Box Jellyfish

[Crushdepth]

You see the odd denial by the tourism industry, but yesterday I saw a fairly impressive box jellyfish while diving the Khram wreck at Pattaya, maybe 80cm long. We'd just started going down the rope when it drifted past, about 5m depth. Absolutely no doubt about it.

I don't think it was the same as the lethal Australian one, (at least the tentacles where yellow rather than transparent). But it did not look like something you would be happy to blunder into, and I'll be buying a stinger suit on my next trip.

Anyone know how common these are in the Pattaya area?

[krading]

They're not the only creatures that will sting you in Pattaya.

[ScubaBuddha]

Pretty rare in Thailand, but they are seen time to time. There has been a few deaths attributed to them, but I find that dubious as anyone with an allergy to less poisonous and much more common jellies can die from a sting. Unless a specimen is caught, photographed, or an expert is able to analyze the nymatocysts, it is hard to tell what kind of jelly it was. Many experts believe a lot of deaths are incorrectly attributed to box jellies because of this.

So far there have been about 2000 different species of jellyfish identified, many of those are not poisonous to humans. There have also been about 40 different species of box jellies identified, and again, many of them are not poisonous to humans.

You need some good pictures of it to confirm it's identity, otherwise I would say it's very unlikely you saw a box jelly.

[Crushdepth]

Very definitely a box jelly I'm afraid. The dive shop has posted a photo of one (this is not the individual I saw, but it was identical to this including the yellow tentacles).

[skippybangkok]

Very definitely a box jelly I'm afraid. The dive shop has posted a photo of one (this is not the individual I saw, but it was identical to this including the yellow tentacles).

I am sure i got hit in the face by a loose one. I was so painful, it made me spit out my reg underwater and yell loudly.... had a big scar on my face for 6 weeks - similar to the ones in the pic. ( big dark red thing )

[limbos]

Pretty rare in Thailand, but they are seen time to time. There has been a few deaths attributed to them, but I find that dubious as anyone with an allergy to less poisonous and much more common jellies can die from a sting. Unless a specimen is caught, photographed, or an expert is able to analyze the nymatocysts, it is hard to tell what kind of jelly it was. Many experts believe a lot of deaths are incorrectly attributed to box jellies because of this.

So far there have been about 2000 different species of jellyfish identified, many of those are not poisonous to humans. There have also been about 40 different species of box jellies identified, and again, many of them are not poisonous to humans.

You need some good pictures of it to confirm it's identity, otherwise I would say it's very unlikely you saw a box jelly.

This is in contrast to experts that I talked to in relation to Thailand, where, partky due to inrexperience and partly due to 'let's wipe this under the table' attitude, not all encounters are listed.

There are a few bits and pieces on boc jelltfish on my dive blog.

[h90]

We don't want to scare away tourists, or?

So there is no box jellyfish, no jellyfish at all.

No no there is no nothing dangerous and anyone who makes a photo of it in Pattaya only want to hurt Thailand.....

No there are no scams in Thailand

No no there is no prostitution in Thailand

All the tuk tuks are honest, specially these in Phuket.

there is only clean food at the food stalls, no danger, never

And the Thai politicians and bureaucrats are most honest worldwide.

[limbos]

Hotel managers do not like the presence of box jellyfish and efforts on my part to get 'jelly box' help stations installed on Samui beaches have not been successful.

[h90]

Hotel managers do not like the presence of box jellyfish and efforts on my part to get 'jelly box' help stations installed on Samui beaches have not been successful.

by the way, what is the first thing you can do (beside bringing the victim to a hospital)? vinegar like on normal jellyfish?

[Atmos]

I don't think there are are denials or a conspiracy plan to 'hide' their existence in Thai waters

Well-publicised on Phuket for last three years

and have been reported on this forum http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/218407-box-jellfish-alert-on-phuket-death-in-krabi/

and on this Thai diving site March 2008 http://www.pa-divingidc.com/2008/03/blog-post.html

a google search for "phuket box jellyfish" will give you plenty of results.

[limbos]

Hotel managers do not like the presence of box jellyfish and efforts on my part to get 'jelly box' help stations installed on Samui beaches have not been successful.

by the way, what is the first thing you can do (beside bringing the victim to a hospital)? vinegar like on normal jellyfish?

First line of defense will be a stinger suit or full body suit, other than that, vinegar is essential.

Just be aware that not for every jelly fish sting, vinegar is the answer, for some stings hot water will be the best first remedy.

[limbos]

I don't think there are are denials or a conspiracy plan to 'hide' their existence in Thai waters

Well-publicised on Phuket for last three years

and have been reported on this forum http://www.thaivisa....death-in-krabi/

and on this Thai diving site March 2008 http://www.pa-diving.../blog-post.html

a google search for "phuket box jellyfish" will give you plenty of results.

Hi Genghis,

So far there has not been a conspiracy to hide the fact that there are box jelly fish in Thai waters, but as already stated before, either due to inexperience by hospital staff, there are cases that are either not reported or recognized and sometimes, very unfortunately, denial plays a role as well, which we all know, is a pretty commonly accepted mode of behavior in SEA countries.

Indeed not an outright conspiracy, in fact, certain Thai government departments played very active roles in sending Thai medical staff to Australia for further study.

[Crushdepth]

I have seen the odd denial over the years, but almost always by tourism-associated interests.

[h90]

I have seen the odd denial over the years, but almost always by tourism-associated interests.

I as well read several times official statements that there are no box jellfish in thailand and after accidents that it was the first and only one and that it will never happen again....

Would be good if that has been changed.

[LawrenceAlexWu]

This box jellyfish was also found & captured on my camera in Pattaya box jellyfish. On this trip, our diving friend ahead of us unfortunately discovered it...from his hands...& both his hands welted up looking like marshmallow fingers!

http://www.facebook....06518079&type=1

Box jellies can be more than 200 times more poisonous than the Portuguese-man-of-war found in Australian waters.

Edited June 18, 2011 by LawrenceAlexWu

[Atmos]

^ you may like to read The Australian Box Jellyfish and a wikipedia entry on Box Jellyfish

The Indo-Pacific or Australian box jellyfish (Chironex Fleckeri) is claimed to be the most venomous marine animal known to mankind and its sting is often fatal.

This extremely poisonous marine stinger frequents Australia's northern oceans all year round.

[Crushdepth]

This box jellyfish was also found & captured on my camera in Pattaya box jellyfish. On this trip, our diving friend ahead of us unfortunately discovered it...from his hands...& both his hands welted up looking like marshmallow fingers!

http://www.facebook....06518079&type=1

I'm pretty sure that's the exact same one I saw at Pattaya - yellow tentacles. Good photo. Where did you see it exactly?

Edited June 18, 2011 by Crushdepth

[soihok]

My daughter had a tangle with a jellyfish close to the beach in Jomtien.

These were big white round ones, with 4 purple cirles on the top of its body.

She still has the scars now, 5 years later, across her hand. Glad she didn't get it in the face.

Its true to say she is scarred for life.

Saying this, the water in Jomtien is far more likely to do you harm ( jet ski's, glass and pollution ) than marine life.

Edited June 19, 2011 by soihok

[limbos]

I was able to get shots of the same box jelly, a Morbakka around Pattaya waters in March 2010

Morbakka 1 and Morbakka picture 2 during this trip

There's plenty of photographic evidence all around Thailand of box jelly being present, let alone actual incidents that happened, unfortunately also including some fatal ones.

Edited June 19, 2011 by limbos

[Crushdepth]

Amazing that it can kill fish that efficiently. Glad I didn't get stung!

[Mrjlh]

Hotel managers do not like the presence of box jellyfish and efforts on my part to get 'jelly box' help stations installed on Samui beaches have not been successful.

by the way, what is the first thing you can do (beside bringing the victim to a hospital)? vinegar like on normal jellyfish?

If in fact it's the Australian variety, this article covers it. But it also applies general terms in all jelly fish stings.

http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/box-jellyfish.html#box-jellyfish-first-aid

Also, encourage people to release more turtles into the sea. They eat Jelly Fish!

[limbos]

Very good observation and statement mrjih, about releasing more turtles!

[Crushdepth]

Hotel managers do not like the presence of box jellyfish and efforts on my part to get 'jelly box' help stations installed on Samui beaches have not been successful.

by the way, what is the first thing you can do (beside bringing the victim to a hospital)? vinegar like on normal jellyfish?

If in fact it's the Australian variety, this article covers it. But it also applies general terms in all jelly fish stings.

http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/box-jellyfish.html#box-jellyfish-first-aid

Also, encourage people to release more turtles into the sea. They eat Jelly Fish!

I don't think its the same species, at least the Oz one doesn't have yellow tentacles. Also, it tends to be a near-shore animal.

[ScubaBuddha]

The Phuket News is reporting several Blue Bottles (Portoguese Man-O-Wars) found on west coast beaches. I don't recall that ever happening here before.

[Mrjlh]

The Phuket News is reporting several Blue Bottles (Portoguese Man-O-Wars) found on west coast beaches. I don't recall that ever happening here before.

This is quite a significant development. They most likely got here in the "bilge water" from some tanker that was passing by. Sea ports have this problem all over the world.

[ScubaBuddha]

The Phuket News is reporting several Blue Bottles (Portoguese Man-O-Wars) found on west coast beaches. I don't recall that ever happening here before.

PG has the story now:

[Mrjlh]

The Phuket News is reporting several Blue Bottles (Portoguese Man-O-Wars) found on west coast beaches. I don't recall that ever happening here before.

PG has the story now:

TV posted it.

[ScubaBuddha]

The Phuket News is reporting several Blue Bottles (Portoguese Man-O-Wars) found on west coast beaches. I don't recall that ever happening here before.

This is quite a significant development. They most likely got here in the "bilge water" from some tanker that was passing by. Sea ports have this problem all over the world.

That is something I had not considered. I am a bit surprised we don't see them more as they are circumtropical. Their distribution includes the Indian Ocean.

[manarak]

I positively hate jellyfish in general and the poisonous ones particularly.

It is close to a phobia.

Are they good for something?

Are there ways to get rid of them, apart turtles?

Edited June 20, 2011 by manarak

[Mrjlh]

I positively hate jellyfish in general and the poisonous ones particularly.

It is close to a phobia.

Are they good for something?

Are there ways to get rid of them, apart turtles?

Nope! Very few natural enemies.