A 13-year-old boy died after being stung by a highly venomous box jellyfish while swimming off Thailand's southern coast. The incident occurred on 1 August at Ban Fai Tha beach in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, roughly 800 kilometres south of Bangkok. Jellyfish in the same area also stung two other children and one adult, all of whom survived.
In response, Pinsak Suraswadi, head of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, ordered regional offices to continuously monitor vulnerable stretches of coastline, and authorities have stepped up patrols in areas where jellyfish have been spotted.
Box jellyfish inhabit warm waters across Southeast Asia and northern Australia. In recent years, stings have killed tourists from Germany, France and Israel near Koh Samui and Koh Phangan. Officials advise anyone stung to rinse the wound with household vinegar for at least 30 seconds and avoid rubbing the affected area. Emergency vinegar stations have been installed along at-risk beaches.