900 coin found from Turtles stomach

Some 915 coins, weighing about 5kg, are removed from the stomach of a 25-year-old turtle. The marine animal apparently swallowed coins thrown into its pond by people seeking good luck in Thailand.

Wichan Charoenkiatpakul and his veterinarian team from Chulalongkorn University has taken out 915 coins weighing a total of 5kg from the stomach of an ailing sea turtle that swallowed the coins thrown into its pond by people seeking good fortune.

"The operation was difficult and challenging but the result is satisfactory. The turtle is now under close monitoring and needs time to recover," Pasakorn Brikshavana, chief of the 10-vet operation team, said after the seven-hour operation.

The animal was taken to the Faculty of Veterinary Science last month after it partially lost the ability to swim and was weak and drowsy. The faculty did a CT scan of the turtle and discovered a huge lump of coins that measured 20 x 23 x 20cm in its stomach. This was pressing down on the ventral shell, which had cracked in the abdominal area and had become infected. Commander Thanapon Klomnark, director of the navy centre, said the centre received 26 sea turtles, including Orm Sin, from Si Racha municipality in June last year after the municipality renovated its facility and could no longer take care of the animals. The turtle ate coins which visitors threw into its pond for good luck.