Century-Old Turtle With Cracked Shell Draws Lottery-Number Hunters

On September 15 in Chainat province, villagers flocked to see a large black turtle weighing over 20 kilograms with a cracked shell and injuries. It is believed to have been struck by a large vehicle while crossing the road before crawling into a rice field. A compassionate resident brought it to a relative's house near Don Thananont Temple in Mueang Chainat district for care.

When word spread, many locals came to view the turtle, taking photographs and studying the markings on its shell for lottery numbers before the September 16 drawing. Different residents interpreted the shell patterns as different numbers—414, 72, and 48 among them.

Adisak, the resident who first found the turtle, revealed he initially thought he wouldn't be able to lift it. While driving along the Tha Chai-Nang Lue road, he spotted the large turtle with its head poking up in a rice field. Upon closer inspection, he noticed the cracked shell and wounds, and suspected it had been hit by a large truck while crossing. He observed a trail of water and blood leading from the road into the darkened rice field. He estimated the turtle weighed over 20 kilograms and was likely more than 100 years old.

Adisak took the turtle to Don Thananont Temple hoping monks would help care for it, but the temple had many dogs and no proper turtle enclosure, so he moved it to a relative's house where he cleaned the wounds and applied basic medicine. He later coordinated with Nipol Pannaor, a village volunteer and former rescue worker, to transfer the turtle to Sing Sathit Temple in Wat Singh district, Chainat, which has a dedicated turtle care facility.

Meanwhile, lottery enthusiasts who came to view the turtle examined its shell markings, each interpreting the patterns differently as potential winning numbers for the upcoming draw.