Koh Pha Ngan authorities issue box jellyfish warning

[webfact]

SURAT THANI
Pha Ngan authorities issue box jellyfish warning

Box Jelly fish damage. File photo.

BANGKOK: -- Koh Pha Ngan authorities have warned people to beware of box jellyfish after a French boy died on Saturday after being stung while swimming at a beach of this resort island off Surat Thani province.

The five-year-old French boy, who was on vacation with his parents. was rushed to Koh Pa Ngan Hospital but succumbed to the venom.

Phuketwan online reported that PhaNgan acting district chief Kasitdet Thongchu on Monday asked local administrative authorities and beachside hotels to post signs warning of poisonous jellyfish and prepare first aid measures in case of stings.

Dr Yongyos Thammawut of the provincial public health office in Surat Thani said the boy went into shock from stings from the poisonous tentacles of a box jellyfish while with his parents on Khuad beach on Saturday. He died as his parents and a guide were taking him to Pha Ngan hospital for treatment, he added.

The online news site said the boy became entangled in the box jellyfish's tentacles, which were 20 cm long.. Fully grown box jellyfish, some of the mostpoisonous animals on earth, can reach three metres.

They can be found seasonally off the beaches of Ko Lanta and Haad Nopparatthara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Marine Park of Krabi province, Nam Bor bay in Phuket province, Chaam beach in Phetchaburi province, and some beaches on Tao, Samui and PhaNgan islands.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Pha-Ngan-authorities-issue-box-jellyfish-warning-30241795.html


-- The Nation 2014-08-26

[webfact]

French boy's death prompts Thai warning on box jellyfish

BANGKOK, August 26, 2014 (AFP) - Authorities on Tuesday urged visitors to the popular Thai resort island of Koh Phangan to take care when swimming after a five-year-old French boy died from a sting by the world's most toxic jellyfish.

The boy, who was holidaying with his family, died on Saturday evening after he was stung by a box jellyfish -- regarded as one of the deadliest creatures on earth.

While stings from the species are rare, they are potentially fatal, prompting police on Koh Phangan to urge hotels and local authorities to warn tourists to be careful in the water.

"Preliminary tests found the boy died of a box jellyfish sting," Police Lieutenant Saengroj Somrotrat told AFP, adding his body was awaiting repatriation to France.

"We have asked them (hotels and resorts) to help warn people and prepare emergency kits if people come into contact with the jellyfish," he said.

Phangan, in the Gulf of Thailand near Koh Samui, is home to the hedonistic full-moon beach party, which draws hordes of mainly young backpackers from across the world.

The box jellyfish has trailing tentacles two to three metres (6.5 to 10 feet) long that can pack a lethal sting for swimmers. It feeds on small fish and crustaceans.

Saengroj said the season for box jellyfish will run until the end of October.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-08-26

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Maybe a regular inspection of the popular swimming beaches for Box Jellyfish would be wise, sadly here the warnings always comes after someone is died. At least they don't try to deny it as they did a couple of years ago both in Malaysia and in Thailand when tourists died from Box Jellyfish.

[Barney R]

Not only those beaches I have seen them when diving of the islands around Koh Mak , Koh Chang and Koh Kood so be careful . I guess they are around the entire gulf region .

[masuk]

Box jellyfish and and others are a huge seasonal problem in the rivers and oceans of northern Australia.

Popular swimming areas are netted to prevent jelly fish entering. Seawater pools in Darwin are triple filtered.

Surfers wear full lycra suits for protection.

First aid treatment for years had been the application of vinegar, but this has recently been found to increase the release of venom, and hot water is recommended. There is currently controversy as to what the best treatment is.

http://www.marine-medic.com.au/pages/firstaid/first_aid_treatment_of_jellyfish_stings.asp

Seems like warning signs are going to have to go up to prevent further deaths, and authorities may need to talk to the experts about netting off popular beach areas.

[Briggsy]

Sounds like the family may have been on an organised day out on a boat including snorkelling. I say this because of the presence of a guide. These day trips are very popular on Koh Phangan.

[SOTIRIOS]

...are these the same jellyfish that someone decided were 'a wonder to observe up close'.....???

[Maggusoil]

I guess we now know why Thais swim in their clothes. Of course they don't tell you that . . .

Seriously. That's a serious problem. They should sign any afflicted beach. Terrible way to die. and swim in your clothes.

[xen]

Quite a few years ago i was told that there are box jellyfish in the waters around Ban Phe and Koh Samet . Apparently container ships take water containing the box jellyfish on board as ballast water and drop them as they are coming into the Gulf / Port, or leaving the Gulf , i am not to sure on this point. Apparently it is of some concern to marine biologists how marine life can be spread by this method .

[Deli]

It's nature but also a consequence of over fishing.

[Tham1]

Not only those beaches I have seen them when diving of the islands around Koh Mak , Koh Chang and Koh Kood so be careful . I guess they are around the entire gulf region .

I have also dived Rayong pinnacles and seen them there. very sad for the child.

[phetphet]

I remember diving somewhere near Koh Phi Phi pre-tsunami with an Australian dive master, just the two of us. We came across a small jellyfish and she told me afterwards that it was an Irukanji, a relative of the box jellyfish, and quite dangerous.

[Sena Dave]

Terrible , very painful for a little kid to go through.

You get a fair few in the strait of Penang

[mojorison]

I guess we now know why Thais swim in their clothes. Of course they don't tell you that . . .

Seriously. That's a serious problem. They should sign any afflicted beach. Terrible way to die. and swim in your clothes.

No that's not correct. They don't want brown skin. In my 25 years on KPG there have been 3 deaths. 2 in 2002 at Haadrin and this poor kid. So the likelihood has always been rare, and unusual to the locals, even the ancient ones. However, climate change or other anomalies may cause the likelihood to increase, I can't say.

The responsibility for awareness lies squarely with the amphur.

[maximillian]

I feel with the boy's family.

To lose a child is the most terrifying thing for parents.

Please take my sincerest condolence

[wandasloan]

However, climate change or other anomalies may cause the likelihood to increase, I can't say.

Apparently container ships take water containing the box jellyfish on board as ballast water and drop them as they are coming into the Gulf / Port, or leaving the Gulf , i am not to sure on this point.

Another session of the Official Thai Visa Scientific Committee is hard at work.

.

[Mudcrab]

Box jellyfish and and others are a huge seasonal problem in the rivers and oceans of northern Australia.

Popular swimming areas are netted to prevent jelly fish entering. Seawater pools in Darwin are triple filtered.

Surfers wear full lycra suits for protection.

First aid treatment for years had been the application of vinegar, but this has recently been found to increase the release of venom, and hot water is recommended. There is currently controversy as to what the best treatment is.

You are 100% correct do not use vinegar . Wam to hot water is the best thing to use . Lucky they don't get the iragangi( not sure of the spelling ) here they are even more deadly than the box jellyfish and virtually invisible to the naked eye .

http://www.marine-medic.com.au/pages/firstaid/first_aid_treatment_of_jellyfish_stings.asp

Seems like warning signs are going to have to go up to prevent further deaths, and authorities may need to talk to the experts about netting off popular beach areas.

150px-Marinesting1.jpg250px-JellyfishNetAustralia.JPGMedicinal_Vinegar.jpgThe-leg-of-10-year-old-Au-006.jpg

It's IRUKUNJI or close to that, and is aboriginal for 'painful death'.

Its Irukanji. Named after the local aboriginal tribe around Cairns NQ where the so called Irukanji syndrome was first observed.

My daughter was 9 when she was stung, thankfully she was OK but it was a very distressing time for all concerned.

The only mark on her body was a comma shaped welt on her chest just above the top of her swimmers maybe 3 or 4mm long. The hospital nurse knew what is was immediately thank God.

I took us about 10 minutes from the time she was stung until we arrived at the hospital. During that time she lost feeling in her legs and her stomach area became very swollen.

They poured vinegar over the sting area and then started pumping pethidine into her. Her body temperature dropped rapidly (maybe blood pressure as well, I really don't know) so they wrapped in the aluminium space blankets.

After a couple of hours she was OK and went home.

[Mudcrab]

Box jellyfish and and others are a huge seasonal problem in the rivers and oceans of northern Australia.

Popular swimming areas are netted to prevent jelly fish entering. Seawater pools in Darwin are triple filtered.

Surfers wear full lycra suits for protection.

First aid treatment for years had been the application of vinegar, but this has recently been found to increase the release of venom, and hot water is recommended. There is currently controversy as to what the best treatment is.

You are 100% correct do not use vinegar . Wam to hot water is the best thing to use . Lucky they don't get the iragangi( not sure of the spelling ) here they are even more deadly than the box jellyfish and virtually invisible to the naked eye .

http://www.marine-medic.com.au/pages/firstaid/first_aid_treatment_of_jellyfish_stings.asp

Seems like warning signs are going to have to go up to prevent further deaths, and authorities may need to talk to the experts about netting off popular beach areas.

150px-Marinesting1.jpg250px-JellyfishNetAustralia.JPGMedicinal_Vinegar.jpgThe-leg-of-10-year-old-Au-006.jpg

It's IRUKUNJI or close to that, and is aboriginal for 'painful death'.

Its Irukanji. Named after the local aboriginal tribe around Cairns NQ where the so called Irukanji syndrome was first observed.

My daughter was 9 when she was stung, thankfully she was OK but it was a very distressing time for all concerned.

The only mark on her body was a comma shaped welt on her chest just above the top of her swimmers maybe 3 or 4mm long. The hospital nurse knew what is was immediately thank God.

I took us about 10 minutes from the time she was stung until we arrived at the hospital. During that time she lost feeling in her legs and her stomach area became very swollen.

They poured vinegar over the sting area and then started pumping pethidine into her. Her body temperature dropped rapidly (maybe blood pressure as well, I really don't know) so they wrapped in the aluminium space blankets.

After a couple of hours she was OK and went home.

I should add this was at a beach where lifeguards had dragged for box jellies and had not found any. The Irukanji is a very, very small animal and practically impossible to see in the water.

I copped a very small sting from a box jelly on the ankle once - hurt like hell regardless of vinegar. I had seen the jelly in the water while launching a boat (swimming away from where I was standing) and I guess he had seen me as he swam around back to me. Apparently they do have some form of "vision". Possibly they can sense light and dark.

I really feel for the parents of this young boy - he would have been in absolute agony.

CPR properly applied may have saved his life or at least supported life until medical help could be found. But I doubt many tourist would have a clue what they are dealing with in a situation such as this.

[max72]

There are MILLIONS of Khra Puk in Cha Am, allover, you can't go inside the sea anymore. They are even stranded on the beach. What an invasion. This is also very bad for Thailand, more than the political turmoils, because people come to Thailand mostly to enjoy the beach, right ?

If you have to stay in your hotel 's swimming pool, that wouldn t be a nice holiday.

[sirocco]

great, great sadness for lost this very smallwhich was to be happy with his family and laugh like all children his age.

A thought for his entourage.Terrible losing his child or his little brother.

[nakhonandy]

Diving in the gulf, mainly off Pattaya and Samaesan they are quite common.

They are also difficult to see sometimes

Vinegar works as does hot water, used both on dive boats.

But it sounds like this poor kid was very badly stung if he died before getting to the hospital

Terrible for the parents

[Jasun]

Too many people dying from Box and Irukanji stings, there have been quite a few in recent years from Thailand down to Malaysia, yet nothing really being done about it. An awareness campaign would be in order, but it would hit tourism. No-one goes in the water in Far North Queensland at any time during summer, despite there only been one death in the last 10 years.

[shaurene]

Ye, the Australian thing is great. I was in North Queensland and on the beaches they had boxs with white vinegar in to put on stings. Very wise to treat someone at the time.

[SupermarineS6B]

Very sad, hopefully action will be taken to avert another fatality......... terrible for the parents......

[CTO]

Maybe a regular inspection of the popular swimming beaches for Box Jellyfish would be wise, sadly here the warnings always comes after someone is died. At least they don't try to deny it as they did a couple of years ago both in Malaysia and in Thailand when tourists died from Box Jellyfish.

Sorry but the cynic in me suggests any signs will disappear in a year or two, wouldn't want to scare the tourists now would we!

[mok199]

get yey guns boys we be shootin us some ...some ...some...jelly fish........cant you realize,nature was here long before us,yet we survive...kill the sharks,kill the gators,kill the jellyfish....and kill all the beach dogs, because unsupervised kids may get bit....soon you will have the beaches to your selves...''CRICKETS''............are you happy now..........

[max72]

I was stung by a Krapook in Cha Am last year, but i had only a rush , nothing more.

Locals say it depends on the season, in the rainy season they are more dangerous,because they have more venom, but I don't know if this true or not or maybe it depends on the type of jellyfish.

This is becoming a plague. Few years ago indeed a scandinavian people died in Cha Am for this.

Over the past few years i have seen more and more krapook, last time I have been there there are millions allover. Aftre being stung (without consequences) i had to swim just in the swimming pool of my hotel.

[Sparkles]

Box jellyfish and and others are a huge seasonal problem in the rivers and oceans of northern Australia.

Popular swimming areas are netted to prevent jelly fish entering. Seawater pools in Darwin are triple filtered.

Surfers wear full lycra suits for protection.

First aid treatment for years had been the application of vinegar, but this has recently been found to increase the release of venom, and hot water is recommended. There is currently controversy as to what the best treatment is.

http://www.marine-medic.com.au/pages/firstaid/first_aid_treatment_of_jellyfish_stings.asp

Seems like warning signs are going to have to go up to prevent further deaths, and authorities may need to talk to the experts about netting off popular beach areas.

150px-Marinesting1.jpg250px-JellyfishNetAustralia.JPGMedicinal_Vinegar.jpgThe-leg-of-10-year-old-Au-006.jpg

Growing up in Australia you would always, at certain times of the year encounter what we knew, as bluebottles.One old myth to relieve the sting was to rub wet sand into the affected area. I well remember rushing my 10 years old to a local hospital as he was having trouble breathing after being stung.They are no joke but the average Thai would probably not have a clue that jellyfish, of any variety, were dangerous except those who lived on the coast . Apart from signs and education not a lot more you can do.

[Gandtee]

Years ago, my Thai nephew was stung by a jelly fish off a Rayong beach. What king of jelly fish I don't know. I applied vinegar which didn't seem to help much then a local fisherman said to gather some Beach Morning Glory, the purple flowered plant you see growing on many beaches. Crush the plant and apply the juice to the stings. It worked but fifteen years later he still bears the brown scars.

[Sarana]

I was stung by bees in Koh Samui who swarmed on my window after the gardener robbed their hive of honey.

I was sick for two weeks after sting on the chin and my whole face swelled up and could not walk about. Still have probls with one foot maybe from an allergic reaction to bee venom.

So glad to have left in box jelly fish season and two murders since leaving.