Polluted Water, Jomtien Beach?

[prestburypark]

Had an afternoon on Jomtien, quite far down the beach and noted the dirtier than usual water. Now the Mrs does not swim, and I dont enter the water there ever, but she was paddling and splashing on the edge of the sea for an hour or so.

Tonight she started itching, and a rash appeared under arms, and spread over back, belly and arms, some of it was blisters , some rash.

Severe discomfort, and spreading quickly.

I thought food poisoning, but she was not nauseous, perhaps a food allergy? Took her to Pattaya Memorial, where she was admitted and put on a drip.

The doctor seems to think it is from the beach, has anyone else suffered a similar reaction to the water, or is my instinct of a food allergy the most likely cause?

She didnt eat anything unusual for her, Som Tum (possibly crab, at the beach, my main suspect). Any thoughts or similar experiences recently,

thanks, PP

[tropo]

Does he wife usually eat seafood? It does sound like a allergic reaction rather than something from the water.

My gf did get food poisoning from eating some barbeque prawns along the beach in Jomtien, but food poisoning is quite different from the massive reaction your wife is experiencing.

[Jingthing]

Did she experience any breathing difficulties? In that case, it was probably an allergy. That does sound mysterious, never heard of such a severe reaction to swimming here. Yes, people get rashes but that is extreme.

[Dwitch]

Had an afternoon on Jomtien, quite far down the beach and noted the dirtier than usual water. Now the Mrs does not swim, and I dont enter the water there ever, but she was paddling and splashing on the edge of the sea for an hour or so.

Tonight she started itching, and a rash appeared under arms, and spread over back, belly and arms, some of it was blisters , some rash.

Severe discomfort, and spreading quickly.

I thought food poisoning, but she was not nauseous, perhaps a food allergy? Took her to Pattaya Memorial, where she was admitted and put on a drip.

The doctor seems to think it is from the beach, has anyone else suffered a similar reaction to the water, or is my instinct of a food allergy the most likely cause?

She didnt eat anything unusual for her, Som Tum (possibly crab, at the beach, my main suspect). Any thoughts or similar experiences recently,

thanks, PP

I have seen it happen to many people bathing in the sea, they come out itching ,and scratching !!

Most common cause is > jelly fish stings < The sea around Pattaya and Jomtien are full of them .

[prestburypark]

I thought perhaps jelly fish stings, but there was a delayed reaction of several hours, left beach at 5.30pm , minor itching early evening, 7-9pm, growing to the severe rash appearing 11pm-1am whereupon we went to the hospital.

But the blistering sure looked like pictures I have seen of Jellyfish stings, could well be.

[geordiebob]

a year ago l was with two children aged 7 and 12 we were in sea at jomtien l started scratching hard between my legs the boy 12 was doing the same l found out the next day, but what really worried me when we were talking about it the day after was the state of his sisters back it looked like acid had run down her back, we now use pool in condo for their safety, having lived near the sea most of my life condo pool bug me as l over look it and at times is not clean, but it's cleaner than water at jomtien, polluted water jomtien beach

[laban]

I used to swim in Jomtien but stopped about 3 years ago after getting many skin rashes. The polution levels would be an interesting read if anyone had a test kit.

Pattaya City never seem to care about the sea water and the sewage which is discharged in it.

[rambler]

Had an afternoon on Jomtien, quite far down the beach and noted the dirtier than usual water. Now the Mrs does not swim, and I dont enter the water there ever, but she was paddling and splashing on the edge of the sea for an hour or so.

Tonight she started itching, and a rash appeared under arms, and spread over back, belly and arms, some of it was blisters , some rash.

Severe discomfort, and spreading quickly.

I thought food poisoning, but she was not nauseous, perhaps a food allergy? Took her to Pattaya Memorial, where she was admitted and put on a drip.

The doctor seems to think it is from the beach, has anyone else suffered a similar reaction to the water, or is my instinct of a food allergy the most likely cause?

She didnt eat anything unusual for her, Som Tum (possibly crab, at the beach, my main suspect). Any thoughts or similar experiences recently,

thanks, PP

About 2 yrs ago i used to rent a section of the beach in jomtien opposite jomtien beach condominium (soi9-10 area) the same thing happened to my son and a customer of mine at the time svere rash and blister like patches both went to hospital and was put down to the dirty water on another occasion a child visiting the beach had a very bad reaction to the many catapillars that were in the trees and on the sands they are rife down there and many many people have this problem. ref: my son i was given an excellent cream called Genta-Betasone a standard skin cream but worked very well.

[Lost in LOS]

directly behind the police station at jomtien there is a drainage pipe emptying into the water. I would go further down towards najomtien where the water appears better. My dog likes to swim in the ocean and I wont let him swim by the drainage pipe, sad but true.

[Phil Conners]

Our daughter and her friend had a similar bad rash a few years ago after swimming in Jomtien - south end even, near Soi Watboon. We've stayed well clear of the sea in the Bangkok bay since. For swimming we either use a pool or go down beyond Sattaheep or to Rayong.

[neverdie]

Had an afternoon on Jomtien, quite far down the beach and noted the dirtier than usual water. Now the Mrs does not swim, and I dont enter the water there ever, but she was paddling and splashing on the edge of the sea for an hour or so.

Tonight she started itching, and a rash appeared under arms, and spread over back, belly and arms, some of it was blisters , some rash.

Severe discomfort, and spreading quickly.

I thought food poisoning, but she was not nauseous, perhaps a food allergy? Took her to Pattaya Memorial, where she was admitted and put on a drip.

The doctor seems to think it is from the beach, has anyone else suffered a similar reaction to the water, or is my instinct of a food allergy the most likely cause?

She didnt eat anything unusual for her, Som Tum (possibly crab, at the beach, my main suspect). Any thoughts or similar experiences recently,

thanks, PP

I have seen it happen to many people bathing in the sea, they come out itching ,and scratching !!

Most common cause is > jelly fish stings < The sea around Pattaya and Jomtien are full of them .

The jellyfish are the least of your worries down there....I didnt realise that was the beach.....I thought someone moved the beach away 20 years ago and replaced it with sewerworks. So incredibly dirty, so incredibly sad

Sorry OP, don't know whats going on there, but I hope she makes a speedy recovery.

Edited February 1, 2009 by neverdie

[prestburypark]

Well she is back from the hospital where a very good english speaking doctor reckoned it was an allergic reaction to something that she had eaten.

Most likeley, in his opinion, to be a chemical pollutant in one of the normal foodstuffs in Som Tum Crab, rather than the food itself, as she has not reacted to the same diet before. What it was and which ingredient it was in is unknown.

She is fine now, been on a saline drip for 12 hours and a couple of jabs, the rash has all but gone. 5K baht all in at Pattaya Memorial Hospital.

The sea looked really dirty, more than usual yesterday. I never swim in it, as I said she was paddling on the edges, and got wet up to her waist with waves breaking on her as she has her back to the water.

Even if the sea was not to blame this time, a no enter the water ban is now in force here, we are lucky in having a quite nice communal pool a few yards from our house, when we want to swim.

Thanks for your kind wishes, certainly a quicker recovery than I expected last night,

cheers, PP

[samuibeachcomber]

Had an afternoon on Jomtien, quite far down the beach and noted the dirtier than usual water. Now the Mrs does not swim, and I dont enter the water there ever, but she was paddling and splashing on the edge of the sea for an hour or so.

Tonight she started itching, and a rash appeared under arms, and spread over back, belly and arms, some of it was blisters , some rash.

Severe discomfort, and spreading quickly.

I thought food poisoning, but she was not nauseous, perhaps a food allergy? Took her to Pattaya Memorial, where she was admitted and put on a drip.

The doctor seems to think it is from the beach, has anyone else suffered a similar reaction to the water, or is my instinct of a food allergy the most likely cause?

She didnt eat anything unusual for her, Som Tum (possibly crab, at the beach, my main suspect). Any thoughts or similar experiences recently,

thanks, PP

I have seen it happen to many people bathing in the sea, they come out itching ,and scratching !!

Most common cause is > jelly fish stings < The sea around Pattaya and Jomtien are full of them .

The jellyfish are the least of your worries down there....I didnt realise that was the beach.....I thought someone moved the beach away 20 years ago and replaced it with sewerworks. So incredibly dirty, so incredibly sad

Sorry OP, don't know whats going on there, but I hope she makes a speedy recovery.

very sad when you come to paradise and you cant even swim in the ocean!similar in ban rak,samui,lovely beach but no one swims in it for the same reason so they stay in the pool.

[stuck]

I remember the last time I simmered in the water at Jomtien. I remember it distinctly because it was well over a year ago and it was the last time I went in the water.

While simmering in the water I noticed a few sanitary napkins float past.

It was the last time. These scumbags who take care of the ocean and this so called "resort" town purposely pollute the waters for financial gain.

[wmthai]

It is nothing to do with pollution. The sea is still much cleaner then your chips from the sealed pack. It is so called Seabather's eruption based on individual hypersensitivity to the tiny (and so invisible) young jellyfish. Different mechanism and chemicals involved comparing to stinging by an adult jellyfish. Basically it is allergic reaction and it can be confused for allergy to food or whatever.

[Michaelaway]

It is nothing to do with pollution. The sea is still much cleaner then your chips from the sealed pack. It is so called Seabather's eruption based on individual hypersensitivity to the tiny (and so invisible) young jellyfish. Different mechanism and chemicals involved comparing to stinging by an adult jellyfish. Basically it is allergic reaction and it can be confused for allergy to food or whatever.

Thanks a lot... although it's been sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong...

[contemplating]

Was at Jomtien this evening, and the beach looked like a garbage dump! Yes, there were lots of Jellyfish washed up on the beach too, more than I have seen before. I sometimes take a dip to cool off, but I wouldnt recommend it to anyone else. Im sure if your wife was stung by a large jellyfish, she would have noticed it, but I have been stung by very tiny jellyfish that left marks like flea bites, and they seemed to get worse the next day, very itchy. For some reason, the local government doesnt realize that the beach has to be clean, if this is called a "destination" resort. No reason why the beach cant be raked every evening, by a tractor, not by hand like the vendors do, that is only to smooth out the sand.

[jonnyscot]

It is nothing to do with pollution. The sea is still much cleaner then your chips from the sealed pack. It is so called Seabather's eruption based on individual hypersensitivity to the tiny (and so invisible) young jellyfish. Different mechanism and chemicals involved comparing to stinging by an adult jellyfish. Basically it is allergic reaction and it can be confused for allergy to food or whatever.

Thanks a lot... although it's been sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong...

the wife, kids and I often used to go to jomtiem and have a walk along the beach and allow the kids time for a paddle and I agree it could be the small jellyfish also I think the saliva like trail that some jellyfish leave can cause irritation too, therefore you may not see the jellyfish but the saliva like stuff could be floating around in the water, I think the kids have felt more skin irritations recently than before, and I think it seems to be early in the morning or late afternoon that is the worst time, but I do also think there is much more pollutant in the water at Jomtiem now than ever I have noticed before.

[tropiccapricorn]

It is nothing to do with pollution. The sea is still much cleaner then your chips from the sealed pack. It is so called Seabather's eruption based on individual hypersensitivity to the tiny (and so invisible) young jellyfish. Different mechanism and chemicals involved comparing to stinging by an adult jellyfish. Basically it is allergic reaction and it can be confused for allergy to food or whatever.

Thanks a lot... although it's been sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong...

the wife, kids and I often used to go to jomtiem and have a walk along the beach and allow the kids time for a paddle and I agree it could be the small jellyfish also I think the saliva like trail that some jellyfish leave can cause irritation too, therefore you may not see the jellyfish but the saliva like stuff could be floating around in the water, I think the kids have felt more skin irritations recently than before, and I think it seems to be early in the morning or late afternoon that is the worst time, but I do also think there is much more pollutant in the water at Jomtiem now than ever I have noticed before.

When living in Jomtien, it's easy to see how an area of brown slick builds along the beach when all those

seweragepipes spew their brown untreated filth out into the water. This happens on a big stretch in either direction.

Condos were built like mad for years now but it seems no adjustment of infrastructure was ever done.

Actually every developer should be required to contribute per condo, so seweragetreatment would keep

the color of the beachwater like it is 100 m further out.

Seweragetreatment not mercedes would do the trick. I have read in a europen paper about the pollution

of Jomtien beaches. Tourist dissuasion.

[Utterlyuseful]

this is the best answer I have seen here.....it could also be jellyfish particulate(broken off stingers etc) which floats all over the place but which is invisible.....there are several different species out there...be careful!

<br />It is nothing to do with pollution. The sea is still much cleaner then your chips from the sealed pack. It is so called <a href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seabather%27s_eruption' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>Seabather's eruption</a> based on individual hypersensitivity to the tiny (and so invisible) young jellyfish. Different mechanism and chemicals involved comparing to stinging by an adult jellyfish. Basically it is allergic reaction and it can be confused for allergy to food or whatever.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

[PaulDavies]

I cycle to Jontien beach nearly every day, then cool off in the sea etc, there are sometimes jelly fish but in general they are not in the shallow waters..

I have never had a problem in many years....I thnk you more likely had an allergic reaction, but I agree the water could be much cleaner,

good luck!!.

:huh:

Edited September 23, 2010 by PaulDavies

[morphious]

Put on a drip for a rash thats not like the hospital to over do it so they can put the bill up!

[doggie888888]

I think Pattaya ought to be shamed big time into doing something about the beaches. It's a pity that they are in such a terrible state because really, with cleaner beaches this place can be fantastic (no need to be pristine, just free of rubbish, brown muck, plastics, construction rubble, bottles etc etc).

I now take my vistors to Samet or Ko Chang or even around Rayong...anywhere to stay clear of the beaches here.

The only way for dear City Hall to actually do something is for tourists to go elsewhere en masse...I hope this happens because as long as money flows, so will the sewage and rubbish straight into the sea.

Sure I am a guest here and there is not much I can do...but I will surely do my small part in telling others to spedn their $$$ elsewhere. My friends/neigbours are also doing likewise and they will tell others to do same. Go to Samed, Rayong etc but avod the filthy beaches here.

[Lancelot]

directly behind the police station at jomtien there is a drainage pipe emptying into the water. I would go further down towards najomtien where the water appears better. My dog likes to swim in the ocean and I wont let him swim by the drainage pipe, sad but true.

I have never seen the drainage (sewage?) pipes but I've heard that some go further out in to the sea but depending on the currents, the discharge comes back towards the beach.

As other posters have pointed out, it could be a food type reaction. In any case, hope she improves soon.

[Phil Conners]

Look through the thread, there are more examples of it happening; they surely can't all be brushed off as "food type reactions".

We're certainly not taking any more chances with Jomtien/Pattaya. It's either the pool or down Rayong way.

Edited September 28, 2010 by Phil Conners

[contemplating]

I dont know where the jellyfish actually hang out, but if they wash up on the beach, then they evidently went through shallow water to get there. I dont really think it is these big jellyfish that are causing the problem, but small microscopic jellyfish. I was just on Jomtien again this afternoon, and there were some really big jellyfish on the shore line. It was a bit cleaner than usual, but that probably has to do more with the tide, than something being cleaned up. The morning rain probably keep most people off the beach, but it was EMPTY!! I dont really get what the government and news papers print about the great recovery we are having here. Of course it could be that the beaches are so dirty, that the tourist just hang out somewhere else, than go the dirty beach.

Someone said that the water is cleaner than the chips we eat! I dont know where he gets his chips, but I wouldnt eat chips like sea water from Jomtien/Pattaya beach.

[craigt3365]

In our moo baan, and I am pretty sure there are many others like it, the sewage goes into a holding tank of sorts with the runoff going directly to the storm drains. So...I would not recommend swimming after a major rain.

Same was true in Los Angeles. After a big rain, they would post warnings that the water was not safe for swimming.

I don't think I will ever swim in the waters here...not until they start using sewage plants...and industrial companies quit dumping their stuff into the drains...

[LennyW]

No "raw" sewage gets pumped to the sea off Pattaya or Jomtien, many articles about it over the years, yes the grey water goes to sea but that is standard practice in any country, there have been alarmist photos posted before of grey/brown water spewing out of a pipe near the Dusit after a rainstorm but it is water from the drains around town - not raw sewage, it tends to stink a bit because prior to a good flush out after a rainstorm it has been lying stagnant within the pipework.

The OP says his wife suffered blistering and a rash, as other posters have mentioned recently there have been quite a few incidents of jelly fish stings - they tend to get washed near to the shore during these stormy days, sounds more logical - especially the blistering part. Any sewage contact or ingestion would make you sick and give you the skits but not blistering or a rash.

[craigt3365]

I'm not sure I would call my runoff grey water. Both the toilet and the sink go into a tank. When full, which is all the time, the top runs off into the storm drains. Solids are filtered out, but how long until that mix is...well...pretty bad.

My tank is a mix of grey and black water. So if that is happening here, I can only imagine it is also happening elsewhere. Right?

With such lax regulation of laws here, I can only imagine what the industrial companies are dumping into the storm drains. That happened not long ago in the Chao Praya and thousands of fish ended up dying. Source was an industrial plant...but nobody was ever charged, that I am aware of anyway....

[LennyW]

"Gray" water is just a term used for the drain water and yes that includes your run off from your septic tank.

If your septic tank is working properly then the only run off should be water - no solids, all the solids should be broken down by bacterial process to be emptied at a later date - if your tank is working properly then this should be 5 to 10 years!!.

But you are right, how many people dont bother to check if their septic tank is working properly or not, as long as it is going somewhere and not bubbling up in the garden, they dont give a shit, pun intended!