A bus conductor who was apparently allergic to durians, fainted after a passenger had brought a durian on board the bus, resulting in her requiring medical attention and being sent to the hospital.
The Culprit: A Thorny Intruder
The bus conductor, Srisong shared about her encounter with the notorious fruit that happened on a regular bus ride.
Another passenger, unaware of her allergy, brought a durian on board, unknowingly turning the bus into a potential danger zone. Durians are banned on public transport in Thailand due to their overpowering smell, which can disturb other passengers.
Upon spotting the durian, Srisong took immediate action and asked the passenger to disembark with the fruit.
However, even a brief exposure to the durian’s scent triggered a severe allergic reaction. She described feeling “tightness in her chest and struggling to breathe” before eventually fainting.
The Emergency Response
A picture posted on social media showed Srisong lying on a row of seats on the bus, struggling for breath. A concerned passenger, clad in a jacket, was attempting to assist her, while another passenger waved a piece of material in the air to provide ventilation.
As she regained consciousness, Srisong felt compelled to issue a public service announcement (PSA).
She took to Facebook to emphasize the consequences of bringing durians onto public transport, saying, “When you bring durian onto the bus, it’s not just you who doesn’t get to continue (the journey), but many others might have to return home late because of you.”
Srisong expressed her gratitude to the rescuers who rushed her to the hospital. She also thanked the passengers who took care of her during the crisis and her supervisor, who promptly checked on her condition.
In a follow-up post, she informed her well-wishers that she was on the road to recovery and had even returned to work the next day.
Understanding the Durian Dilemma
In a subsequent interview with a Bangkok-based newspaper, Thairath, Srisong shed light on why she had such a severe reaction.
She explained, “If the passengers bring durians on board the bus, we can ask them to leave but the smell of the durian still lingers inside the vehicle.”
She cautioned the public against bringing items with strong odors, such as durian and fermented fish, on public transport, as this is strictly prohibited.