Thread: 'Shark attack' off Hua Hin beach prompts investigation

Bangkok Post
17 Apr 2018 at 19:20
WRITER: CHAIWAT SATYAEM AND ONLINE REPORTERS



Senior officials visit a Norwegian tourist who sustained injuries while swimming off a beach in Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan. Authorities have yet to conclude whether he was bitten by a shark. (Photo by Chaiwat Satyaem)

PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN: The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources will send a patrol team to survey areas off a Hua Hin beach after a tourist was reportedly bitten by a shark, and video apparently showed sharks in the sea.

Department deputy chief Sophon Thongdee said so far there has been no confirmation that a Norwegian tourist sustained injuries from a shark attack while swimming at Sai Noi beach in Hua Hin on April 15. Authorities had not yet reached a onclusion on the case, Thai media reported, despite the tourist's severe wounds and a video clip apparently showing sharks swimming in the area near Sai Noi beach. The clip was posted by the abbot of Wat Kham Khao Tao to warn tourists about a possible shark attack.

Phra Khru Boonya Piram, abbot of Wat Tham Khao Tao, said the clip drew mixed reaction online. Some said that it might cause panic among tourists visiting Hua Hin. He had did not intend to affect tourism, said the abbot, but just wanted to warn people to take extra caution while swimming. He said he has lived in the temple for more than 20 years and saw severeal sharks swimming in waters in front of the temple in February this year.

After hearing that a tourist had sustained injuries from a shark bite while swimming at Sai Noi beach near his temple, he then took a video of sharks and posted it online to warn people, said the abbot.

Video by Daeng Jitwarin via Khon Pranburi Facebook page.



Deputy Prachuap Khiri Khan governor Chotnarin Kerdsom said he has coordinated with all relevant agencies to survey the area where the tourist sustained injuries, and to seek information from the abbot.

Images of the tourist’s wounds were being examined by marine experts to find out whether they were from shark bites.

The deputy governor on Tuesday took officials to visit the 54-year-old Norwegian at Bangkok Hua Hin Hospital.
Dr Pongsak Boonyaleephan, assistant director of the hospital, said the tourist was admitted on the evening of April 15 with severe wounds to his left foot. The patient was given 19 stitches and his wounds gradually improved, said the doctor.

Ms Amornrat Paeng-nga, wife of the injured tourist, said her husband did not want to blame anyone for what happened. She wanted to thank people who rushed her husband to a hospital. Her family loved Hua Hin, said the woman, and the incident would not discourage them from coming back to visit every year.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...-investigation

One wonders how long the Abbot will keep his job.

I'm not convinced those were sharks.

The story has a bit of a bite but I just can't sink my teeth into it.

How can one be certain it was....



The fish?

As we speak the fish is being sought for questioning by the Hua Hin local police.

Initially I thought he'd fallen foul of the jetski mafia

Without a pointing pic it is extremely difficult to know whether the shark was responsible or not.

Could have been a nasty jelly fish attack or worse a Chang parasol in the surf..

Why all this slobbering and fanfare over this random incident?

Sharks.
In the ocean.
Attack mode.


That's what they do.

A bit of over reaction, me thinks.

Patrol boat combs Hua Hin sea to look for sharks

The Department of Marine and Coastal Resources has dispatched a team of experts on a patrol boat to look for sharks in the sea of Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan after one foreign tourist was reported to be attacked by a shark as he was swimming in the sea.


Mr Sophon Thongdee, deputy director of the department, said Tuesday (April 17) that experts were not sure that the tourist was attacked by a shark because there had never been a single case of shark attack in the Gulf of Thailand except a case in Phuket in the Andaman sea last year.


Nevertheless, he said that a team of experts was dispatched on a patrol boat patrolling the Hua Hin sea from Wat Tham Khao Tao through Khao Tao beach, Hat Sai Yai, Hat Sai Noi and Hat Hua Hin beaches to look for sharks.


He said that the officials would also talk with the abbot of Wat Tham Khao Tao who claimed to have seen sharks swimming near the beach at the temple in the afternoon.


The abbot, Phra Khru Boonyapiram, claimed he had taken still pictures and video of the shark with his smart phone on April 16 and posted them on the social media.

@แดง จิตต์วารินทร์ ชัดๆ แผลฉลาม หรือ แผลจากตัวเพียงถ้าเป็นตัวเพียง จะเป็นแผลด้านใดด้านนึง หรือใต้ฝ่าเท้าแต่จากแผลที่เห็นเนื้อหายไปด้านน ึง และแผลเป็นโดยรอบข้อเท้าและเมื่อวานโยมมาเที่ยวหลายค น เห็นฉลามเข้าบริเวณ เต่าทอง หน้าวัดถ้ำเขาเต่า กันทุกคน เวลา 17.30 น.จนต้องโทรไปบอกโยมที่จัดงานวันสงกรานต์ ประกาศให้ โยมที่กำลังเล่นน้ำหน้าหาดเขาเต่า ขึ้นจากน้ำถ้าจะรอให้คนตายก่อนตามสบายถ่ายได้สดๆร้อน ๆ ปลาฉลาม จร้า หนักโดยประมาณ 50 ก.ก. ถ่ายได้บริเวณ เต่าทอง หน้าวัดถ้ำเขาเต่า เวลา 16.10 น.ไม่ใช้ตัวเดียวตามที่ประมาณ 40-50ตัวฝรั่งที่โดนกัดเมื่อวานเวลาประมาณนี้เลยจร้า เย็บ 41 เข็ม กระดูกแตกหัก
Posted by เพจคนปราณบุรี on Monday, 16 April 2018

In the meantime, Mr Sophon said that the wounds on the victim had to be examined carefully by forensic experts who would be able to give the answer whether they were inflicted by a shark or not.


Admitting that the report of shark attack is affecting tourism business, the deputy director-general said, if there are actually a shark or sharks in the Hua Hin sea, officials would try to catch them and have them sent elsewhere “but that depends on whether it can be proven that there is a shark or more sharks in the Hua Hin sea.”


Patrol boat combs Hua Hin sea to look for sharks - Thai PBS English News

Sharks don't pop in to 7-11 and bother humans

So never understood why they need to hunt the shark down

What will they say to it? ''Don't do it again''

There was a report elsewhere that a doctor said the wounds were from contact with rocks, as per barnacles which are very sharp and can cause nasty cuts.

FFS There were 2 shark attacks on monday of WA coast,we better send out the navy and round up every shark of the WA coast.

Maybe he gets a bigger insurance payout if it's a shark, as he isn't to blame.

It's not like they got warning signs about sharks like they do with jellyfish... so he didn't know

No brainer, possibly

There might be sharks around Thailand, why not. I remember climbing on a fishing boat off Koh Samui more than 30 years ago, interesting to see what was their catch. And, among others, they showed me a young shark...

^ Spot on Bobo.

Bobo nailed it. Can't green you again but in the real world sharks don't eat people, people eat people.

But I'll wait Patiently by waiting for the cops to apprehend and grill the shark.
Sharks lives matter, they're worth a fin or two. Just ask any loan shark.

Originally Posted by Maanaam

I'm not convinced those were sharks.

Indeed, they appear to be more like a school of circling haddock cruising around their favourite prey of basking plankton.

you twat, just what the fuck else do you think they were.

Sharks are not unknown anywhere in the world where the prevailing climate is not fuckimg Arctic. Britain regularly has sharks visiting in the warmer seasons but they are not the species noted for their feeding off folk they confuse with other foodie shark temptations.

The story is of course of great interest to many, except the more gormless TD member and naturally the greedy Thai would wish to suppress it.

If this species of shark is now entering new feeding grounds to include peninsula Malaya and the Gulf of Thailand then it would obviously affect tourism insofar most will not wish to bathe offshore more than a few metres.

The report of barnacle clad rocks being responsible is of course no more than one expects from a people prone to spreading disinformation in order to conceal the truth that might prejudice their money grubbing.

I never swim in tropical waters deeper than my height and in waters that are not crystal clear - it's the natural habitat for numerous species that can fuckimg ruin your day e.g sea snakes, jelly fish.......and sharks.

Originally Posted by Seekingasylum

you twat, just what the fuck else do you think they were.

Heaven knows why you feel the need to be offensive. Is it grumpy old man syndrome or chronic constipation?

Over the years I've seen hundreds of sharks in the sea. Hundreds.
I'm not convinced those two fish have the shape or swimming style of sharks. Not sure of the scale of perspective, but they don't look very big, either. I'm not saying they're definitely not sharks, but I am dubious.
You're like the monk; see some biggish fish where you've not seen biggish fish before and jump to a conclusion.

He doesnt suffer fools very well, SA

There's sharks in Cornwall in the summer, never heard of any surfers getting attacked, but they're a lot smaller. There's dolphins too.

Seals are around 24/7

Originally Posted by Klondyke

There might be sharks around Thailand, why not. I remember climbing on a fishing boat off Koh Samui more than 30 years ago, interesting to see what was their catch. And, among others, they showed me a young shark...

There are 100% definitely sharks in the gulf of Thailand. Chumporn pinnacle has Bull sharks as well as Grey Reef (seen both myself). Bamboo sharks are all over the gulf (seen myself). Supposed to be leopard sharks - but not seen one myself on the Gulf side. Both black and white tip reef sharks likely to be on the gulf side, but again, cannot confirm personally.

There was rumours of occasional tiger sharks around Samaesan, but not sure that was ever really confirmed.

The Andaman side is another story with pretty much all those to be found for sure (except the tiger maybe).

Originally Posted by nidhogg

There are 100% definitely sharks in the gulf of Thailand.

That crafty old fucker with the dyed brown hair that dont match his eyebrows in the op has not been attacked by a shark.he's not even Norwegian. Thats Taxexile