“I was shocked when I saw [the bat] in the clip,” said Pattaraphon Manee-on, head of the wildlife health management team at the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Protection. “The incident should not happen both in Thailand and around the world, it is very dangerous behavior, especially as bats carry many pathogens.” Phonchanok, who apologized for the culinary stunt and said she would not eat the mammals again, was arrested for violating the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act. He faces up to five years in prison or a fine of 500,000 baht (almost £12,000). But she is not alone in eating and trading bats in the area. In September, for example, doctors urged people not to eat the creatures after a “bat hunter” who sold the flying mammals for less than £3 in north-west Thailand claimed they were delicious in red curry. Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Insurance
