Man stung by box jellyfish, Maenam Beach, 21 October 2015

[katyb]

Morning,

I have just seen this on the Community Online Pinboard Samui FB group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/389315034467102/permalink/892773844121216/?pnref=story

"Today AGAIN another Box Jellyfish attack on Maenam Beach. Near Santiburi, man got attacked. Brought to hospital, but he is still alive luckily. So, careful everyone, make sure you wear body swim suits and have vinegar at hand. Don't think you spot the creatures easily, some are very small. Most attacks occur very near the shore."

i have certainly seen many dead jelly fish washing up on Maenam Beach over the last week but they looked like the normal large ones that we see here often at this time of year. However, this news of a box jelly sting is rather alarming - if true, who knows - but better to be safe than sorry.

Best wishes,

Katy

[oldsailor35]

Rather frightening seeing as i "was" in the habit of a morning dip from Maenam beach. Thanks for the warning Katy, however i am a bit sceptic regarding the Vinegar treatment !

[Pomthai]

Can we stop calling them attacks please. They are not. Jelly fish aren't sentient beings that hunt you down and attack. They are just "there" and poor unfortunate swimmers swim into them and their tentacles.

I hope the man makes a quick and full recovery.

Its about time some warning signs went up about jelly fish since it seems they are becoming a more common occurrence.

[oncearugge]

Rather frightening seeing as i "was" in the habit of a morning dip from Maenam beach. Thanks for the warning Katy, however i am a bit sceptic regarding the Vinegar treatment !

Vinegar is the only recommended First Aid treatment for box jellyfish stings!

http://www.stjohnnsw.com.au/vinegar-treatment-for-box-jellyfish-stings/

Many other references can be found if this one leaves you a "bit sceptic"

[cornishcarlos]

Any vinegar or does it have to be Sarsons ? Sarsons is the only one that works on fish n chips !

Edited October 25, 2015 by cornishcarlos

[Basil B]

Any vinegar or does it have to be Sarsons ? Sarsons is the only one that works on fish n chips !

Probably white vinegar is best, or diluted Acetic Acid...

But then in an emergency I suppose any vinegar will do, best avoid any open wounds though.

There seems to be numerous types of vinegars about like Apple cider, Balsamic, Beer, Cane, Coconut, Date, Distilled, East Asian black, Fruit, Honey, Job's tears, Kiwifruit, Kombucha, Malt, Palm, Pomegranate, Raisin, Rice, Sherry, Spirit, White, Wine.

Presume vinegar can be made from any fruit, vegetable or grain that will ferment.

[uksomchai]

Can we stop calling them attacks please. They are not. Jelly fish aren't sentient beings that hunt you down and attack. They are just "there" and poor unfortunate swimmers swim into them and their tentacles.

I hope the man makes a quick and full recovery.

Its about time some warning signs went up about jelly fish since it seems they are becoming a more common occurrence.

As said. Jellyfish do not attack people or anything. people and their prey swim into them. A few more signs might help but there are jellyfish in the sea wherever you swim, you just never see them

[samuijimmy]

All this has been recently discussed here .... do we need to go through it all again?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861167-german-tourist-dies-from-box-jellyfish-attack-on-samui/

White vinegar is available for around 60 -65 baht for 3 litres at all the large stores .... Tesco, Big C, Makro, Tops....

[oncearugge]

The solution is for the Thai Authorities to provide "stinger netted" swimming areas and for swimmers to wear "stinger suits"

http://www.qldbeaches.com/stingers.html

http://www.stingersuits.com/

[mjnaus]

Can we stop calling them attacks please. They are not. Jelly fish aren't sentient beings that hunt you down and attack. They are just "there" and poor unfortunate swimmers swim into them and their tentacles.

I hope the man makes a quick and full recovery.

Its about time some warning signs went up about jelly fish since it seems they are becoming a more common occurrence.

You might want to read up on box jelly fish before making silly, unfounded statements. If you were to do just a little bit of research on these creatures, you'd learn that box jelly fish, other then most other jelly fish species, can in fact hunt and chase after prey.

Edited October 25, 2015 by mjnaus

[cornishcarlos]

Can we stop calling them attacks please. They are not. Jelly fish aren't sentient beings that hunt you down and attack. They are just "there" and poor unfortunate swimmers swim into them and their tentacles.

I hope the man makes a quick and full recovery.

Its about time some warning signs went up about jelly fish since it seems they are becoming a more common occurrence.

You might want to read up on box jelly fish before making silly, unfounded statements. If you were to do just a little bit of research on these creatures, you'd learn that box jelly fish, other then most other jelly fish species, can in fact hunt and chase after prey.

Are humans considered prey for jellyfish !!

I could easily out swim a hungry boxy

Edited October 25, 2015 by cornishcarlos

[oncearugge]

Can we stop calling them attacks please. They are not. Jelly fish aren't sentient beings that hunt you down and attack. They are just "there" and poor unfortunate swimmers swim into them and their tentacles.

I hope the man makes a quick and full recovery.

Its about time some warning signs went up about jelly fish since it seems they are becoming a more common occurrence.

You might want to read up on box jelly fish before making silly, unfounded statements. If you were to do just a little bit of research on these creatures, you'd learn that box jelly fish, other then most other jelly fish species, can in fact hunt and chase after prey.

I say complete and utter nonsense .............................

Until you provide reputable links to the evidence for what is claimed.

[mjnaus]

Can we stop calling them attacks please. They are not. Jelly fish aren't sentient beings that hunt you down and attack. They are just "there" and poor unfortunate swimmers swim into them and their tentacles.

I hope the man makes a quick and full recovery.

Its about time some warning signs went up about jelly fish since it seems they are becoming a more common occurrence.

You might want to read up on box jelly fish before making silly, unfounded statements. If you were to do just a little bit of research on these creatures, you'd learn that box jelly fish, other then most other jelly fish species, can in fact hunt and chase after prey.

I say complete and utter nonsense .............................

Until you provide reputable links to the evidence for what is claimed.

Say/think what you want, my friend. I have better things to do than educating TV posters. Sure you can manage typing a few words into Google? Let me give you a hint, try "box jelly fish hunting"... Even the Wikipedia entry for box jelly fish mentions its hunting capabilities.

Edited October 25, 2015 by mjnaus

[Basil B]

Due to the advanced nervous system and sight it is believed Box jellyfish do indeed hunt their pray, but that is small fish...

Why hunt humans???

[evadgib]

All this has been recently discussed here .... do we need to go through it all again?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861167-german-tourist-dies-from-box-jellyfish-attack-on-samui/

White vinegar is available for around 60 -65 baht for 3 litres at all the large stores .... Tesco, Big C, Makro, Tops....

Agreed

[oncearugge]

Due to the advanced nervous system and sight it is believed Box jellyfish do indeed hunt their pray, but that is small fish...

Why hunt humans???

Advanced nervous system?

Tell me does the box jellyfish have a brain ? Does it have a central nervous system? Is it a sentinel Being ? Does a jellyfish have eyes?

The jellyfish does not "hunt" !

[Basil B]

Advanced nervous system?

Tell me does the box jellyfish have a brain ? Does it have a central nervous system? Is it a sentinel Being ? Does a jellyfish have eyes?

The jellyfish does not "hunt" !

Q. "does the box jellyfish have a brain ?"

A. There are a number of creatures that do not have a brain as we know it... Apart from jellyfish, there are Sea Urchins, Sea Cucumbers, Star Fish...

Q. " Does it have a central nervous system? Is it a sentinel Being ? Does a jellyfish have eyes?"

A.

The box jellyfish's nervous system is more developed than that of many other jellyfish. Notably, they possess a nerve ring around the base of the bell that coordinates their pulsing movements, a feature found elsewhere only in the crown jellyfish. Whereas some other jellyfish have simple pigment-cup ocelli, box jellyfish are unique in the possession of true eyes, complete with retinas, corneas and lenses. Their eyes are set in clusters called rhopalia, located in pockets halfway up the outer, flat surfaces of the bell. Each contains two rhopalial ocelli with lenses, one directed upwards and the other downwards and inwards towards the manubrium. This enables the animal to see specific points of light, as opposed to simply distinguishing between light and dark. Box jellyfish also have twenty ocelli (simple eyes) that do not form images, but detect light and dark; they therefore have a total of twenty-four eyes. Near the rhopalia are statoliths which detect gravitational pull and help the animal to orientate itself. Box jellyfish also display complex, probably visually guided behaviors such as obstacle avoidance and fast directional swimming. Research indicates that, owing to the number of rhopalial nerve cells and their overall arrangement, visual processing and integration at least partly happen within the rhopalia of box jellyfish. The complex nervous system supports a relatively advanced sensory system compared to other jellyfish, and box jellyfish have been described as having an active, fish-like behavior.

The box jellyfish actively hunts its prey (small fish), rather than drifting as do true jellyfish. They are capable of achieving speeds of up to 1.5 to 2 metres per second or about 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Box_jellyfish

Box jellies are highly advanced among jellyfish. They have developed the ability to move rather than just drift, jetting at up to four knots through the water. They also have eyes grouped in clusters of six on the four sides of their bell. Each cluster includes a pair of eyes with a sophisticated lens, retina, iris and cornea, although without a central nervous system, scientists aren’t sure how they process what they see.

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/box-jellyfish

If you feel the information from Wikipedia and National Geographic is inaccurate then please feel free to post links to your sources if information.

[PoorSucker]

The solution is for the Thai Authorities to provide "stinger netted" swimming areas and for swimmers to wear "stinger suits"

Motorbike rentals provide helmets, do the tourist wear them???

[South]

This interesting blog was sent to me .... http://thaiboxjellyfish.blogspot.de/2015/10/box-jellyfish-latest-how-safe-is-koh.html

[oncearugge]

This interesting blog was sent to me .... http://thaiboxjellyfish.blogspot.de/2015/10/box-jellyfish-latest-how-safe-is-koh.html

Thanks.

A good informative post

[samuijimmy]

Worth posting.... (did it also in the News section,) I am not sure if posted at all resorts, but the one I visited had this posted where most people would see it!

Again vinegar is suggested!

[Basil B]

It can not be all that bad...

A Belgian lass was in the water for over 5 hours yesterday and AFAIK never got stung.