Deadly Box Jellyfish Found In Thai Waters

[Scott]

Jopha: Good post--I thought the original remark sounded like they were blaming those damned 'foreigners' again, but I guess if the indigenous species are 'primitive', I don't feel nearly so bad!

[tw25rw]

Perhaps another sign of the globe warming up???

There is evidence to the contrary. NOAA has placed 3000 buoys (Argos) throughout the worlds oceans, and their findings refute any warming in the worlds oceans.

www.ibdeditorials/IBDArticles.aspx?id=291423153272209

www.powerlineblog.comarchives/2008/05/020479.php

If you can't understand its all a scam, mores the pity on you.

Can you please find that on the NOAA page, http://www.noaa.gov/ , as I can't see it, only reports to the contrary.

And if you are going to post links to crank websites, at least get the urls right.

[jayjayjayjay]

Jellyfish doesn't attack, it's simple contact!

by this PBS documentary on them, they actually do seem to pursue prey with their primitive "eyes". This and other unique characteristics about the box jellyfish, such as propelling themselves rapidly and purposefully and not simply drifting about with the tides like other jellyfish, is available here:....edit...

Right the first time. Copious amounts of vinegar...the acetic acid helps to neutralize stinging cells (nematocysts).

Also, from the linked OP:

Vinegar is the best solution to reduce the pain from a jellyfish sting before the victim is sent to hospital, he said. Water should not be used as it only increases the pain.

Resorts and hotels should have vinegar in their emergency kits, he suggested.

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

Hopefully the many resorts of Trat province, like Koh Chang, where this occurred, will start doing so.

Thanks for the run up - never ever knew that they even "approach a target"!

Yes and the good old Vinegar does wonders, with ordinary Jelly fish "stings", good to know that it's a first aid in this case as well!

From experience many people tend to freak out and panic first, some run around on the beach as if they have lost their minds - remember stay cool and collected, DO NOT PANIC and do what needs to be done - get Vinegar, or on most beaches this creepy-crawly plant "Pak bung talay" is growing, has violet white flowers and more or less heart shaped leaves.... the Juice will help as wel - DON"T RUB it into the sting it will make it WORSE!

does anyone know if lemon helps or coke? You need something sour, vinegar is good but maybe lemon can do the same or coke?

Cocaine will help you die in a less conscious state!

Anyone for "stinger suits", anti jellyfish swimming suits, I make thousands of them for the Australian market every year!

[geriatrickid]

I still think toybits comment on currents is plausible. Last month they had the juvenile penguins washing up in Brazil where they were not supposed to be because they were following a cold water current that had shifted.

Another possibility is it getting displaced by a cyclone.

[samuibeachcomber]

What to do in case, First Aid anybody?

Vinegar?

Hot water?

Juice of "Pak Bung Talay"?

Urin?

Pour on the vinegar then scrape the area with the side of a credit card to remove as much of the tentacles and nematocysts as possible. DO NOT WASH WITH WATER as water will trigger more of the stinging cells to fire! Keep pouring on vinegar every few minutes. If on a boat with no vinegar available, use urine. Treat for shock. There will be a LOT of pain. In the case of a severe contact, get the victim to the nearest medical facility.

rubbing an onion on can help too.

[percy2]

I'm not so sure about never seen before in Thailand.

I've got photo's of one I took off the Coast of Ban Phe (just down the road from Pattaya) about 5 years ago.

I also know one of the Dive shop operators in Pattaya got a nasty sting across the face , chest and arms from one in Samesan (even closer to Pattaya) around the same time.

Nowadays if I swim in the sea I wear a wet suit.

Cheers

[kmart]

Once saw a natural history prog about these creatures. The sting of a box jellyfish is reported to be unspeakably painful, and can send a person into shock. source.

A bit of digging around on the web shows that the stingers are more prevalent in Thai waters than I had believed before this.

People surviving the stings of these creatures complain that local hospitals at the beach resorts do not carry anti-venom, also.

[goonerthegooner]

Ever thought why there is now an ever increase of Jellyfish,around our shores now,it's because the Turtle's population has all but gone,through capture etc,and a nice jellyfish was their staple diet.

These Jellyfish multiply at a alarming rate,beware there will be more on the horizon believe me.

[animatic]

Perhaps another sign of the globe warming up???

There is evidence to the contrary. NOAA has placed 3000 buoys (Argos) throughout the worlds oceans, and their findings refute any warming in the worlds oceans.

www.ibdeditorials/IBDArticles.aspx?id=291423153272209

www.powerlineblog.comarchives/2008/05/020479.php

If you can't understand its all a scam, mores the pity on you.

Can you please find that on the NOAA page, http://www.noaa.gov/ , as I can't see it, only reports to the contrary.

And if you are going to post links to crank websites, at least get the urls right.

Ditto.

The noaa.gov site says exactly the inverse.

And about the penguins off normal paths,

changes in water patterns can also send cold water to places it normally isn't,

because it was displaced by a much larger warmer mass via convection swirling.

[Payboy]

Box jellyfish - Wikipedia. Quite an interesting read, I didn't know there were actually a fairly large number of species, and some of them definitely occur in Asia.

must confess i've encountered some deadly box starfish during my time here......

[GungaDin]

Kmart's link.

[h90]

I still think toybits comment on currents is plausible. Last month they had the juvenile penguins washing up in Brazil where they were not supposed to be because they were following a cold water current that had shifted.

Another possibility is it getting displaced by a cyclone.

No these penguins wanted to make holidays in warm weather, but didn't got the proper visa so they got deported back.

[stiggy]

I Got stung buy one of these ba***tards last year in Thailand.

Four days in intensive care followed by 3 mths recovery ..

They are here and are not fun in the slightest, still I was extremely unlucky to have been stung having spent thousands of hours here in the water around Thailand.

[h90]

I Got stung buy one of these ba***tards last year in Thailand.

Four days in intensive care followed by 3 mths recovery ..

They are here and are not fun in the slightest, still I was extremely unlucky to have been stung having spent thousands of hours here in the water around Thailand.

That does not sound nice. Can you write some more details? How big area on your skin, how did it feel, what was the treatment??

[stiggy]

It stung my arm .. a small area approx 3 cms of tentacle made contact thats all.

stung then burnt to start localized then the sensation spread up my arm to my chest , then the toxin paralyzed my diaphragm and i couldn't breath then i went into arrest. this all happened in a few minutes.

I was given rescue breaths with pure oxygen (luckily the boat had it on board and the staff where trained) then the pain really kicked in. Approx 5 hrs later i got to hospital.

Two days later my kidneys went into shock and failed then the next few months I was relapsing. Nearly a year later and I still get numb patches from nerve damage.

Still I beat the bugger and look at it like lightning it shouldn't strike twice.........

[SamuiJens]

Perhaps another sign of the globe warming up???

There is evidence to the contrary. NOAA has placed 3000 buoys (Argos) throughout the worlds oceans, and their findings refute any warming in the worlds oceans.

www.ibdeditorials/IBDArticles.aspx?id=291423153272209

www.powerlineblog.comarchives/2008/05/020479.php

If you can't understand its all a scam, mores the pity on you.

NO SCAM, Sam, but you're just don't want to face it. Why the hel_l is the polar ice melting at a rate that will make it iceless in the summers?

[Old Croc]

To the poster who suggested rubbing the sting with an onion - do not ever rub the area with anything. This will spread the tentacles around with the effect of increasing the venomated area.

As stated, pour on vinegar, carefully remove the stingers and use heat (as hot as you can stand) to alleviate the pain. Prepare to rescusitate, get to hospital.

[raro]

At least if they turned up in Pattaya, they might keep people out of the dirty water, assuming of course the things themselves survived.

Since Urine is considered as a cure for jelly fish stings, can we consider Pattaya waters relatively safe?

[sriracha john]

At least if they turned up in Pattaya, they might keep people out of the dirty water, assuming of course the things themselves survived.

Since Urine is considered as a cure for jelly fish stings, can we consider Pattaya waters relatively safe?

If the abundant urine doesn't stop them, the feces will surely slow them down, and the used condoms will absolutely impede their flow into the bay...

[klikster]

just in time for the coming High Season...

from a guidebook where box jellyfish do occur... the worst time for them, seasonally, are...

"The months of November to May"

thoes this period apply to thailand specifically?

thats the summer months in the southern hemisphere - reverse it for thailand as it is in the northern hemisphere

irrakanji jellyfish scare me more than a box jellyfish

Those tiny deadly critters are dam_n near invisable .. plus they are swimmers and not drifters.

Box jellyfish have been here a long time. A very good (age 60+) Thai friend has severe scarring on his arms from when he "encountered" a box jellyfish off Cha am when he was a teenager.

[klikster]

Perhaps another sign of the globe warming up???

There is evidence to the contrary. NOAA has placed 3000 buoys (Argos) throughout the worlds oceans, and their findings refute any warming in the worlds oceans.

www.ibdeditorials/IBDArticles.aspx?id=291423153272209

www.powerlineblog.comarchives/2008/05/020479.php

If you can't understand its all a scam, mores the pity on you.

NO SCAM, Sam, but you're just don't want to face it. Why the hel_l is the polar ice melting at a rate that will make it iceless in the summers?

I heard recently that, for the first time on record, the Arctic is/was an island this year.

"An Inconvenient Truth" comes to mind.

[SamuiJens]

Perhaps another sign of the globe warming up???

There is evidence to the contrary. NOAA has placed 3000 buoys (Argos) throughout the worlds oceans, and their findings refute any warming in the worlds oceans.

www.ibdeditorials/IBDArticles.aspx?id=291423153272209

www.powerlineblog.comarchives/2008/05/020479.php

If you can't understand its all a scam, mores the pity on you.

NO SCAM, Sam, but you're just don't want to face it. Why the hel_l is the polar ice melting at a rate that will make it iceless in the summers?

I heard recently that, for the first time on record, the Arctic is/was an island this year.

"An Inconvenient Truth" comes to mind.

Yes, it is and inconvenient truth, isn't it?!

Edited October 19, 2008 by SamuiJens

[BigBikeBKK]

Sorry to say, but Box Jellies have been in Thailand for many years, but IMHO the authorities have chosen to keep quiet about them rather than alarm (scare off) the tourists.

I was hit off the coast of Rayong about a year ago and have the lovely scar to show for it and my neghbor's daughter got stung quite badly, survived, and has some very bad scars to show for it.

We need to spread the word for hotels and resorts to keep a jug of vinegar and there also needs to be more education for health providers on Jellyfish First Aid as most Thai doctors have never had to treat such injuries.

The Box Jellyfish will only become more common as their natural predators are nearly extinct and as the Gulf of Thailand warms. Wearing a sting suit when jellies have been spotted is not a bad idea. (Perhaps this is why most Thais swim fully clothed?)

[GungaDin]

What is the Thai word for vinegar & how do you say it, phoeneticaly? (sp)

[raro]

What is the Thai word for vinegar & how do you say it, phoeneticaly? (sp)

Nam Som Sai Shoe - according to Mrs. raro

[Moonrakers]

What is the Thai word for vinegar & how do you say it, phoeneticaly? (sp)

Nam Som Sai Shoe - according to Mrs. raro

Something like that.

When in a restaurant it sounds to me as though my misses asks for orange juice "Nam som", yet gets vinegar when she wants it.

I try to ask for vinegar for my chips and get Orange Juice every time.

[tw25rw]

I Got stung buy one of these ba***tards last year in Thailand.

Four days in intensive care followed by 3 mths recovery ..

They are here and are not fun in the slightest, still I was extremely unlucky to have been stung having spent thousands of hours here in the water around Thailand.

What time of year was that? They should be relatively scarce in dry season.

[Soutpeel]

What time of year was that? They should be relatively scarce in dry season.

And why would that be ??....didnt realise the mean sea level of the gulf of Thailand reduced in the dry season... .

Working offshore in the GOT you see plenty of jelly fish around the platforms and vessels are they all box jelly fish, most likely not, but are there box jelly fish in significant numbers certainly

Keep vinegar on hand or keep ya bladder full, ready to p*ss at a moments notice....

[tw25rw]

What time of year was that? They should be relatively scarce in dry season.

And why would that be ??....didnt realise the mean sea level of the gulf of Thailand reduced in the dry season... .

Working offshore in the GOT you see plenty of jelly fish around the platforms and vessels are they all box jelly fish, most likely not, but are there box jelly fish in significant numbers certainly

Keep vinegar on hand or keep ya bladder full, ready to p*ss at a moments notice....

They breed in estuaries and mangrove swamps. You don't usually see them in deep water (in fact you don't usually see them at all), as they tend to hunt in the shallows where the bottom is sandy.

[tw25rw]

http://www.oceanfootage.com/oceans/search/...equence=1348582