A rescue team search for the man in southern Bình Dương Province. — Photo congan.com.vn

A good prank can be great fun, but push the joke too far and the consequences can be no laughing matter.

That’s exactly what happened in the southern province of Bình Dương when one young man’s attempt at fooling his friends really did cross the line.

Bored beyond belief, and in an attempt to trick his pals, the 26-year-old thought it would be a hoot to fake his own death.

He went to extreme lengths to cover his tracks faking his own suicide, leaving his belongings on the banks of a lake in the hope of convincing his buddies he’d jumped in.

Earlier, he asked his friends to join him for a drink, planting the seed of the prank by claiming it could well be the last time they ever saw him.

Later that evening, he left his house on board his motorbike ignoring the calls he was getting on his phone from frantic friends and members of his family.

The next day, having not heard sight nor sound from their friend, his anxious pals raised the alarm.

His backpack, wallet, slippers and cell phone were discovered by the lake, causing concern for the authorities who mobilised a search and rescue team.

After a day looking, they couldn’t find any trace of the man until the search was coming to an end and he was discovered hiding in the bushes.

At the local police station, he told police the whole escapade had been nothing more than a prank to fool his friends. He even admitted he had realised the joke had gone too far when the search party began looking for him.

Officers failed to see the funny side and are continuing their investigations. A prosecution for wasting police time could well be on the horizon. — VNS