Picture courtesy of Matichon

 

A tranquil monk ordination ceremony at Wat Bandai Ma in Pak Chong district turned chaotic when a swarm of bees attacked attendees, injuring over 30 people. The incident took place yesterday, May 3, at about 12.54pm during the ordination of Theeraphat Harnkhokkruad, also known as Ohm. The chaos erupted when a child’s balloon accidentally hit a large beehive on the temple’s eaves.

 

The disturbance triggered the bees, who began stinging attendees in a frenzy. Panic ensued as locals and visitors fled, with bee stings reported on various parts of their bodies including the head, neck, arms, torso, eyes, and face. Among the victims, four individuals suffered serious injuries.

 

One of the severely injured was Sa-ngat Thongsa-nga, who endured nearly 100 stings and faced significant breathing problems. Emergency responders promptly transported the injured to Pak Chong Nana Hospital, where medical teams removed stingers and provided critical care. Sa-ngat remains in the intensive care unit for close monitoring and is expected to stay under observation for one to two days.

 

This unforeseen event highlights the potential dangers of nature interfering with public gatherings, underscoring the importance of safety measures during outdoor ceremonies involving large crowds. Despite the disruption, local authorities and medical teams responded swiftly to manage the situation and attend to the injured.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2025-05-05

 

 

Bees need to learn some respect

Gees, I remember someone else saying that. 

I had to laugh, "A tranquil monk ordination ceremony" been to a few of these, once standing in for the Father of the new Monk, a really good Thai friend who couldn't do the walk from their house to the Temple and 3 times round the mini temple where the service ends, biggest booze up I've ever attended, what with all the live band and dancing.