Prankster fined, faces new charge
YouTube prankster Nathan Bartling, aka “My Mate Nate”, yesterday reported to Prawet police station to acknowledge a charge of violating a railway law and paid a 5,000 baht fine for placing obstacles in the way of a train.
Mr Bartling, a 24-year-old American, and Nat Veerothai, a 22-year-old Thai, went to the station yesterday. Both were fined 5,000 baht each for violating the Rail and Highway Management Law 1921 by placing coins on rail tracks for trains to run over.
Pol Col Alongkorn Sirisongkram, chief of Prawet police, said he imposed on them the maximum fine of 5,000 baht to prevent children from copycatting the YouTube star because his behaviour could compromise public safety.
Pol Col Alongkorn said Mr Bartling was also facing a charge of torturing an animal under the Prevention of Animal Cruelty and Provision of Animal Welfare Act and could be subject to twoyear imprisonment or maximum fine of 40,000 baht or both.
In one of his YouTube clips, he let two cats fight a scorpion to see which would win. Mr Bartling denied he tortured the animals.
He said he did not force the animals to fight but he saw the cats already fighting the scorpion and decided to video the moment.
Nonetheless, police will spend 20 days probing whether he tortured animals.
Natch Prasopsin, a member of the Cat Fanciers’ Club of Thailand, also went to the station yesterday to complain directly to Mr Bartling about his behaviour.
“We will proceed with the case against him to discourage others from imitating his conduct,” she said.
Mr Bartling said he understood now that his actions were against the law.
He was earlier fined 100 baht for trespassing on railway property but netizens criticised the old railway law for imposing too small a fine for such an offence, as it could carry safety risks. Public reaction to the pranks publicised on YouTube have encouraged some Thais to sign a petition calling for his expulsion from the country.