The Jellyfish Thread

[Cing Jai]

After my girl was stung a while ago in Cha Am, I've spent several hours the last few days perusing all the info here and on other forums about jellyfish in the area, including following links to other sites and I've come to 1 conclusion after all this...

VINEGAR

You should have a bottle of vinegar in the trunk (boot in UK speak) of your car or in your beach bag if you plan on getting wet! In these parts it seems the most severe stings, taking months to heal and leaving nasty scarring are caused by Box Jellyfish. The venom, in the form of nematocysts, can be deactivated by quick treatment with simple vinegar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jellyfish#Toxicity

Now, when you buy your vinegar have a look at the top for a second. I was in Tesco and the 10 Baht bottles, which I had my eye on at first, require a knife to cut open the top! If you cut it early it will leak in your car or beach bag, yuck! Buy the 20 Baht bottle (I got Kewpie brand) because it has a ring you just pull off and bam it's open! Time is of the essence getting vinegar on a bad sting. Keeping a bottle in your beach kit cost next to nothing and could save someone a ton of trouble.

Both scientists and residents seem to agree that the rainy season is the worst time for jellyfish in the area but they can be encountered all year.

Finally, a note on using vinegar out of the Hua Hin / Gulf of Thailand area. You should NEVER use vinegar on a sting from a Portuguese man o' war! I learned it's not actually a jellyfish but a colony and it is likely the most toxic creature yet discovered on earth! Vinegar would actually make the sting much worse! Fortunately, the closest they get to The Gulf of Thailand is around Australia but, they are also found in other parts of the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese ... d_location

Maybe all or some of the threads about jellyfish could be merged into one and it could be a sticky?

[Maccapacca]

When travelling around Australia ,in particular north east area, I noticed a lot of the beaches had emergency stations where there was vinegar solutions at hand specifically to use for jellyfish stings.
I have never seen this on any beach in Thailand that I have been to.
Good idea to take a bottle with you to the beach especially with my four kids.

[STEVE G]

I still have a slight scar on my right arm from when a jellyfish stung me off Hua Hin about ten years a go, so they are worth avoiding. It's not that painful but it takes a long time to fully heal.

[PeteC]

Australia has the tiny Irukandji jellyfish which is a real bad character. You can't even see them in the water. There have been stories that they have worked their way up to Indonesia. I hope they never make it as far as Thailand. Pete

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irukandji_jellyfish

[Big Boy]

I have never seen this on any beach in Thailand that I have been to.

In my experience, most of the beach bars will have some on hand if you get stung. They also use some leaf that pick from the undergrowth.

[fach3003]

Hi all

Last year a load of us including kids where down the beach in Cha am
Having a few beers etc ( not the kids ) and a few of them wee stung
and the thais with us rushed to the 7/11 for soda water.....
they poured on the stung areas it seemed to work.....

any ideas ?

cheers

fach

[fach3003]

not wee.....were... i swear my english is getting worse every day : (
hahaha

[Big Boy]

They say wee works as well anything else.

[deepee]

They say wee works as well anything else.

Plenty of studies on the use of urine suggest that it may in fact add to the discomfort of a sting rather than reduce it Big Boy

[Big Boy]

Best to stay out of the sea and avoid the problem altogether. If you can't do that, stay out when the risk is highest.

[Frank Hovis]

And don't go near Big Boy if you've been stung or he'll whip it out and give you a champagne shower !

[Big Boy]

Only if the price is right

[Sydman]

Is there a jellyfish season in Hua Hin??

In northern Aus its Oct-Apr.

[Cing Jai]

During the rainy season. Now through September.

[Sydman]

During the rainy season. Now through September.

Awesome!!
Trust me to book in jellyfish season

Thanks for the response CJ.