Saga of pathetic pooch breaks hearts, then warms them

Evidently not realising that its owners had dumped it there and weren’t coming back, the dog just waited patiently. They’re probably just picking up some groceries, it must have thought, and some of those delicious canine biscuits for me. They should be back any minute.

Days passed, then weeks, two months in all. This most loyal of species became a sensation as word spread of his heartbreaking situation. Photos of the pooch at his post circulated on the social media. Motorists expected, then prayed, that someone would come and get him. People started leaving food for him. Someone even stretched out an umbrella to shelter him from the sun and rain, but he shunned it, perhaps thinking it might obstruct his view of his returning owners. 

Several folks tried to approach the dog more directly, but it was obviously in denial and wouldn’t even consider leaving the spot with strangers.

Finally a call went out to the Soi Dog Foundation and the rescue was achieved. After a few days in its shelter, during which he was well fed (there you go) and sterilised (sorry about that), some kind souls stepped forward to adopt the dog.

They ought to name him Patience.

 

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In Seoul, shirt on, stay dry

Perhaps everyone who takes the increasingly annoying Ice Bucket Challenge ought to be arrested but, as far as we know, it’s only happened to actor-singer Rattapoom “Film” Tokongsup. He got doused and then got busted in South Korea last week, and fined the equivalent of Bt5,000 to boot. 

Film’s mistake was to become very, very noisy while the ice water was being poured over him, and also to be only wearing what appeared to be boxer shorts. A neighbour called the cops.

Film showed the police the video of his ice bath and explained that people all-over-the-world-but-especially-in-Thailand are doing this to raise money for research on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He even had a sign that said “ALS”. The cops wanted to know if his name was “Al”. They asked where he came from and Film said, “Thailand.” The cops wrote down “Taiwan”. 

Film was fined for what he describes as “being loud in public and pouring water on a private street”. Naturally, he posted the video on Instagram. “I kept the police part in because I found it more entertaining.”

Next came the inevitable accusation that the whole thing was a publicity stunt. Film could only repeat that it might look amusing in the video, but it wasn’t when it was happening. “People in South Korea take the challenge too, but no one does it on the street – they mostly do it in public restrooms,” he explained. “But I think my Bt5,000 fine was worth it because it raised even more public awareness.” Awareness of ALS, he means, not him, but that’s not entirely the case.

Film donated Bt100,000 to an ALS organisation on top of the Bt5,000 he contributed to South Korean society. In return, he was all over the front pages here and in several regional newspapers. In fact the only news media that ignored him were, where else, in South Korea.