Giant Softshell Turtle Enters Saraburi Home, Sparks Lottery Frenzy

On October 24, 2026, reporters were alerted by villagers after a massive softshell turtle crawled into the front area of a house in the middle of the night on October 23, which coincided with King Chulalongkorn Memorial Day. The incident caused a stir among the family and neighbors, especially a boy who was playing on his phone and glanced over to see the creature, thinking it was a ghost.

In the afternoon, reporters visited the house at 29/78 Moo 2, Huai Bong Subdistrict, Chaloem Phra Kiat District, Saraburi Province, where a group of villagers were helping weigh the giant turtle. It tipped the scales at 24.5 kilograms.

Villagers said the event occurred around 10:00–11:00 PM on October 23. The boy was inside playing on his phone when he glanced over and saw an animal crawling in. Startled, he called his older brother, who was also shocked by its size. They then called their grandmother to come look. When everyone gathered close, they realized it was a huge softshell turtle, the likes of which they had never seen before. It stayed in the front area of the house and would not leave, so the family caught it and put it in a bucket, intending to release it back into nature for merit.

Afterward, villagers lit incense to pray and ask for blessings, wishing for the family's happiness, prosperity, and a chance to win the government lottery. They then rubbed flour on the turtle's shell to divine lucky numbers according to personal belief. Some saw the numbers 38 and 83, while the underside of the turtle revealed what looked like 45. Lottery enthusiasts hastily noted these numbers to try their luck, each relying on their own beliefs and judgment.

Once the rituals and number-seeking were satisfied, the villagers took the giant turtle to release it at the pond of Wat Khao Champa in Nong Pla Lai Subdistrict, Mueang District, Saraburi Province, so it could return to its natural habitat and have a chance to live and breed.

Meanwhile, Ms. Saworn, the boy's grandmother, said her grandson ran to call her to see the turtle. She thought positively that it might bring good fortune to the family, so she also rubbed flour on it to look for numbers. She saw the number 38 and plans to use it along with the house number 78 to try her luck, though winning depends on each person's fate.