Shell shock: Giant turtle roadside rescue fuels lottery frenzy in northeast Thailand

A giant turtle was discovered crawling on a road by a young man who decided to take it home, sparking a flurry of lottery number predictions among the local villagers in northeast Thailand. The unusual occurrence took place in the Nong Thep community, Sri Narong District, Surin province.

The 28 year old man, Kaewprasert, was en route to buy some beer when he encountered an unidentified object on the road. On closer inspection, he found a giant turtle, weighing approximately 15 kilogrammes, about to descend into a canal.

He quickly lifted the creature and brought it home, where it soon attracted the attention of neighbours who had never seen such a massive turtle, usually only visible in zoos.

For some villagers, the turtle’s arrival was seen as a sign of good luck and wealth.

Several villager gamblers bathed the turtle and performed a wai…