Phuket experts baffled by Aussie tourist mystery fish bite

[northernphil]

Jeez that looks bloody nasty , hope they find the culprit. I hink I remember the Life guard Mr Singsom ,he spilt Sangsom on my Samsung.

[Bulldozer Dawn]

I have just sold the photo to an extreme foot fetish site.

[Taco]

If it was a man's foot I would say that is definitely the bite of a jealous Thai girl. Does the woman have short hair?

[stevenl]

Barracuda was my first thought. Had a very similar bite in Philippines while diving for work.

Do they have surgeonfish in Thailand? That is a very clean cut it seems and a tail slash from a surgeonfish could leave that kind of damage.

No that is a good idea, unlike the shark, barrakuda etc.

Stingray though seems more likely.

Edited September 2, 2015 by stevenl

[2fishin2]

Surgeon fish for sure. Not sting ray. Sting rays thrust the barb into a body. Also, they have poison and she would,have been in excruciating pain. A clean wound like that without any other marks is more than likely a type of surgeon fish....maybe

[JHolmesJr]

Does a bite like that ever heal? Looks like a whole chunk of flesh is gone….how does flesh grow back?

[webfact]

RELATED TOPIC:

Tourism unaffected by shark attack rumour at Karon heach



PHUKET: -- Alleged shark attack at an Australian tourist swimming at Karon beach in Phuket Tuesday remained unclear with local people, life guards, and authorities believed it was likely to be a native aggressive fish that attacked her.

Full story http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/853129-tourism-unaffected-by-shark-attack-rumour-at-karon-beach-in-phuket/

[Old Croc]

My money is still on the Cookie Cutter shark:

[BeefSlapper]

solved it was this one

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/proxy/wTx8p7okBP2or4AJyH7wO0Fg4Oj2isCgB5OLhipzT4sN12F1uxSfONT4nEPpgNENfBCmCKKK4tKF0QtnR8hC4-e9F3fqFzY=w443-h332-nc

Edited September 3, 2015 by BeefSlapper

[Bulldozer Dawn]

Notwithstanding Old Croc's penchant for didacticism, he is wrong.

The cookie cutter shark is not found in Thai waters. Habitat map here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cookiecutter_shark#/media/File:Isistius_brasiliensis_distmap.png

The tourist was not bitten. A piece was scalloped out of her foot when it scraped against some trash.

My guess is the broken remnants of a light bulb from a squid boat:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://previews.123rf.com/images/sirichai2514/sirichai25141505/sirichai2514150500246/40086562-close-up-Squid-fishing-boat-light-bulb-Stock-Photo.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.123rf.com/photo_40086562_close-up-squid-fishing-boat-light-bulb.html&h=866&w=1300&tbnid=OkbvPpCyiF_MlM:&docid=3GLg-_uPfuS48M&ei=iffnVdvILcPtUqmdoKAK&tbm=isch&ved=0CCcQMygGMAZqFQoTCJuxhses2scCFcO2FAodqQ4IpA

Edited September 3, 2015 by Bulldozer Dawn

[2fishin2]

There is no piece missing, its a clean cut. A big cut opens up very large exactly like that.

[NamKangMan]

It was definately the offspring of "The Phuket Cocodile."

http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Crocodile-spooks-Phuket-beach-tourists/22711#ad-image-0

They never did capture all those missing croc's from the big floods.

[NamKangMan]

Notwithstanding Old Croc's penchant for didacticism, he is wrong.

The cookie cutter shark is not found in Thai waters. Habitat map here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cookiecutter_shark#/media/File:Isistius_brasiliensis_distmap.png

The tourist was not bitten. A piece was scalloped out of her foot when it scraped against some trash.

My guess is the broken remnants of a light bulb from a squid boat:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://previews.123rf.com/images/sirichai2514/sirichai25141505/sirichai2514150500246/40086562-close-up-Squid-fishing-boat-light-bulb-Stock-Photo.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.123rf.com/photo_40086562_close-up-squid-fishing-boat-light-bulb.html&h=866&w=1300&tbnid=OkbvPpCyiF_MlM:&docid=3GLg-_uPfuS48M&ei=iffnVdvILcPtUqmdoKAK&tbm=isch&ved=0CCcQMygGMAZqFQoTCJuxhses2scCFcO2FAodqQ4IpA

Plausible, but I think thin glass like that, struck by a foot / leg, may well have left some particles in the skin, which I am sure they would have done an x-ray to clear.

[Bulldozer Dawn]

Notwithstanding Old Croc's penchant for didacticism, he is wrong.

The cookie cutter shark is not found in Thai waters. Habitat map here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cookiecutter_shark#/media/File:Isistius_brasiliensis_distmap.png

The tourist was not bitten. A piece was scalloped out of her foot when it scraped against some trash.

My guess is the broken remnants of a light bulb from a squid boat:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://previews.123rf.com/images/sirichai2514/sirichai25141505/sirichai2514150500246/40086562-close-up-Squid-fishing-boat-light-bulb-Stock-Photo.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.123rf.com/photo_40086562_close-up-squid-fishing-boat-light-bulb.html&h=866&w=1300&tbnid=OkbvPpCyiF_MlM:&docid=3GLg-_uPfuS48M&ei=iffnVdvILcPtUqmdoKAK&tbm=isch&ved=0CCcQMygGMAZqFQoTCJuxhses2scCFcO2FAodqQ4IpA

Plausible, but I think thin glass like that, struck by a foot / leg, may well have left some particles in the skin, which I am sure they would have done an x-ray to clear.

NKM, you post would read better as follows:

.....which I am sure they would have done and x-ray to clear if the tourist had insurance.

[grumpyoldman]

Notwithstanding Old Croc's penchant for didacticism, he is wrong.

The cookie cutter shark is not found in Thai waters. Habitat map here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cookiecutter_shark#/media/File:Isistius_brasiliensis_distmap.png

The tourist was not bitten. A piece was scalloped out of her foot when it scraped against some trash.

My guess is the broken remnants of a light bulb from a squid boat:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://previews.123rf.com/images/sirichai2514/sirichai25141505/sirichai2514150500246/40086562-close-up-Squid-fishing-boat-light-bulb-Stock-Photo.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.123rf.com/photo_40086562_close-up-squid-fishing-boat-light-bulb.html&h=866&w=1300&tbnid=OkbvPpCyiF_MlM:&docid=3GLg-_uPfuS48M&ei=iffnVdvILcPtUqmdoKAK&tbm=isch&ved=0CCcQMygGMAZqFQoTCJuxhses2scCFcO2FAodqQ4IpA

Plausible, but I think thin glass like that, struck by a foot / leg, may well have left some particles in the skin, which I am sure they would have done an x-ray to clear.

NKM, you post would read better as follows:

.....which I am sure they would have done and x-ray to clear if the tourist had insurance.

X-ray a flesh wound? You guys aren't the Gumby brain specialists at Patong Hospital are you?

[luk AJ]

Can be puffer fish..

[Old Croc]

Notwithstanding Old Croc's penchant for didacticism, he is wrong.

The cookie cutter shark is not found in Thai waters. Habitat map here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cookiecutter_shark#/media/File:Isistius_brasiliensis_distmap.png

The tourist was not bitten. A piece was scalloped out of her foot when it scraped against some trash.

My guess is the broken remnants of a light bulb from a squid boat:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://previews.123rf.com/images/sirichai2514/sirichai25141505/sirichai2514150500246/40086562-close-up-Squid-fishing-boat-light-bulb-Stock-Photo.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.123rf.com/photo_40086562_close-up-squid-fishing-boat-light-bulb.html&h=866&w=1300&tbnid=OkbvPpCyiF_MlM:&docid=3GLg-_uPfuS48M&ei=iffnVdvILcPtUqmdoKAK&tbm=isch&ved=0CCcQMygGMAZqFQoTCJuxhses2scCFcO2FAodqQ4IpA

Nothing better to do than read the dictionary up there in your jungle hideaway Ms Dawn?

I'm glad I could instruct and inform you about a denizen of the ocean about which you obviously knew little. Incidentally the CC shark is to be found in tropical waters, and could quite reasonably be found locally. I did check habitat before putting my theory forward.

And thank you for your pictorial aid to explain what a light globe looks like. You take didacticism to a whole new level.

.I have to say your medical knowledge is impressive.

[Old Croc]

There is no piece missing, its a clean cut. A big cut opens up very large exactly like that.

You must have been looking at a different wound picture to me. I can see a large hole inside her foot with a lot of missing tissue. It's been reported that tendons leading to two toes have gone.

[Old Croc]

Can be puffer fish..

Possibly.

As a long time recreational fisherman in Australia's tropical waters I've hooked scores of these big buggers. We call them north-west blowies. I'd describe them as having teeth like a donkey. They have two large cutting teeth top and bottom. Half the time they would bite through our large, toughened hooks with ease, leaving us with just the shank. The others we would cut off at the boat, too dangerous to try to retrieve hooks from that mouth.

However, I don't think they would make a wound that shape.

[2fishin2]

Not a puffer fish. If a person is close they would swim away not attack. Not a squid light. They float onto beaches the ocean floor is not littered with such stuff. Could be coral or reef cut. Its extremely sharp and can do major damage. Cookie cutter shark, ha not in a million years as they dont live in Thailand. Its a clean cut. Tendons were cut, not missing. We will never know

[Bulldozer Dawn]

Notwithstanding Old Croc's penchant for didacticism, he is wrong.

The cookie cutter shark is not found in Thai waters. Habitat map here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cookiecutter_shark#/media/File:Isistius_brasiliensis_distmap.png

The tourist was not bitten. A piece was scalloped out of her foot when it scraped against some trash.

My guess is the broken remnants of a light bulb from a squid boat:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://previews.123rf.com/images/sirichai2514/sirichai25141505/sirichai2514150500246/40086562-close-up-Squid-fishing-boat-light-bulb-Stock-Photo.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.123rf.com/photo_40086562_close-up-squid-fishing-boat-light-bulb.html&h=866&w=1300&tbnid=OkbvPpCyiF_MlM:&docid=3GLg-_uPfuS48M&ei=iffnVdvILcPtUqmdoKAK&tbm=isch&ved=0CCcQMygGMAZqFQoTCJuxhses2scCFcO2FAodqQ4IpA

Nothing better to do than read the dictionary up there in your jungle hideaway Ms Dawn?

I'm glad I could instruct and inform you about a denizen of the ocean about which you obviously knew little. Incidentally the CC shark is to be found in tropical waters, and could quite reasonably be found locally. I did check habitat before putting my theory forward.

And thank you for your pictorial aid to explain what a light globe looks like. You take didacticism to a whole new level.

.I have to say your medical knowledge is impressive.

Oh, my apologies Croc of

I didn't realise you were so informed about the cookie cutter shark.

Why then have you overlooked the fact it lives below ocean depths of 85 metres?

[2fishin2]

Notwithstanding Old Croc's penchant for didacticism, he is wrong.

The cookie cutter shark is not found in Thai waters. Habitat map here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cookiecutter_shark#/media/File:Isistius_brasiliensis_distmap.png

The tourist was not bitten. A piece was scalloped out of her foot when it scraped against some trash.

My guess is the broken remnants of a light bulb from a squid boat:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://previews.123rf.com/images/sirichai2514/sirichai25141505/sirichai2514150500246/40086562-close-up-Squid-fishing-boat-light-bulb-Stock-Photo.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.123rf.com/photo_40086562_close-up-squid-fishing-boat-light-bulb.html&h=866&w=1300&tbnid=OkbvPpCyiF_MlM:&docid=3GLg-_uPfuS48M&ei=iffnVdvILcPtUqmdoKAK&tbm=isch&ved=0CCcQMygGMAZqFQoTCJuxhses2scCFcO2FAodqQ4IpA

Nothing better to do than read the dictionary up there in your jungle hideaway Ms Dawn?

I'm glad I could instruct and inform you about a denizen of the ocean about which you obviously knew little. Incidentally the CC shark is to be found in tropical waters, and could quite reasonably be found locally. I did check habitat before putting my theory forward.

And thank you for your pictorial aid to explain what a light globe looks like. You take didacticism to a whole new level.

.I have to say your medical knowledge is impressive.

Oh, my apologies Croc of

I didn't realise you were so informed about the cookie cutter shark.

Why then have you overlooked the fact it lives below ocean depths of 85 metres?

He was assuming since the lady was swimming in "deep offshore" water that naturally that meant the cookie cutter was involved. For the record water off the right off the beaches here are no deeper than 10 mtrs, usually much less

[2fishin2]

Shark expert examined the wound and confirmed it as such. Guess one of the family members of the shark the russian fellow killed couple years back and dragged up on beach got revenge

[Old Croc]

Notwithstanding Old Croc's penchant for didacticism, he is wrong.

The cookie cutter shark is not found in Thai waters. Habitat map here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cookiecutter_shark#/media/File:Isistius_brasiliensis_distmap.png

The tourist was not bitten. A piece was scalloped out of her foot when it scraped against some trash.

My guess is the broken remnants of a light bulb from a squid boat:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://previews.123rf.com/images/sirichai2514/sirichai25141505/sirichai2514150500246/40086562-close-up-Squid-fishing-boat-light-bulb-Stock-Photo.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.123rf.com/photo_40086562_close-up-squid-fishing-boat-light-bulb.html&h=866&w=1300&tbnid=OkbvPpCyiF_MlM:&docid=3GLg-_uPfuS48M&ei=iffnVdvILcPtUqmdoKAK&tbm=isch&ved=0CCcQMygGMAZqFQoTCJuxhses2scCFcO2FAodqQ4IpA

Nothing better to do than read the dictionary up there in your jungle hideaway Ms Dawn?

I'm glad I could instruct and inform you about a denizen of the ocean about which you obviously knew little. Incidentally the CC shark is to be found in tropical waters, and could quite reasonably be found locally. I did check habitat before putting my theory forward.

And thank you for your pictorial aid to explain what a light globe looks like. You take didacticism to a whole new level.

.I have to say your medical knowledge is impressive.

Oh, my apologies Croc of

I didn't realise you were so informed about the cookie cutter shark.

Why then have you overlooked the fact it lives below ocean depths of 85 metres?

"The March 16, 2009, incident involved a cookiecutter shark repeatedly attacking Spalding as he attempted to cross the Alenuihaha Channel from Hawaii to Maui. After sunset on that day, Spalding first felt a "pin prick" sensation on his chest, which turned out to be a cookiecutter shark nibble. (Sharks often take a taste before going in for a second chomp.) The shark later continued to bite, even attacking Spalding as he climbed into a rescue kayak during the event"

Perhaps you could tell Mr Spalding, the victim of this shark in the picture I displayed above, that it didn't really happen as you've decided they only live below 85 metres!

As it turned out my shark theory was a lot more accurate than your rogue light globe story Bull.....!

Edited September 4, 2015 by Old Croc

[JetsetBkk]

My money is still on the Cookie Cutter shark:

I reckon it was one of these...

[2fishin2]

Notwithstanding Old Croc's penchant for didacticism, he is wrong.

The cookie cutter shark is not found in Thai waters. Habitat map here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cookiecutter_shark#/media/File:Isistius_brasiliensis_distmap.png

The tourist was not bitten. A piece was scalloped out of her foot when it scraped against some trash.

My guess is the broken remnants of a light bulb from a squid boat:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://previews.123rf.com/images/sirichai2514/sirichai25141505/sirichai2514150500246/40086562-close-up-Squid-fishing-boat-light-bulb-Stock-Photo.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.123rf.com/photo_40086562_close-up-squid-fishing-boat-light-bulb.html&h=866&w=1300&tbnid=OkbvPpCyiF_MlM:&docid=3GLg-_uPfuS48M&ei=iffnVdvILcPtUqmdoKAK&tbm=isch&ved=0CCcQMygGMAZqFQoTCJuxhses2scCFcO2FAodqQ4IpA

Nothing better to do than read the dictionary up there in your jungle hideaway Ms Dawn?

I'm glad I could instruct and inform you about a denizen of the ocean about which you obviously knew little. Incidentally the CC shark is to be found in tropical waters, and could quite reasonably be found locally. I did check habitat before putting my theory forward.

And thank you for your pictorial aid to explain what a light globe looks like. You take didacticism to a whole new level.

.I have to say your medical knowledge is impressive.

Oh, my apologies Croc of

I didn't realise you were so informed about the cookie cutter shark.

Why then have you overlooked the fact it lives below ocean depths of 85 metres?

"The March 16, 2009, incident involved a cookiecutter shark repeatedly attacking Spalding as he attempted to cross the Alenuihaha Channel from Hawaii to Maui. After sunset on that day, Spalding first felt a "pin prick" sensation on his chest, which turned out to be a cookiecutter shark nibble. (Sharks often take a taste before going in for a second chomp.) The shark later continued to bite, even attacking Spalding as he climbed into a rescue kayak during the event"

Perhaps you could tell Mr Spalding, the victim of this shark in the picture I displayed above, that it didn't really happen as you've decided they only live below 85 metres!

As it turned out my shark theory was a lot more accurate than your rogue light globe story Bull.....!

Little point of clarification. Waters surrounding Hawaii are Pacific Ocean and are deep. Thousands of feet deep. Waters surrounding Thailand in particular Phuket are shallow. Here, 100ft is considered deep. Not same there old croc

[Bulldozer Dawn]

"The March 16, 2009, incident involved a cookiecutter shark repeatedly attacking Spalding as he attempted to cross the Alenuihaha Channel from Hawaii to Maui. After sunset on that day, Spalding first felt a "pin prick" sensation on his chest, which turned out to be a cookiecutter shark nibble. (Sharks often take a taste before going in for a second chomp.) The shark later continued to bite, even attacking Spalding as he climbed into a rescue kayak during the event"

Perhaps you could tell Mr Spalding, the victim of this shark in the picture I displayed above, that it didn't really happen as you've decided they only live below 85 metres!

As it turned out my shark theory was a lot more accurate than your rogue light globe story Bull.....!

Little point of clarification. Waters surrounding Hawaii are Pacific Ocean and are deep. Thousands of feet deep. Waters surrounding Thailand in particular Phuket are shallow. Here, 100ft is considered deep. Not same there old croc

Just let it slide 2fishin2. If Croc of has to admit he was wrong he will have an apoplexy.

[grumpyoldman]

"The March 16, 2009, incident involved a cookiecutter shark repeatedly attacking Spalding as he attempted to cross the Alenuihaha Channel from Hawaii to Maui. After sunset on that day, Spalding first felt a "pin prick" sensation on his chest, which turned out to be a cookiecutter shark nibble. (Sharks often take a taste before going in for a second chomp.) The shark later continued to bite, even attacking Spalding as he climbed into a rescue kayak during the event"

Perhaps you could tell Mr Spalding, the victim of this shark in the picture I displayed above, that it didn't really happen as you've decided they only live below 85 metres!

As it turned out my shark theory was a lot more accurate than your rogue light globe story Bull.....!

Little point of clarification. Waters surrounding Hawaii are Pacific Ocean and are deep. Thousands of feet deep. Waters surrounding Thailand in particular Phuket are shallow. Here, 100ft is considered deep. Not same there old croc

Just let it slide 2fishin2. If Croc of has to admit he was wrong he will have an apoplexy.

Sure is cool to look at that alien shark though as opposed to reading the negativity troll post "there are no fish in Phuket waters (complete nonsense), it was trash".

Water is clear enough BTB or BDD, that she would have looked down and seen what cut her, if that was the case, but it wasn't.

[Tywais]

Water is clear enough BTB or BDD, that she would have looked down and seen what cut her, if that was the case, but it wasn't.

From other reports she was waste deep in the water and felt a tug at the top and bottom of her foot so probably not in a frame of mind to go peeking for it. A section of tendon was removed, not just cut through, so appears to be a bite and not just a cut from glass. Saw a video of a puffer fish biting right through a coke can with no effort at all. But it has a pretty small mouth.

[2fishin2]

Water is clear enough BTB or BDD, that she would have looked down and seen what cut her, if that was the case, but it wasn't.

From other reports she was waste deep in the water and felt a tug at the top and bottom of her foot so probably not in a frame of mind to go peeking for it. A section of tendon was removed, not just cut through, so appears to be a bite and not just a cut from glass. Saw a video of a puffer fish biting right through a coke can with no effort at all. But it has a pretty small mouth.

Its not a puffer fish. Lol a shark expert has confirmed a shark bite.