PATTAYA, Thailand – A bizarre scene unfolded on the Pattaya–Rayong Highway 36 on the morning of April 7 when a young ostrich, about 170 cm tall, was spotted running loose near the Bhira Circuit in Banglamung district, Chonburi.
Footage shared on social media showed the ostrich sprinting along the busy highway, forcing motorists to slow down and honk as they tried to avoid the animal. The unusual sight quickly went viral, with amused reactions online, including one voice joking, “Tired yet, buddy?”
The ostrich was later confirmed to have escaped from a nearby cat café in the area. The owner, Isara Boriboon, 43, also known as “Pae,” explained that the ostrich belongs to his café. He said that while a cement truck was delivering materials and leaving the property, the bird unexpectedly ran after the vehicle and escaped onto the main road.
Isara added that he had briefly left to have a meal and returned to find the bird missing. He immediately tried to search for it after being told by locals that it had been seen running toward Rayong.
The young ostrich, around five months old, is usually kept in a free-roaming environment and is very tame. However, it became startled and ran more than 10 kilometers along Highway 36 toward Rayong.
Fortunately, locals later managed to safely capture the animal near a junction in Rayong and brought it to a nearby home for temporary care. The ostrich was found to be unharmed and was later returned safely to its owner.
The incident has since gone viral, becoming a light-hearted and unusual moment on one of the region’s busiest highways.
