On 13 April, an express train from Bangkok arrived in Yala in southern Thailand seven hours after its supposed arrival.
In a Facebook post, a train passenger claimed that this was due to a cat who bit its owner and ran inside the vehicle, allegedly scratching other passengers.
However, Bangkok Post later reported that the seven-hour delay was not entirely due to the cat’s misbehaviour, but also because of some train malfuctions.
In a post on Monday (13 April) evening, the passenger, Kijja Pongpisan, shared that Train No 169 arrived in Yala at 6.15pm that day — seven hours and 10 minutes later than scheduled.
He alleged that the delay was due to a pet cat chasing, biting, and scratching passengers on the train.
According to Mr Pongpisan, the cat’s owner was bitten and injured.
After the owner started bleeding, the train was stopped so the staff could help catch the cat.
Source: Kijja Pongpisan on Facebook
“The cat was very strong, and it took three staff members 20 minutes to subdue it by covering it with a bed sheet,” the original poster (OP) shared.
He said it is believed that the cat — which was in a non-airconditioned sleeper car — had been agitated due to the extreme heat.
The photo attached also showed a small pool of blood on the train floor, while the cat lay on one of the seats with some blood on its fur.
However, a few netizens who claimed to have been on the same train journey came to the cat’s defense.
One user explained that the train’s engine broke, and the one that replaced it also malfunctioned.
Another added that during the first malfunction, the train had to stop to wait for a new engine in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province.
After traveling about 50 kilometres, it stopped for another engine change at Chumphon Province.
Image courtesy of Richard Barrow’s Thai Train Guide. For illustration purposes only.
“The train having to stop to catch the cat was only a small incident along the way,” the netizen wrote.
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) also confirmed that the train was delayed for 430 minutes, Bangkok Post reported.
It did not specify the reason, but said “the train’s delay could be due to construction, malfunction of the engine, a green light for track clearance or problems from passengers”.
Also read: Cat rides bus in M’sia, ignores bus captain who asked about its destination
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Featured image adapted from Kijja Pongpisan on Facebook, Richard Barrow’s Thai Train Guide for illustration purposes only.