The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources has launched a campaign warning tourists in Phuket to beware of venomous jellyfish when swimming in the Andaman Sea after a number of foreigners were stung and required treatment.
Authorities said they have erected 12 warning signs on 10 beaches in the past six weeks, with first aid information for jellyfish stings, Thai Rath newspaper reported on Tuesday, quoting Noppon Srisuk, the department’s director-general.
Venomous jellyfish found on the beaches at Phuket. (Photo by Phuket News)
The 10 beaches included Patong, Sirinath Marine National Park, Nai Yang, Nai Thon, Bang Tao, Surin, Kamala, Kata, Karon and Nai Harn.
Posters carrying similar information including the use and of vinegar to treat jellyfish stings were also posted and distributed in those neighbourhoods.
Medical authorities generally agree that dabbing the skin around the jellyfish stings with vinegar will help neutralise the toxin and relieve the pain. However, this is not always effective.Vinegar is not recommended for stings by bluebottle (Portuguese man-o'-war) stings and may have little effect on stings by irukandji jellyfish Bluebottle, irukandji, and box jellyfish stings have specific treatments recommended.
The department also had vinegar stations with identifying signs and instructions set up near the beaches so that people could provide quick first aid to those injured by the stings.
Mr Noppon said his department was studying the proliferation and season of venomous jellyfish in the waters near tourist beaches and in commercial fishing areas along the country’s shoreline.
The study began in Phuket, Krabi and Satun and would continue later in 10 provinces on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand including Trat, Chon Buri, Chachoengsao, Samut Songkhram, Phetchaburi, Surat Thani, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla and Pattani.
The project, jointly carried out with Department of Disease Control’s epidemiology bureau, aims to study the level of jellyfish infestation, and to devise measures to prevent deaths and injuries from the jellyfish.