Phonchanok Srisunaklua, a Thai blogger, was arrested after she uploaded a video to YouTube of her eating a whole bat in a bowl of soup. The soup is made with the carcass and some cherry tomatoes. Phonchanok even described the taste of bat as “amazing” in the video.

She also likens the dead bat to “eating raw meat” in the video. The worst moment for most viewers was when the blogger cut the animal apart before soaking it in a hot sauce called Nim Jam and devouring it. The video also shows the blogger saying the bat had fangs and fragile bones. When the video went viral, netizens became concerned and reported it. Several individuals have stated that consuming and advocating for the consumption of such animals can have negative health consequences. People in the comments section also linked eating the bat to the Covid-19 epidemic, citing the emergence of the virus as having a similar incidence. According to police reports, the YouTuber faces up to 5 years in prison. Phonchanok was also fined 500,000 baht (about $13,800).

Netizens responded to a blogger eating a bat after the video was removed from the channel.

Many people on the internet linked the bat-eating incident to the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in late 2019. The now-deleted video caused quite a stir on social media, with many people expressing their horror after watching it. One person said it was inappropriate, while others called it “bad” and “disgusting.”

Others felt that the blogger only posted the video to get likes and exposure. One netizen responded and said:

“surprising behavior that just wants attention for likes… very sad.”

Thai blogger Phonchanok Srisunaklua faces 5 years in prison for filming herself eating a WHOLE Bat in a bowl of soup – after viewers said she risked “starting a pandemic”. She’s also a teacher and has been doing these stunts for years to gain followers.🤦🏻‍♀️🤬https://t.co/14jhl9s1Pp

— XposeTrophyKilling (@TrophyXpose) Nov 10, 2022

Thai blogger faces five years in prison for filming herself eating a WHOLE Bat in a bowl of soup – after viewers said she risked ‘starting a pandemic’
Phonchanok Srisunaklua uploaded a video of her eating soup with bats in it
She described bats as ‘delicious’ and is seen pic.twitter.com/uDycQOzRPX

— MassiVeMaC (@SchengenStory) Nov 10, 2022

Phonchanok Srisunaklua was detained for holding protected wild animal corpses in her hands

Phonchanok Srisunaklua, a teacher in Thailand, faces up to 5 years in prison and a 500,000 baht fine. She is being prosecuted in Thailand’s Sakhon Nakhon Province for possessing protected animal corpses and violating the Computer Crimes Act. With more than 400,000 followers on social media, she said in the video that she was not trying to transmit the coronavirus. She went on to say that many people in her area consume bats and other animals.

Many social media users shared the video because they found it unpleasant and dangerous. Several people said the video was dangerous because the world had seen a major viral attack in the past two years due to a similar incidence. In addition, when the video went viral, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised the public not to consume bats due to a variety of health conditions.

Although the blogger claimed the bat was boiled and could not have transmitted disease, the CDC claims otherwise. Top authorities have said even touching saliva, blood or skin can be dangerous, and have urged people not to consume bats.