"How Did They Think of Carrying That?"... Chinese Couple Takes Rice Cooker on High-Speed Train

Placing Electric Rice Cooker on Seat's Folding Table to Serve Rice
"Now Cooking Rice Too?" Criticism... Cooking Prohibited on Train

A video of a middle-aged couple calmly scooping rice from an electric rice cooker placed on the seat table of a high-speed train in China has sparked controversy.

On the 5th, a video of the middle-aged couple, reportedly filmed on a high-speed train passing through Chongqing City on the 30th of last month, has been spreading on the Chinese social networking service (SNS) Weibo.

[Image source=Weibo capture]

In the video, the couple casually placed an electric rice cooker on the small table in front of their seats. They are seen transferring rice from the cooker into a plastic container. They are smiling and chatting without regard for other passengers.

Under the seats of the high-speed train, there are outlets for charging smartphones, laptops, etc., which are presumed to have been used to connect the rice cooker. According to those present, when the smell of cooking rice spread, many passengers felt uncomfortable, and eventually, a train attendant stopped the couple.

Netizens who saw this scene expressed disbelief. Negative comments followed, such as "Today they cook rice, tomorrow will they boil hot pot?" "How did they even think of bringing that on board?" and "They even cook rice now?" One netizen questioned, "Is it even reasonable to connect a rice cooker on a high-speed train in the first place? Are there no regulations about using electric cooking appliances?"

According to the railway authority, cooking appliances like rice cookers can be brought onto high-speed trains, but cooking inside the train is prohibited. Connecting to the 220V outlets installed at the seats can cause unstable voltage during train operation, which may lead to accidents.

Additionally, the heat from the rice cooker can cause confusion or safety risks for other passengers, and steam may trigger the train's safety alarms. However, based solely on the video, it is difficult to determine whether the couple had pre-cooked the rice and were just serving it, or if they actually cooked the rice on the train.

Meanwhile, in May, a woman cooking rice with an electric rice cooker in a public restroom in China also caused controversy. At that time, a security guard stopped her, saying only phone charging was allowed, but the woman reportedly ignored this and continued cooking rice.