Mysterious numbers that appeared on a temple floor became the talk of the town among locals in Thailand’s rural Chaiyaphum province yesterday as they believed the numbers, which look totally man made, were made by a Naga, a mythical serpent in Buddhism.

At Putto Wat Temple, the “sacred” marks were cordoned off by plastic chairs and ropes. Of course, locals blessed the area with offerings including candles, incense sticks, and food.

A local man, identified only as Kampong, said that he visits the temple every day to make merit, but yesterday he was amazed to find the numbers “538” on the floor. He came home and told his neighbors. Then word started spreading that it was Naga descending from heaven to bless the locals with luck.

Of course, people came and instantly began using the numbers on the floor for the lottery, Sanook reported.

The temple’s abbot, Phra Kru Silapiwat, said that the Naga theory was a personal belief of locals and insisted that the temple staff didn’t make those marks.

However, later that day, chemistry professor Weerachai Phutdhawong, from Kasetsart University, concluded that the traces were caused by a pressure washer and demonstrated it on camera.

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