The mayor continued by saying bottles of vinegar were available at several points on the beach to alleviate the pain if someone did get stung by a jellyfish. Officials say that even with the nets in place, swimmers need to keep an eye out for jellyfish drifting in the surf and really ought not to swim at all when it is raining.
Marine scientists say the stings from most of the jellyfish found in the Gulf of Thailand are not fatal. Burapha University’s Duangtip U-ngoen says the exception is box jellyfish and that a couple of these have been spotted in the waters off Chao Samran.
Another scientist noted that the number of jellyfish tended to spike during the annual monsoon season as rain draining from land washed nutrients into the gulf. The nutrients are food for plankton and jellyfish in turn feed on the plankton.
12GO ASIA notes that the declining sea turtle population in the region is another reason jellyfish are more common nowadays then in times gone by. Jellyfish are a source of food for the marine creatures.
Pranburi puts up jellyfish nets at Chao Samran Beach
News in AsiaOfficials in the Gulf of Thailand seaside town of Pranburi have put up nets to try and stop jellyfish washing up onto the main beach. Mayor Boonyod Maklai told media reporters the nets have been dropped in the water at Chao Samran Beach to provide safe swimming zones for tourists.