial cause because of the animal crossing.

Producers added bells and whistles in the manner of a cheap Thai soap opera as the dead rider lay motionless under a white sheet on the tarmac.

The smiling presenters made continued jokey references to the polite Thai word for a water monitor (tua ngern tua thong) and it’s vulgar colloquial use (tua hia or ay hia).

They seemed more concerned with what they perceived as the fun angle of the story rather than its tragedy.

The accident happened on the Ratchapreuk Road and was caught on Bang Krang municipal CCTV.

Natthapong Phongsiri, 26, a bill collector for the Tao Kae Noi company was killed instantly when he was crushed between a Toyota Altis that slowed down and a following Mitsubishi Triton pick-up that hit him from behind.

TNA made no comment on any police action in the matter concentrating more on the fact that the water monitor seemed to have survived.

Thaivisa notes that the word for a water monitor is used as a swear word in Thai. Some people believe that if you use that word you will suffer bad luck but if you say the polite term when seeing one of the creatures you will get rich.

Tua ngern tua thong means the creature that is silver and gold.

Thai Visa / TNA

Stay updated with Samui Times by following us on Facebook.