A tourist in Sichuan, China, was shocked to see a parking fee of 21,474,836 yuan (approximately RM12.9 million) appear on her mobile payment app while retrieving her car near Wawu Mountain Scenic Area in Hongya County, Meishan City. The viral incident sparked widespread attention online.
The event occurred on the morning of September 28, when the tourist parked her car for just 4 hours and 54 minutes. Upon returning, the payment app displayed the astronomical fee, which she noted was already reduced by a 5-yuan parking discount. The app also flagged the charge as unusually large, prompting a warning to confirm the amount before payment.
Netizens quickly pointed out the absurdity, noting that the standard 12-hour parking fee at Wawu Mountain is only 20 yuan (about RM12), and overnight parking costs no more than 35 yuan (about RM21). Many joked that the system even applied discounts to the impossible fee.
Staff from Wawu Mountain Scenic Area clarified that the location in the video was not the official scenic area parking lot but an external parking area outside the park, over which the scenic area has no control. They emphasized that the official parking lots are staffed and have transparent rates, making such an astronomical fee impossible.
The scenic area advised that the issue should be resolved directly between the car owner and the external parking operator. They also encouraged visitors to use official parking lots to avoid similar misunderstandings.
