A train journey in Thailand recently went viral after claims surfaced that a single orange cat caused a massive delay, but passengers have since come forward to say it was due to other reasons.
According to Thai media outlet The Thaiger, Rapid Train No. 169, which was travelling from Bangkok to Yala, arrived at its final destination at 6.15pm on Monday, a delay of seven hours.
Viral post claims cat caused chaos onboard
The incident first gained attention after a Facebook post alleged that the train had to stop mid-journey due to a cat suddenly losing control.
According to the post, the orange cat allegedly bit its owner, causing bleeding, and scratched several passengers in the same carriage. The situation reportedly forced the train to come to a halt.
It was said that three train staff members took around 20 minutes to subdue the animal using a bedsheet before the train was able to resume its journey. The cat and its owner were reportedly travelling in a non-air-conditioned sleeper coach, with some suggesting that the heat may have contributed to the animal’s behaviour.
Passengers say delay was due to technical issues
However, several passengers later refuted claims that the cat was responsible for the lengthy delay.
Instead, they pointed to two separate engine failures during the journey as the real cause. One passenger claimed that the train had stopped at a station in Prachuap Khiri Khan to switch locomotives, but the replacement engine also encountered problems, further delaying the trip.
Railway authority confirms delay but not cause
The State Railway of Thailand later confirmed that the train was indeed delayed by 430 minutes. However, it did not specify a single cause.
Instead, the agency stated that delays can occur due to multiple factors, including track maintenance works, engine failures, signal issues, or passenger-related incidents.
While the viral “cat chaos” story sparked widespread discussion online, it appears that the real reason behind the significant delay may have been far more mechanical than feline.
