The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) says a mysterious object that fell and pierced through the roof tiles of a house in Phitsanulok province on Monday night might be a meteoroid.
NARIT deputy director-general Dr Sarun Posayajinda said from what he had seen on online media there is high possibility that the mysterious object might be a meteoroid.
He said as far as he learned from the news media, there was a loud bang as if it was a gunshot and then the object fell and pierced through the roof tiles of a house in Tambon Plaichumpol of Muang district, Phitsanulok province.
Although he has not yet seen with his eyes but just through what the media had shown and explained, there was high possibility that it was a meteoroid.
Meteoroid is a small rocky or metallic body travelling through outer space.
It was similar to the meteoroids that fell in Phitsanulok and in Kanchanaburi last year, he said.
However to exactly determine whether it is meteoroid, it needs to be sent for laboratory test, he said.
It could be a chondrite or rocky meteoroid or metal meteoroid or mixed body.
But from the observation of the object, there was traces of burns and melting on the surface of the object from its atmospheric entry.
He said meteorite fall on earth is a normal phenomenon as each year there are over one million kilo weight of meteorites falling on earth, whether into the sea or on earth.
Meteoroid is chemically harmless and is favourite among collectors.
There is no medium price for meteorites but if it comes from Mars, the value is high as a collector used to offer up to 10 million baht for it, he said.
Meanwhile latest report from NARIT said the owner of the house hit by meteorite has offered to give the object to the centre for scientific test.
