Thai blogger faces five years in jail for videoing herself eating a WHOLE BAT in a bowl of soup – after viewers said she risked ‘starting a pandemic’
- Phonchanok Srisunaklua uploaded video of herself eating soup with bats in it
- She described bats as being ‘delicious’ and is seen ripping the boiled bats apart
- Viewers were alarmed at implications, saying she risked ‘starting pandemic’
A Thai blogger is facing five years in jail after videoing herself eating a whole bat in a bowl of soup.
Phonchanok Srisunaklua had uploaded the 1 minute 40 second clip to her Gin Zap Bep Nua Nua (Eat spicy and delicious) YouTube channel where the dead animals are seen floating in a mud-coloured soup with cherry tomatoes.
Describing the bats as being ‘delicious’ and comparing them to ‘eating raw meat’ she is then seen ripping the animals apart and dipping them in a spicy sauce called Nim Jam.
At one point the footage shows the food content creator holding up a whole bat to the camera and declaring ‘it has teeth’ before beginning to crunch on the bones and saying ‘the bones are soft’.
The video was quickly flooded with complaints by outraged viewers alarmed at the health implications.
One said: ‘If you’re going to die, die alone. No one will blame you. But you’ll be damned if you start a pandemic.’
Phonchanok Srisunaklua had uploaded the 1 minute 40 second clip to her Gin Zap Bep Nua Nua (Eat spicy and delicious) channel where the dead bats are seen floating in a mud-coloured soup with cherry tomatoes
Another said: ‘You put yourself at risk. If you get sick don’t bother burdening doctors and nurses.’
Veterinarian Pattaraphon Manee-on, head of the wildlife health management group at the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, said: ‘I was shocked to see it in the clip now.
‘Because the incident should not happen both in Thailand and around the world, it is very risky behavior, especially as bats have a lot of pathogens.’There is no proof that the hot water temperature will actually kill the germs.
At one point the footage shows the food content creator holding up a whole bat to the camera and declaring ‘it has teeth’ before beginning to crunch on the bones and saying ‘the bones are soft’
Now the YouTuber, who is also a teacher, has now been arrested for ‘possession of protected wildlife carcasses’ and ‘crimes violating the Computer Crimes Act (2007)’. She has since made a public apology
‘Just touching the saliva, blood, and the skin is considered a risk.’
He added: ‘Besides the concern about the disease in bats, this woman could be guilty of breaking the Preservation and Protection and Wildlife Act, B.E. 2019, because bats are protected animals.’
According to some experts, bats are said to carry over 10,000 viruses that could be transmitted to humans and start another pandemic.
Now the YouTuber, who is also a teacher, has now been arrested for ‘possession of protected wildlife carcasses’ and ‘crimes violating the Computer Crimes Act (2007)’.
Initially denying the charges, the woman has since posted another video apologising to ‘society, doctors, journalists, colleagues, family, and friends.’
She added that she wouldn’t eat bats again.
