Bee-ware! Swarm of bees attacks ordination ceremony in Thailand
Pandemonium erupts during bees' sting operation
The buzzing sound of the bees turned into screams of panic after an angry swarm attacked dwellers in a temple in Thailand during an ordination ceremony on Friday (17 March).
Imagine this: wild bees, feeling agitated by the loud music coming from the lively ceremony, decided to swoop in for a visit and share a gift of stings with everyone as pandemonium broke out among the visitors who tried to escape the buzzing creatures.
The incident proved to be a buzzkill as not a single monk was ordained that day.
To add more sting to the story, at least 10 people were stung with over 100 bee stingers found on the victims. One poor 72-year-old man was covered in 45 bee stings and was immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment.
Why did the bees attack?
The nest of the bees was resting just in front of the temple. The loud music coming from the ceremony could have shaken their nest, making the bees feel threatened, and they acted on instinct to protect their home, according to a local villager.
Bees are not generally aggressive but once a bee attacks, it signals others to do the same, which may explain why several of the temple-goers were stung by more than 10 bees at once.
Bee attack sign of bad omen?
Some temple-goers took the bee attack as a sign of bad luck or a bad omen. A to-be-ordained monk was reportedly shaken after the incident, and others in the crowd were flustered after sustaining injuries from the angry bees. No confirmation has yet been released if the ordination ceremony pushed through.
Moral of the story? Be mindful of our neighbours, even the winged ones. Turn down the music for temples surrounded by nests of bees. Turn down the music when temples are surrounded by nests of bees because no one knows when these winged creatures might just bee in a bad mood.
Marvin Joseph Ang is a news and lifestyle writer who focuses on politics, the economy, and pop culture. Follow him on Twitter at @marvs30ang for latest news and updates.
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