webfact Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Australian expat killed by swarm of bees in Phayao Thai Rath file photo PHAYAO: -- An Australian expat has died after being stung by hundreds of bees in Phayao province. Peter John William, 64, died on Saturday after being stung by bees that were reportedly disturbed by villagers who were cooking food close to where the nest was located. Witnesses described how smoke from a grill which was being used to cook food engulfed the nest resulting in thousands of bees evacuating the nest. As the villagers fled the scene, Mr William tried to hide under a tree but was stung all over his body. Following the attack Mr William stopped breathing and despite rescue workers arriving at the scene, he was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital. Source: Thai Rath -- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-03-22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaiwrath Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Poor fella. What a horrendous, unexpected way to die. R.I.P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieH Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Always thought smoke was used to subdue bees? Makes them slow and non aggresive. Apparently not in this case. RIP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobriquet Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 Would this be an allergy or a more-or-less normal reaction to multiple bee stings?? I didn't think there were killer bees in Thailand, now I guess I can add that to the list of potentially lethal things here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
namoi Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 A swarm of Europen bees giving multiple stings will kill even without an allergy if enough get hold of you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokesaat Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 There are many kinds of bees in Thailand. We have 3 very large hives, like that shown in the Thai Rath file photo, in our fruit trees near our home. We're happy to have them there. But if it were a wasp nest or some of those big black wasps that burrow into wood, we'd get rid of them. I'd not be surprised to hear there's more to the story than what's reported......most any Thai villager knows well how bees react, especially to smoke. I wouldn't be surprised if they were purposely trying to get the hives/honey......they command a big price in village markets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron19 Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 26 minutes ago, CharlieH said: Always thought smoke was used to subdue bees? Makes them slow and non aggresive. Apparently not in this case. RIP. In my younger days I was part of a group that looked after a few hives and we used smoke puffers filled with smoldering burning gum leaves. Still had to wear the protective gear which included a hat and net. This one is a modern version same set up though. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew65 Posted March 22, 2017 Share Posted March 22, 2017 54 minutes ago, sobriquet said: Would this be an allergy or a more-or-less normal reaction to multiple bee stings?? I didn't think there were killer bees in Thailand, now I guess I can add that to the list of potentially lethal things here. Probably anaphalactic shock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catman20 Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 hiding under a tree ????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CGW Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Poor fella! lousy painful way to go! I got attacked about three years ago, luckily I was beside a swimming pool, which I dove into to stop the attack, was in the hospital in ICU twenty minutes later filled with antihistamines and whatever else they deemed necessary! I got stung 19 times - not pleasant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captspectre Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 This is a serious question, how do you get rid of the bee's? especially in a hive as large as the one pictured? is there a safe way to get rid of these critters? always thought that smoke would do the job, byt appreaerntly not these critters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxx Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 16 hours ago, CharlieH said: Always thought smoke was used to subdue bees? Makes them slow and non aggresive. Smoke makes bees think their home is under threat so they gorge themselves with honey in preparation for moving elsewhere. It's the fact that they're stuffed to the gills with honey that makes them more placid, not the smoke per se. If there is no honey available, they will remain normally aggressive. So, for instance, a swarm that has been hanging on a tree (in search of a new home) for a few hours will usually not pose a risk, one that has been there for 3 or 4 days will be much more dangerous. There are, however, some species of bee that are inherently aggressive, most notably African bees (Apis mellifera scutellata) and hybrids thereof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jollyhangmon Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 4 minutes ago, captspectre said: This is a serious question, how do you get rid of the bee's? especially in a hive as large as the one pictured? is there a safe way to get rid of these critters? always thought that smoke would do the job, byt appreaerntly not these critters! Couple years ago i watched 3 Somchais (from a safe distance, got stung repeatedly before, not funny), one held a plastic dustbin underneath the hive while the other severed it with one of those tree-saws - you know, those ones on a pole - while the third just waited with the lid to quickly close the bin when put down. Very swift, skilled action, not many bees escaped but they had also smoked them out - well, rather 'in' ;-) - beforehand and it was far smaller a hide than pictured in the OP plus relatively easy to access ... Professional pest-controllers might use some gas sprayed around as well as 'pumped' into the hive ... but that's it then for the bees, final solution ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onemorechang Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Poor guy What a nasty way to go. Condolences to family and friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSF Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Happens from time to time, not too uncommon for folk to die from bee swarm attacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borzandy Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 21 hours ago, CharlieH said: Always thought smoke was used to subdue bees? Makes them slow and non aggresive. Apparently not in this case. RIP. The villagers were grilling chilli pepper... RIP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarteso Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 Horrific way to leave this life. I was been stacked 3 times in Thailand and last one, running for cares at hospital. Now in paranoia!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oleg57 Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 (edited) Cooking very spicy Thai food can make bees anxious. I keep bees (Apis cerana) myself and was witnessing such behavior of the Apis cerana bees. However, I believe that it can be a large colony of the Dwarf Honey bees - Apis florea. They have an open nest and a colony can get extremely defensive if disturbed. While Apis serana bees build a nest in caves, tree hollows and therefore they are less sensitive to fumes. Or the information was wrong and there was a nest of the Giant Asian Hornets. These deadly insects are extremely dangerous. A dozen of the hornets would kill an elephant. My wife once got a sting and was in bed for a few days with strong pain despite medications. It is very common case that the hornets may kill some locals. Edited March 23, 2017 by Oleg57 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotchilli Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 23 hours ago, CharlieH said: Always thought smoke was used to subdue bees? Makes them slow and non aggresive. Apparently not in this case. RIP. Smoke yes, not "nam-plaa fumes" that gets me angry too !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FitnessHealthTravel Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 On 22/03/2017 at 3:20 PM, CharlieH said: Always thought smoke was used to subdue bees? Makes them slow and non aggresive. Apparently not in this case. RIP. I think it depends on the type of smoke. They obviously didn't like the BBQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrissables Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 1 hour ago, Oleg57 said: Cooking very spicy Thai food can make bees anxious. I keep bees (Apis cerana) myself and was witnessing such behavior of the Apis cerana bees. However, I believe that it can be a large colony of the Dwarf Honey bees - Apis florea. They have an open nest and a colony can get extremely defensive if disturbed. While Apis serana bees build a nest in caves, tree hollows and therefore they are less sensitive to fumes. Or the information was wrong and there was a nest of the Giant Asian Hornets. These deadly insects are extremely dangerous. A dozen of the hornets would kill an elephant. My wife once got a sting and was in bed for a few days with strong pain despite medications. It is very common case that the hornets may kill some locals. I have been stung by these hornets, very painful! Each sting left a bleeding would like an injection would. Neck and ear also a sensitive area. I had the nest burnt out that night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inepto Cracy Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 I am one of those unfortunate persons, who when stung by a bee, I react very badly to the sting. I have 6 minutes to get to the hospital. But my first line of defense is an Epinephrine Pen. Available only on a Doctors prescription. A life saver for any type of anaphylactic shock. I do wear a medical alert bracelet in english and thai to warn of this problem. Take care out there. Beware the Chinese killer bees that are in Thailand. One sting can kill an adult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javel Posted March 23, 2017 Share Posted March 23, 2017 People they take down easy. Hornets even kill adult elephants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impulse Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 On 3/23/2017 at 4:19 PM, Inepto Cracy said: Available only on a Doctors prescription. A life saver for any type of anaphylactic shock. I do wear a medical alert bracelet in english and thai to warn of this problem. Is that true in Thailand as well? There are a lot of meds available OTC here that would require a script back home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckamuck Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 Probably hornets, they kill folks every year in Thailand. Thais call all bee-like things bees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bannork Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 8 minutes ago, canuckamuck said: Probably hornets, they kill folks every year in Thailand. Thais call all bee-like things bees. I've been stung now and again by hornets, especially in or after the rainy season when there is plenty of long grass and undergrowth. Walking or cutting the grass I never hear them, but suddenly they're hovering around my legs and producing a painful sting that lasts for a few minutes. Their nest always seems to be near to the ground but there are never too many and walking a few metres away they then leave me alone. There are bees upcountry, folks walk around selling the delicious honey, I wouldn't be surprised if this was bees rather than hornets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrissables Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 3 minutes ago, bannork said: I've been stung now and again by hornets, especially in or after the rainy season when there is plenty of long grass and undergrowth. Walking or cutting the grass I never hear them, but suddenly they're hovering around my legs and producing a painful sting that lasts for a few minutes. Their nest always seems to be near to the ground but there are never too many and walking a few metres away they then leave me alone. There are bees upcountry, folks walk around selling the delicious honey, I wouldn't be surprised if this was bees rather than hornets. Every time i have seen a nest they were in trees or eves of houses. When i was stung it was very painful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckamuck Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 22 minutes ago, bannork said: I've been stung now and again by hornets, especially in or after the rainy season when there is plenty of long grass and undergrowth. Walking or cutting the grass I never hear them, but suddenly they're hovering around my legs and producing a painful sting that lasts for a few minutes. Their nest always seems to be near to the ground but there are never too many and walking a few metres away they then leave me alone. There are bees upcountry, folks walk around selling the delicious honey, I wouldn't be surprised if this was bees rather than hornets. Trust me I have seen enough hornet nests in trees here, and their sting will give you more than a few minutes of pain. And several stings will have you in the hospital. Usually it is vespa tropica, which occasionally have huge nests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurtsie Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 Stay away from the right side of 11th hole at Thana City! Last month I got nailed walking up to the green from the tree line. Had a Benadryl stick in my bag and got it onto the sting point quicly. Caddy told staff at next drink hut. This month, walking up the right side of the same fairway and a swarm hit me, with 3 stings in the neck dropping me like a hot rock. Caddy had putt stick into her pocket and also had Tiger Balm ready. I as in pain for 3 days. She complained to maintainence staff on the next hole and they just shrugged. Seems people are hit every day while playing that hole and nobody at the course does anything about it. They will not see me again there! To the poor gentleman, RIP!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven100 Posted March 25, 2017 Share Posted March 25, 2017 54 minutes ago, canuckamuck said: Probably hornets, they kill folks every year in Thailand. Thais call all bee-like things bees. I've been stung a few times in Thailand .... If I remember right .... one was name ' bee ' and she hurt the most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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