Jellyfish Attack Farang In Jomtien

[nidge]

The only Jellyfish I saw on brighton beach, was the White tipped pink tubular. A very common species around that area I hear.

That's right. I don't think they sting but they are really chewy and taste too salty.

[thaiman]

Warning to Foreign Visitors of Jellyfish

Mr. Mccracken stated that as a tourist, he thinks that City Hall should have warning signs on the beaches when the jellyfish season is here so that tourists can be aware when going for a swim since it could be dangerous to people with allergies.

-Pattaya People

11 Oct 2007

He wants the thai government to spend money and hire people to place the signs. That's funny! Thai people can hardly persuade them to anything similar. The guy should know better. Tropical warm water = jellyfish. Maybe he should donate his hard earned money and volunteer to put up the signs himself. What a cry baby!

[Cobalt60]

Keep out of their enviroment and you will never get stung, or eaten by sharks etc. I have a theory, as they dont come and annoy us where we live, why go and upset them in their home ? If you need to swim, go get chlorinated

Edited October 16, 2007 by Cobalt60

[britmaveric]

Normally jellyfish come near beaches after a storm. Personally only saw a few when I was diving in Thailand, never in the beach area.

[Kan Win]

Jellyfish Sting Treatment

Rinse with seawater. Avoid fresh water because it will increase pain. Do not rub the wound or apply ice to it.

For classic box jellyfish stings, apply topical acetic acid (vinegar) or isopropyl alcohol.

Remove tentacles with tweezers.

Apply shaving cream or a paste of baking soda or mud to the wound. Shave the area with a razor or knife and then reapply vinegar or alcohol. The shaving cream or paste prevents nematocysts that have not been activated from discharging toxin during removal with the razor.

Immobilize the extremity because movement may cause the venom to spread.

Hydrocortisone cream may be applied 2-3 times daily to relieve itching. Discontinue immediately if any signs of infection appear.

Eye stings should be irrigated with 1 gallon of fresh water.

Mouth stings should be treated with 1/4 strength vinegar. Avoid vinegar if oral swelling or difficulty swallowing occurs.

For a box jellyfish sting, after treatment with vinegar or alcohol, use the pressure-immobilization technique.

The extremity should be wrapped with a bandage in a style similar to wrapping a sprained ankle.

Bind the limb firmly but do not stop the circulation. The fingers and toes should remain pink.

Leave bandages intact until medical personnel are available for treatment.

CPR may be necessary.

---------------------------------------------------------

Now you all know

Kan Win

[percy2]

Someone is going to say that they got chased by a jellyfish next!

I once watched a dive buddy being "chased" by a beautiful purple Box Jellyfish which had approx 2m tentacles I am quite convinced the Jellyfish had not concept that it was "Chasing" him though

Cheers

That's interesting, because the box jellyfish in Australia are transparent and quite difficult to see.

This is the one responsible for most of the deaths.

The tentacles were purple, the Box was of course transparent.

I have a photo of it somewhere if I can find it I will post it.

Cheers

[percy2]

If you go swimming in the ocean (not recommended)

I love swimming in the sea

Cheers

[percy2]

Tropical warm water = jellyfish.

Outside of Kakaban the most jellyfish I ever saw was off Alnwick in Northumberland which nobody would accuse of being tropical.

Cheers

[tropo]

If you go swimming in the ocean (not recommended)

I love swimming in the sea

Cheers

Me too, but not if there is ANY chance of comming across Box Jellyfish.

In Northern Australia the risk is so high that no one swims in the ocean from May - November except in special swimming enclosures...or with special protective stinger suits.

Edited October 17, 2007 by tropo

[nidge]

Tropical warm water = jellyfish.

Outside of Kakaban the most jellyfish I ever saw was off Alnwick in Northumberland which nobody would accuse of being tropical.

Cheers

The most i ever saw was in Portsmouth harbour (UK) when i was in the navy. I looked down from the ship and there were thousands of them. Portsmouth is about as untropical as you can get.

[cdnvic]

Jellyfish don't attack anyone, even Farangs. They're passive and float with the currents.

It's like saying I got attacked by a rose bush.

[hughden]

Tropical warm water = jellyfish.

Outside of Kakaban the most jellyfish I ever saw was off Alnwick in Northumberland which nobody would accuse of being tropical.

Cheers

I don't think anyone would accuse Alnwick of even being next to the sea....!

[AGareth2]

Inteligent jelly fish?

i think you're more than taking the piss!

Anyway it's the floating turds you've got to watch out for in Jomtien!

That's in the sea not in the bars.

[percy2]

Tropical warm water = jellyfish.

Outside of Kakaban the most jellyfish I ever saw was off Alnwick in Northumberland which nobody would accuse of being tropical.

Cheers

I don't think anyone would accuse Alnwick of even being next to the sea....!

Oops confusing my castles! meant Bamburgh

Cheers

[stingertale]

It's been a while since this thread was first posted and there has been a lot of banter so perhaps no-one will read my contribution but I have an update on the jellyfish situation in Thailand that I suggest anyone entering the sea particularly with children should note.

30th December 2007 at Koh Mak (south of Koh Chang) my 4yo son "died" on the beach in his mother's arms with his face blue and no sign of breathing or heartbeat. He had just been stung seconds prior by a box jellyfish. By some miracle his heart spluttered and after a many slow-motion seconds of nothing he came back to life. He is now fine, after 3 days in Bangkok-Trat Hospital with severe scarring to his legs.

The funny guys with the one liners may well joke (and much of it is indeed funny) but the issue of box jellyfish in Thailand is more serious than many people would like you to believe.

Firstly some facts. The box jellyfish or chironex fleckeri is a predator with nerves and sensing organs providing direction - though yes it drifts with the current and wind. This creature is regarded as the most venomous on earth - sea or land - with enough toxin in one 3m body to kill 60 people!

Kan Win provides good advice if stung though massive envenomation like that experienced by my son almost always results in an excrutiating death. Before anything such as applying vinegar follow basic First Aid checking vital signs and commence CPR, etc if necessary then apply vinegar or warmed sea-water to neutralize the millions of stinging cells injected or about to be injected from each attached tenticle. Once doused (30 seconds) carefully remove tenticles. Morning glory paste acts as an anelgesic to minimize pain.

Yes, in northern Australia along coastal areas - the Great Barrier Reef no less which is one of the country's prime tourist destinations -beaches are out of bounds between May and November though usually only July is completely box jellyfish (or stinger) free. All beaches are clearly signed (obviously not much hope of that in Thailand) with vinegar kept in containers on the beach (ditto) and some areas have stinger nets to allow limited swimming and if swimming most people wear full body lycra suits. All paramedics and med clinics carry anti-venom. Cairns, Port Douglas, Cape Tribulation, Magnetic Island, etc etc...no swimming in the sea!!

Interestingly but not surprisingly enough, no-one warned us of the potential danger (of which there are so many - cone shells, sea snakes, lion/stone fish, crazed speedboat drivers, etc etc) though after the fact anecdotal evidence started arriving about other recent victims and other jellyfish sightings including another serious incident with a child a year earlier at the same tiny island (though no-one had a cone shell or sea snake story) suggesting that maybe this is more than a bit of a problem and perhaps there should be a sign somewhere even if only where the hotel meets the beach - though unfortunately it doesn't fit the image of paradise and there's no point panicking the patrons if only the odd bod gets killed, right?

My son was lucky and he's got the scars and advice from Australia if not the world's leading marine biology expert in box jellyfish, a senior toxicologist at the Royal Children's Hospital (Melbourne) also specializing in the area and a RCH cardiologist to prove it.

Unlike Australia, there appears to be no 'season' in Thailand and sightings/attacks have occured throughout the gulf and Andaman Sea coastal areas over every month. After 20 years of swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving and whatever in SEAsian waters I will never go to the beach without a bottle of vinegar (THB15) next to my sunscreen again and I will ensure that while looking like complete dorks my family will only enter the water in stinger suits (quickly peeled off when back on the sand and note that one of the things that may well have saved my son was the lycra shirt he was wearing that protected his chest from direct envenomation). I don't know what the odds of a sting are but like putting on a seatbelt, helmet or life jacket, I'm not prepared to put my family or myself at risk again.

[Goldenbead]

I am sorry to hear about your son's experience but very glad to know that he made a full recovery.

I was stung by a Portuguese Man-o-war years ago and the pain was excruiating. I panicked and started flapping around in the water and as a result recieved stings on my arms, torso and legs. After freaking out for a while over the pain, a friendly neighbour gave me a stong antihistime pill which knocked me out for a few hours and I was fine afterwards. The itching continued for about a week and the scars took about 4 months to fade.

Not an experience I would like to repeat.

[percy2]

Kan Win provides good advice if stung though massive envenomation like that experienced by my son almost always results in an excrutiating death. Before anything such as applying vinegar follow basic First Aid checking vital signs and commence CPR, etc if necessary then apply vinegar or warmed sea-water to neutralize the millions of stinging cells injected or about to be injected from each attached tenticle. Once doused (30 seconds) carefully remove tenticles. Morning glory paste acts as an anelgesic to minimize pain.

Unlike Australia, there appears to be no 'season' in Thailand and sightings/attacks have occured throughout the gulf and Andaman Sea coastal areas over every month. After 20 years of swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving and whatever in SEAsian waters I will never go to the beach without a bottle of vinegar (THB15) next to my sunscreen again and I will ensure that while looking like complete dorks my family will only enter the water in stinger suits (quickly peeled off when back on the sand and note that one of the things that may well have saved my son was the lycra shirt he was wearing that protected his chest from direct envenomation). I don't know what the odds of a sting are but like putting on a seatbelt, helmet or life jacket, I'm not prepared to put my family or myself at risk again.

Sorry to hear about your son. Hope he makes a speedy recovery.

I think applying vinegar maybe a good start as the person checking vital signs/performing CPR doesn't want to be stung and rendered incapable of offering assistance.

About the only time I get in the sea is when diving and then I go for the full cover up. But even with hood, mask , wet suit , gloves and booties I still get stung around the mouth.

Cheers

[Bluelotus]

odd there is no mention of the two leeches attached to the victims forehead

[stingertale]

I am sorry to hear about your son's experience but very glad to know that he made a full recovery.

I was stung by a Portuguese Man-o-war years ago and the pain was excruiating. I panicked and started flapping around in the water and as a result recieved stings on my arms, torso and legs. After freaking out for a while over the pain, a friendly neighbour gave me a stong antihistime pill which knocked me out for a few hours and I was fine afterwards. The itching continued for about a week and the scars took about 4 months to fade.

Not an experience I would like to repeat.

Searching thru the threads of this site it's interesting to see the number of refs concerning jellyfish and the understandable ignorance associated with their existence and habits etc - even the experts know little in the scheme of things. There are loads of different types of jellies in the tropics - just last week 700 people on the Gold Coast were stung by blue-bottle jellies and an 11 yo girl survived a box jelly attack near Cairns. Thailand has its fair share and while most are harmless or inflict only minor pain, there are those like your man-o-war and the box jellyfish or sea wasp that are killers.

Also their venom can continue to kill skin cells for some time after the attack and serious secondary infection is common.

Dark alleys in some places at night are to be avoided because of the chance albeit remote of a mugging, seat belts in cars because of the potential of an accident, safety procedures on planes in case you crash, helmet on a bicycle, long clothes and DEET in case of malaria or dengue fever; dangers are everywhere and while there's no point being paranoid be careful and take the right precautions because you just never know.

The threat of a serious jellyfish sting is very real in all Thai coastal waters any time of year. Like being aware that snakes live in the jungle and can bite and kill - we saw a deadly Malayan Krait on Koh Mak for example (such a little island and so beautiful!) - it should be common knowledge amongst all visitors so that they understand the dangers and take the right precautions.

I live in Australia and we have all manner of nasty on our doorstep but we learn from a young age to treat them with respect, steer clear and obey the signs!!

[stingertale]

Kan Win provides good advice if stung though massive envenomation like that experienced by my son almost always results in an excrutiating death. Before anything such as applying vinegar follow basic First Aid checking vital signs and commence CPR, etc if necessary then apply vinegar or warmed sea-water to neutralize the millions of stinging cells injected or about to be injected from each attached tenticle. Once doused (30 seconds) carefully remove tenticles. Morning glory paste acts as an anelgesic to minimize pain.

Unlike Australia, there appears to be no 'season' in Thailand and sightings/attacks have occured throughout the gulf and Andaman Sea coastal areas over every month. After 20 years of swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving and whatever in SEAsian waters I will never go to the beach without a bottle of vinegar (THB15) next to my sunscreen again and I will ensure that while looking like complete dorks my family will only enter the water in stinger suits (quickly peeled off when back on the sand and note that one of the things that may well have saved my son was the lycra shirt he was wearing that protected his chest from direct envenomation). I don't know what the odds of a sting are but like putting on a seatbelt, helmet or life jacket, I'm not prepared to put my family or myself at risk again.

Sorry to hear about your son. Hope he makes a speedy recovery.

I think applying vinegar maybe a good start as the person checking vital signs/performing CPR doesn't want to be stung and rendered incapable of offering assistance.

About the only time I get in the sea is when diving and then I go for the full cover up. But even with hood, mask , wet suit , gloves and booties I still get stung around the mouth.

Cheers

Vinegar is the way to go though first thing of course is to get the victim out of the water - something I did and got stung on the ankles as a result. I was in agony but luckily my wife was there to help as I was hobbling about and struggled to carry him. Before we got anywhere near a bottle of a vinegar we had to save his life as the poison works instantly.

[stingertale]

Thanks for your thoughts about my son who is a tough little fellow no doubt.

I'm interested to hear any other stories about serious jellyfish stings in Thailand if anyone out there has one.

While I'm not wanting to be alarmist or over-dramatic, this is a raw topic for me and there's very little info on the subject out there. I think it's vital that a real picture of the issue be drawn to inform and potentially save those people especially with innocent children unaware of any danger.

Ours will most definitely not be the last near-fatal box jellyfish attack in Thailand.

[oldoldgit!!]

Mods please delete

Edited January 21, 2008 by oldoldgit!!

[stingertale]

Mods please delete

I can't see anything in TV forum rules to suggest that this post/thread be deleted unless oldoldgit posted something untoward that has been wiped and replaced with these words (??)

If its because the thread is a few months old and has just been restarted then fine, I'll start another thread as I believe this is an issue worthy of discussion. Isn't that what a forum is all about?

[percy2]

Mods please delete

I can't see anything in TV forum rules to suggest that this post/thread be deleted unless oldoldgit posted something untoward that has been wiped and replaced with these words (??)

If its because the thread is a few months old and has just been restarted then fine, I'll start another thread as I believe this is an issue worthy of discussion. Isn't that what a forum is all about?

I guess he means just his own post.

Cheers

[Basil B]

Just had my latest copy of "Diver Mag" there is an artical called "Heating the Sting" in which they report from an artical published in the "Medical Journal of Australia" where the best treatment seems to be submerse in hot water 46 Degrees (not boiling), for 10 minites provided the best ongoing relief.

Obvoisly check the casulties vital signs particualy if he/she stops talking and comence CPR if nessersery, the aritcal also mentioned Aluminum Sulphate being injected by doctors in Queensland, it closes down the the bodys automatic responce to the venum.

Link to eMJA Treatment of jellyfish stings

BB

[BigBikeBKK]

Hi All,

Just want to add my experience, for what it's worth

Fascinating- many of these posts are similar to what happened to me about 6 weeks ago while surfing at Laem Mae Pim beach near Rayong. A big storm brought rare surf to Rayong, and from what I've read, rain and stormy weather can attract jellyfish.

I was standing in shallow murky water, perhaps 4-5 feet deep. Felt something brush my leg, which I first thought was trash- there's a lot of crap in the water these days... Then I felt the sting. Unfortunately I never saw what stung me.

I've been stung before in Japan and Hawaii and Phuket, but this one was different- the pain more intense, but oddly more localized.

Rather than a long welt which is what I usually get from the tentacles of a jelly, this sting left a short 3-4 inch long half inch wide "wound". Usually it takes a while for the sting to become visible, but this one became red and extremely painful almost immediately.

I got stung on the middle of my calf. I didn't have any vinegar on hand so I did the only thing I could which was a nice warm "golden shower". I'm not sure any of the locals saw me pissing on myself, and quite frankly I was in so much pain at the time that I didn't give a fok.

So anyway- I didn't think more of it, as I'd never heard that there were any dangerous jellies in Thailand.

The pain was bearable so I kept surfing and went home.

But the wound wouldn't heal. Itchy and oozing, and discolored around the edges it was not a pretty sight. No pain- in fact other than the itching most of my calf was completely numb.

I swam a lot in our pool, thinking that the chlorine might help keep the wound clean- don't know if there's any merit to that belief...

I waited about a week and things seemed to be getting worse, so I went to Samitivej hospital in Bangkok. I've always believed Samitivej to be one of the better hospitals in Thailand.

I told them I thought I was stung by a jellyfish. The nurse thought it was so funny and taught me how to say jellyfish in Thai: "Mangaprune" (My spelling could be WAY off)

They cleaned up the wound, told me it was infected and necrotic (sp?), gave me antibiotics, iodine and antibiotic cream and told me I should be better in a week or so.

Well, I kept the wound clean, ate all my meds, and after a week passed it was still a nasty oozing mess.

Went to a local clinic near my house to get it cleaned again, and the doc put me on another round of antibiotics, and now, finally, about 6 weeks after I was stung, the wound is dry, but still ugly- I'll have a pretty weird looking scar and there's still a lot of discoloration around the wound.

Anyway- I'm still not 100% sure what stung me. It had to be some kind of jellyfish, and I've done a lot of reading about jellyfish since this whole thing started.

Apparently there are many varieties of box jellyfish, some more deadly than others. If I had to guess I'd say I was stung by some kind of box jellyfish. Could even have been a piece of a dead one as I did see some washed up on the shore.

Moral of the story- add some vinegar to your first aid kit! If you are stung, don't expect Thai doctors to know much about treating jellyfish stings. I'm not dissing Thai docs, I just think it's something they probably almost never have to deal with.

And hey... maybe that's why all the locals swim in jeans and T-shirts... Hmmm...

Surf's Up!