A video showing two foreign tourists unknowingly using a coconut left as an offering on Pattaya Beach as a photo prop has gone viral on social media. The pair later apologised after learning about its cultural significance.
The incident came to light after a Facebook user shared a 45 second video showing two foreign tourists picking up a coconut that had been placed beneath a small tree along Pattaya South Beach before taking photos with it.
Reporters visited the location yesterday, July 2, and found that residents regularly leave coconuts, sweets and red soft drinks beneath the tree as offerings to local guardian spirits.
Pattaya News reported that the area is a popular photo spot for both Thai and foreign tourists. The two visitors were reportedly unaware that the coconut had been left as an offering and used it as a photo prop without intending any disrespect.
Wannachai, the 35 year old man who recorded the video, said he had earlier seen a group of four to five foreign tourists resting under the tree. After one tourist picked up the coconut and walked onto the beach to take photos, he recorded the incident on his phone.
When the tourists returned, Wannachai used a translation app to explain that the coconut had been left as an offering. He said the tourists were surprised, apologised and said they were unaware of the local custom. They also asked for forgiveness in Russian before returning the coconut to its original place.
In similar news, the popularity of Pop Mart’s Labubu art toys has extended beyond collectors and fashion enthusiasts to Thailand’s spiritual community.
The trend inspired the creation of the Labubu Phoksap Yantra, a tattoo design introduced by Ajarn Amsri Ohromyan, who said he created the unique yantra after his daughter, a Labubu fan, inspired the idea.
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