BANGKOK — Police on Sunday warned netizens not to attempt a viral Tiktok meme due to its recent record of fatalities and serious injuries.
Those who participate in the Tripping Jump Challenge, also called the Skullbreaker Challenge, may also face prosecution and possible jail time since the prank can result in fatalities, police said. In the “challenge,” two friends trick a person standing between them to jump, before kicking their legs out from under them.
“These actions should not be copied since it can result in injuries, disabilities, or even death,” Police Col. Kissana Phathanacharoen said.
Kissana said offenders could be prosecuted for physical assault which is punishable by two years in prison and a fine of 40,000 baht.
If the challenge leads to deaths, disabilities, or grievous bodily harm, punishment is raised to 10 years in jail.
It is unclear how many Thais participated in the prank before TikTik apparently scrubbed videos of the challenge from its platform on Monday.
Thanin Vejjapinan, director of the Ministry of Health’s Prasat Neurological Institute, said the prank carries a high risk of severe head injuries, such as a cracked skull, a cerebral hemorrhage, and evena a coma if brain nerves are damaged.
Neck muscles can also be hyperextended, causing paralysis or even death. And that’s not counting possible limb injuries.
“Warn your children not to play this dangerous game and stop sharing its videos. Most people doing it are teenagers who don’t fully understand its risks,” Thanin said.
On Nov. 11, Brazilian teenager Emanuela Medeiros, 16, reportedly died after her friends killed her with the prank. Valerie Hodson, from Arizona, USA, also posted a viral post about her son who was hospitalized with severe injuries after his classmates pranked him.