Driver Forgets Handbrake, Car Rolls Into Lake

A dopey driver left his handbrake off before walking away as it rolled into a pond. Phop-ake Sanhu, 57, drove to the public park at a Buddhist temple in Sa Kaeo province, eastern Thailand last Wednesday (05/02) morning. CCTV shows how he parked his gold Mazda 2, then ambled in front and plugged in his headphones while started his morning walk. But the vehicle rolled forward over a grassy verge and a small road before it plunged into the water. The driver did not notice what had happened until the vehicle hit the pond with a loud splash and a passing motorcycle rider began yelling to get his attention. Workers later came to the park with a tow truck to retrieve the drenched car, which was taken straight to a mechanic to salvage. The bungling driver said he went to the pond for a morning walk and to release fish into the water for good luck, a common Buddhist activity that followers believe will bring them luck and fortune. Phop-ake said: "I only thought I would be gone for a short time so I didn't pay much attention to the car. I thought it was safe there. "I was walking to the lake when I heard a loud splash from the water. When I turned round and saw my car was in the water I suddenly realised that I had probably left the handbrake off. ''I drove there to release fish for good luck so this was not what I was expecting. It was the opposite, it was bad luck.'' Provincial governor Trakoon Sukgoon warned people to be more careful when parking their cars. He said: "Drivers should have their handbrake on when parking otherwise incidents like this could happen again. Fortunately nobody was injured.''