In September 2016, poisonous jellyfish attacked the beaches of Phuket and Krabi province, after which swimming was prohibited on some beaches. Russian tourists going on vacation are interested in whether it is worth going to Thailand, Phuket and Pattaya now because of poisonous jellyfish, and what is the situation there today.
Situation in Phuket today
Since the rainy season lasts until the end of October - the beginning of November in Thailand, swimming in Phuket is impossible due to strong waves. Prohibiting red flags and prohibition signs in different languages hang on each beach. Swimming is prohibited not only because of the poisonous jellyfish, but also because of the strong waves.
Russian tourists think that if there is no ban on swimming on other beaches because of jellyfish, then they are not there. In fact, this is not the case.
On September 28, 2016, a tourist (pictured) turned to the rescuers on the most popular beach in Phuket and asked for help, as she was stung by a jellyfish. Rescuers assisted her and told reporters that over the past 2 days they removed 359 poisonous jellyfish from Patong Beach, which were washed ashore by waves. Those tourists who do not want to understand that the bathing ban is in force, enter the water at their own peril and risk, and after a couple of minutes run out of the water with a rash and itching on the body. that don't listen to warnings.
Maya Bay on the island of Phi Phi Lei, where bathing is also prohibited. In the same province of Krabi, poisonous jellyfish have been found on other popular islands such as Poda, etc.
If you are going on vacation in December 2016-January 2017, then you can not be afraid of jellyfish and feel free to buy. The invasion of jellyfish in Thailand occurs only during the rainy season, which ends in early November 2016.
Situation in Pattaya today
Since most of the tourists swim on the island, rest in Pattaya is possible all year round. There have been no reports of poisonous jellyfish on Koh Lan. Also on this island, unlike Phuket, there are no strong waves, so Pattaya is the most popular Thai resort among Russian tourists.
Hello to everyone who is planning to come to Thailand but is afraid.
Today we will tell you about the sinister jellyfish that attacked all the beaches of the island and made tourists and locals terrified. At least that's what we heard on the news.
When we arrived in Phuket, the first thing we decided to do was check if everything is really so awful. And as always, the news was made from an elephant fly.
Portuguese ships (poisonous jellyfish Physalia phesalis) really met on the northern beaches of Phuket, but these are only 2 beaches, and in Phuket there are over 20 of them.
No one has seen these jellyfish on the popular beaches of the island. We constantly go to Karon, Kata, Patong beaches and have not yet met a single jellyfish. There are many tourists, the water in the sea is warm, everyone swims. (pictured below is the sea-wasp jellyfish).
But what really poses a problem for tourists is the pronounced rainy season, which has not been here for the past several years. Heavy, unexpected rains (clouds come quickly and pouring like buckets) and every day. Agree, this can spoil the long-awaited beach holiday, because people go to Phuket primarily because of its magnificent beaches.
First aid for a jellyfish burn
And yet, if you are afraid of jellyfish, then I will write this. One day two years ago in Pattaya, I was stung by a jellyfish. It was not a Portuguese boat, but an ordinary white one, which sail to the coast of Thailand in October every year.
I did not immediately understand what had happened, it just started to burn strongly in the abdomen. Later I noticed medium-sized white jellyfish in the water. We didn’t do anything and didn’t treat the burn in any way. After 20 minutes, the burning stopped, of course, it was worth treating my burn, but we did not know how.
If you are suddenly stung by such a jellyfish, then, firstly, try to get ashore as soon as possible, and secondly, if the tentacles of the jellyfish remain on the skin, remove them as soon as possible with a stick or a bag (not with your bare hands), thirdly, wipe the burn area with lime juice (its acid prevents poison from entering your body), fourthly, in no case do not bandage the burn. In the photo below the "Portuguese boat" jellyfish.
If you have been stung by a poisonous jellyfish (a Portuguese boat or a sea wasp), then you can't get away with lime juice. In this case, you need to call an ambulance as soon as possible so that you will be injected with a special serum. If there is no way to call an ambulance, go to the pharmacy, they are in Thailand at every step, there are qualified specialists who will help you.
To find out what the situation is now on the beaches of Phuket, watch our video below.
Not the scariest creature. In addition to them, there is a huge number of poisonous inhabitants, not fair stories about which tourists are always frightened and jellyfish are no exception. There really are jellyfish here. There are even a number of rules that tourists should follow when meeting jellyfish.
Where and under what conditions are jellyfish most common in Thailand
There are a lot of jellyfish in Thailand and they are found almost everywhere, but most often they are seen off the coast of Phuket, Chua Hin and Krabi, and less often off the coast of Koh Samui.
The appearance of jellyfish mainly depends on seasonal changes: from late autumn to the onset of spring, there are practically no jellyfish.
Jellyfish to watch out for in Thailand
The touch of any jellyfish is painful enough for a person. But deadly poisonous ones are rare. There are only a few types of them. Many people frighten with jellyfish bites, but this is not at all true, jellyfish poison is contained only in the tentacles, and even a hat is absolutely not dangerous.
Sea wasp - the most dangerous type of jellyfish in Thailand, it is also called box jellyfish. A rare visitor to Thai waters, accidentally swam from the coast of Australia. It looks like a transparent basketball. During the hunt, the tentacles increase up to 3 meters. When a sea wasp appears in the water, bathing stops immediately. This has already happened in Krabli. Then everywhere they hung detailed instructions on first aid with a picture of a jellyfish. All rescuers were supplied with vinegar, which is used as first aid. After the last appearance, specialists - hydrologists began to constantly monitor the waters in the entire Gulf of Thailand.
Contact with the tentacles of the box jellyfish is fatal, it provokes a heart attack or respiratory paralysis. Scientists have already invented an antidote, but there is one drawback: a very fast action of the poison, a person can die in three minutes, without even having time to reach the coast. If a person still survives the bite, then scars will remain from contact with the tentacles.
The next representative of box jellyfish, mainly found on sandy beaches, also has a transparent hat, but very small in size, a maximum of 4 cm. When touched, a person's pressure jumps sharply, and the consequences of this can be whatever.
The Portuguese boat is slightly inferior in its poisonous properties to other types of jellyfish. But it is easily noticeable in the water, as it floats exclusively on the surface of the water, with a bright blue color. It has very long tentacles, the touch of which causes swelling in the lungs and anaphylactic shock.
First aid for poisoned jellyfish
If the jellyfish nevertheless touched you with its tentacles, the first step is to get out of the water. Using a hand protected from the poison, remove all remnants of the tentacles. Then you should treat the affected area with vinegar, it will kill the stinging cells. It is imperative to visit a doctor, since in addition to pain, there may be cramps and even fever. Most insurances provide for such cases, so it is worth being vigilant.
Memo for tourists
Many tourists, having gone on vacation to Thailand, never saw a single jellyfish. Poisonous jellyfish, of course, are in the waters of Thailand, but if you face the truth, in most cases, an encounter with similar, coelenterates ends well, at most the skin turns red, but this soon passes.
But the tourist must still take precautions. If there is a danger in the water, the authorities will definitely warn about this by posting warning signs, you need to monitor this when you come to the beach. It is best to swim only in clear water, looking around. It is best to avoid windy and rainy weather when swimming in the sea due to the large waves. In which case it follows, immediately consult a doctor, then a successful outcome is more likely.
Thailand is a wonderful, tropical country with a warm climate and gentle sea. But there is one problem here, which can not only spoil the impression of rest, but harm health, and even take life. Jellyfish! Let's take a closer look at them and find out how to protect yourself from their insidious effects.
Jellyfish - what or who are they?
Jellyfish is one of the oldest creatures on Earth, its age is more than 600 million years. She lives in sea water. Distributed throughout the planet, even in cold Arctic waters, but the maximum concentration is, of course, in tropical seas.
Jellyfish come in many different types, sizes, and shapes. The largest ones reach 2.5 meters in diameter. Their body consists of a dome, similar in consistency to jelly and tentacles, on which special poisonous (stinging) cells are located. With tentacles, the jellyfish stings its prey and paralyzes it. It feeds on zooplankton, eggs and fish fry. Large species feed on fish.
These "Creatures" belong to the type of coelenterates. Simply put, they have one hole for food and waste.
Take a look at the photos and videos of floating jellyfish. Truly, this is a creature from another world. Tiny and huge, translucent and brightly colored, in the shape of an inverted bud or mushroom cap. Jellyfish reproduce, both sexually and by budding. Therefore, scientists to this day argue about whether it is an animal or a plant?
In a calm state, the jellyfish folds its tentacles, and when it hunts, it spreads them in different directions. They can be several meters long. Therefore, we often get burned, although we do not notice the jellyfish nearby.
Jellyfish on the beaches
Jellyfish can be found both on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand and on the Andaman coast. Especially their number and poisonous qualities increase closer to the equator.
Many popular beaches have special jellyfish nets. But small individuals make their way through the net. Among them, highly poisonous ones can be caught.
Most jellyfish are from April to October. In many provinces of Thailand, this "Low season", so they pose few problems.
Let's take an example of the Thai island of Koh Chang. Eyewitnesses said that at the same time on two neighboring beaches, the distance between which was no more than 1.5-2 kilometers, there was a completely different situation. One was clear, and the second was teeming with jellyfish near the shore so that it was impossible to enter the water.
Should you be afraid of them?
Rather yes than no. For an adult, a small common jellyfish is not dangerous. But even from meeting such "Pretty" you run the risk of getting unpleasant sensations for several days. If you can see several jellyfish or large individuals in your field of vision, then it is better to avoid such encounters. A small child should never be allowed into the water when there are jellyfish. The concentration of poison in his body, even after one bite, will be higher than that of an adult, and the baby's skin is much more sensitive.
Jellyfish sting! Surely you have met "Harmless" on the Black Sea coast, took them in hand, examined them and nothing happened. It's just that the dose of poison in the jellyfish in our northern seas is very small, it cannot even penetrate the protection of the upper skin. If you are not a biologist who is closely involved with jellyfish, then it is better not to take risks and specifically not touch these animal plants, especially when in Thailand.
In tropical seas such as the Andaman and Siam Gulfs that wash the shores of Thailand, box jellyfish and tiny irukandji jellyfish appear at times, whose touch could cost you your life. This usually happens during the period when they migrate northward from more southerly latitudes. The authorities track their movements and warn tourists.
Why are jellyfish dangerous?
As we wrote above, they sting with a special poison located in the cells on the tentacles. Even for a large jellyfish, humans are too large prey. For the sake of food, she will not touch you. But if you accidentally or deliberately got into her personal space, she can stick to you out of fear or out of interest or sting you with a light touch. Then it all depends on what kind of jellyfish you are faced with.
You can get skin burns of varying degrees. They are similar to a nettle burn, but much stronger. In addition, jellyfish poison has a neuroparalytic effect and even causes a heart attack in large doses. A person who collides with them far from the coast can die, unable to swim due to wild pain and muscle spasms. Allergic reactions to jellyfish venom are possible.
If you come across something that looks like a jellyfish in the sea, it is better to freeze for a few moments. The more you move, the more likely it will stick to you and you will receive the maximum dose of poison.
After a storm, dead jellyfish can be seen off the coast. Don't touch them! The poison is still working.
How to prevent?
- Check with the beach if there are any special fences before your trip.
- Do not go into the water if you see jellyfish and do not let the child in.
- Do not swim in muddy waters or during storms.
- Do not enter the sea if there are warning signs on the shore.
- Bathe in your clothes. Many Thais do just that to protect themselves. After all, the jellyfish stings the surface of the skin, the fabric will help protect it from poison or make the bite much less painful.
- Before entering the water, intensively lubricate the body with oil, it creates a film on the skin and does not make it easy to stick to it.
- Take a lemon, lime, or vinegar solution with you to the beach. If you are stung, lubricate the bite with acid, vodka, ammonia. This is that rare case when strong alcohol will help save, not destroy, health.
- Flush the burn with salt water only! The freshness catalyzes poisonous cells.
- Do not rub the skin, this will increase blood circulation and the spread of poison.
- If there are remnants of tentacles on the skin, gently clean them off with a knife or stick, but not with your bare hands.
- See a doctor immediately. The poison of some jellyfish begins to act only after 15-20 minutes. It is not worth judging by the primary state.
Faced with such a problem on vacation, you just have to wait for the jellyfish to decide to leave your beach or look for another place for water activities. Be attentive and careful - this is a guarantee not only for a good rest, but also for your health.