A strange internet meme called "planking" is slowly taking hold in Singapore.
Planking refers to lying face down like a "plank" in unusual or public locations. 'Players' take photos of the pose and post the images on Facebook or other sites on the Internet.
The trend gained some traction in Europe and Japan but achieved notoriety in Australia. The "official planking group" boasts 112,000 fans. Locals have also created a "Planking Singapore" Facebook page to gather local like-minded enthusiasts.
The strange meme is also popular in Asia and particularly Taiwan.
Two Taiwanese girls, Jinyu,25 and Karren, 28, uploaded their planking photos to participate in the planking movement. …
Planking on a staircase. (Chinasmack photo)
14-year-old Zarrin Zohri learned about this 'sport' from the web and from his friend, Aznurhak. Both are students from a local secondary school and they took to the activity just two weeks ago.
Zarrin and his friends are among the first Singaporeans to take part in the planking meme.
When asked why he was attracted to this sport he said: "The sport is rare and a little funny. It's a strange sport because people lie around like a plank. In Singapore, nobody does it."
Though the sport is largely considered as harmless goofiness, it is seen as potentially dangerous when players go to the extremes of planking at unusual places. People all over the world have planked on camels, busy roads, police cars and basketball hoops.
Last week, however, an Australian man plunged seven floors down a building when he attempted to plank on a balcony rail.
Zohri planking in front of a shop. (Facebook photo)
Zohri insists that his friends only do it at safe places. "From photos, I saw that a lot of people are doing it at high places. But my friend and I decide that we should do it in low places," said Zohri.
When Zohri planks, he finds a spot and lies face down. Not wanting to cause a nuisance, his friend takes the photo and both walk away quickly. "We apologise if we bother anybody."
"When I plank, I feel embarrassed but also courageous," explained Zohri.
Here are more pictures of the planking phenomenon going global on Flickr.
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