TikToker bathes in a puddle
Some roads in Thailand’s rural areas can be pretty patchy. There are many reasons for this, but the most common cause for damage is mud erosion as an effect of heavy rainfall.
Sometimes, it takes someone publicising infrastructural issues in a comical way to encourage the relevant authorities to take action, like this TikToker who bathed in man-sized puddle on a damaged road.
But how exactly did one person’s bath in a puddle grab so much attention?
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TikToker reviews “mud bath” & gains attention from officials
TikToker, @suksusasn25, uploaded a video of himself bathing in a puddle that formed in a massive pothole on a road in Ayutthaya on 10th July 2021. He later shared the video to Facebook and tagged the provincial Ministry of Transport. Days later, an official representative came to the site along with a construction crew who temporarily patched up the road.
The content creator filmed the video as a “review” of the roadside “mud bath”. Wrapped in a sarong and donning a shower cap, he excitedly states, “When you’re experiencing a blackout and there’s no water running at home, you can come and bathe in a mud bath on this damaged road” in the beginning of the clip.
GIF: @suksusasn25
He later goes onto splash himself with water while commenting on the environmental benefits of using the puddle, “See? This way, you can save water while also helping the country [conserve its water resources]”.Â
GIF: @suksusasn25
One minute and 47 seconds into the clip, viewers can see two trucks passing by as the videographer tells them, “There’s a lot of holes around here.”
GIF: @suksusasn25
The TikToker also informed his audiences that this road’s construction cost ฿103,000,000 (~USD3,154,670) and was recently completed in August 2019.
While the road did receive repairs between then and now, there are still potholes present.
TikToker draws attention from the governmentÂ
The TikToker’s initiative to raise this issue about road’s condition worked. After tagging the ministry in his Facebook post, representative from Ayutthaya’s provincial office, came to inspect the site, as reported by Spring News on 13th July 2021.
Screenshot: Spring News
Mr. Surin Kakaro, Director of the Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Rural Roads Department stated that there will be repairs made to temporarily mitigate the issue.
A free mud spa
Kudos to this comical TikToker, who reminded us that mud spas are free and abundant.
If ever we’re feeling a mud spa, but are low on funds, we can simply go lay in – clean – muddy puddles while wearing our best sarongs.
Who knows? Maybe we’ll even get new roads in the process.
Cover image adapted from: @suksusasn25 (Left), Spring News (Right)
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