A False Claim Says a Man Injured by Piranha in Battambang
A week after Cambodia’s agricultural ministry barred the importation and distribution of Piranha in Cambodia, a viral claim said a man living in Battambang province was injured after an attack from the flesh-eating fish. The claim had been widely shared on social media and commented on by Khmer-speaking Facebook users. However, we found the claim is misleading.
SOCIAL MEDIA CLAIM
A video clip depicting an injured man was uploaded on social media two weeks ago with a claim that the villager was attacked by a flesh-eating Piranha released in a river in Samlout district, Battambang province.
The video clip shows one of the man’s legs bleedings and the voices of people saying the injury happened in the Stung Kra Nhuong River.
The claim had been widely circulated on social media along with comments and reactions from Cambodian Facebook users.
Below is one of the circulations of the video claim on August 17, 2023.
The video claim can be watched via links here 1 (archived), 2 (archived), 3 (archived), and 4(archived).
FACT CHECK
Fact Crescendo Cambodia began debunking the claim by reviewing clarification provided by local authorities in the province. Then, we found the truth below.
After the claim went viral on social media, Battambang police started searching for the injured villager who clarified what happened to him.
Battambang Police said in a clarification posted on social media that the 63-year-old man living in Ta Sanh village was injured by one type of Tetraodontidae – a freshwater fish living in Stung Kra Nhoung River in the afternoon of August 17.
The police added it made the clarification following a medical checked by local medic who said the scar left on him was similar to some injuries happened in villages some years ago.
Read the full clarification posted on Battambang Police’s Facebook page on August 17, 2023.
A day later, the Facebook page also posted a video showing the man explaining to public following the viral claim.
In the video, a man called himself Suon Chamroeun, 63, said his injury was not an attack from Piranha, adding he was bled by one type of Tetraodontidae in the river.
Below is the full video of the villager’s clarification uploaded on social media on August 17, 2023.
The case was also reported by local media outlets. See the full articles here or here.
The viral claim came four days after the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishery took action against the importation and distribution of Piranha in the country.
The importation and distribution of the flesh-eating fish had been widely criticized by Khmer-speaking social media users, saying the kind of freshwater fish are dangerous.
Piranha is one of numbers of freshwater fish inhabit in the South American rivers, especially natural streams in Brazil.
The flesh-eating fish is described as dangerous freshwater living if they jointly attack human or any animal due to bleeding.
Below is the full video describing about Piranha made by BBC Earth more than 20 years ago.
CONCLUSION
Fact Crescendo Cambodia found the claim mentioned above is misleading. A 63-year-old man Suon Chamroeun was injured by one type of Tetraodontidae living in the Stung Kra Nhoung, Battambang province.
Title:A False Claim Says a Man Injured by Piranha in Battambang
Written By: Jay UdomResult: Misleading
