Dead Sea Worms Scare Off Locals And Tourists

[libya 115]

SOURCE: Pattaya Daily News: May 27th 2008

DEAD SEA WORMS SCARE OFF LOCALS AND TOURISTS FROM BANG SAEN BEACH

Tourists and people around Bang Saen Beach, on the morning of May 24, 2008, were frightened to see many sea worms washed up, dead on the beach. Most of tourists were afraid to go into the sea because of them. Local fishermen warned that the thorn-like protuberances around them are poisonous and should not be touched.

The phenomenon of dead sea worms is an uncommon sight at Bang Saen. Normally, the worms live on top of seaweed in deeper water, especially in front of Koh Sri-chang. Many of the tourists had never seen anything like these worms before, and the weekend visitors, especially, were afraid they might pose a hazard.

Mr. Nares, a local fisherman, said that the probable reason that they were dead is because the sea water had too much freshwater content. The sea creatures were unlikely to be able adjust to the new water conditions and consequently died.

Generally, the sea worms are not as dangerous as jellyfish, but one should avoid touching them because the thorn-like protuberances s carry poison. If one is in contact with them, one might develop an itchy rash. Those so affected should wash the rash with freshwater immediately and apply some suitable medicated cream to it right away. This phenomenon would only last for a few days, the fishermen maintain. Therefore, tourists should not be too frightened of the creatures, just avoid touching them, Mr. Nares advised.

Photograph Courtesy Of Pattaya Daily News

[britmaveric]

Nasty looking buggers - I can see why people don't want to swim or visit the beach with these lying around.

[crudy21]

Nasty looking buggers indeed, suprised they aren't on someones dinner plate though!

[kurgen]

Sod the worms, look at the amount of litter in that picture

The beaches in this whole area are disgusting

[Cuban]

Apart from them looking like the assassin bug things in one of the Star Wars movies - has there been such a dramatic increase in rainfall recently to justify the claim that seawater is locally diluted with freshwater, if so why are no other sea animals affected? Or did they commit sucide? Pollution?

[libya 115]

Nasty looking buggers - I can see why people don't want to swim or visit the beach with these lying around.

Nasty looking indeed; they look very similar to the worms that were released into Wales in 1973........see link below....

Link to giant maggots in Wales

[cobra]

If only we could engineer them to eat litter, maybe they could clean the beach up,

[nonthaburial]

obviously not many Honkies visiting, if there were that lot would be in the soup bubbling away by now !!!!

[Humphrey Bear]

Nasty looking buggers indeed, suprised they aren't on someones dinner plate though!

They used to be quite a delicacy around Sri Racha, but unfortunately the wife couldn't get the hang of cutting of the spines first - so now there's a new wife.