Box Jellyfish Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines & The Region

If it was a Great White Shark there would be fear and panic. If it was a ruthless pirate there would be shock and horror. If it was a deadly algal bloom there would be alarm and trepidation. But there was not a ripple, not a murmur, not a blink when the planet's most venomous animal responsible for an estimated 100-200 human deaths in South-East Asia every year was officially for the first time captured on a tourist beach in the Gulf of Thailand.

There is not much in the way of meaningful data available on the Box Jellyfish situation in Thailand or any other country in South-East Asia. It is believed by many well versed in Box Jellyfish research that numerous stings - both fatal and near-fatal - go undetected due to victims not reporting to a medical facility, not being required to get a death certificate, cultural and religious restraints, misdiagnosis (apparent drowning or heart attack) and lies (apparent drowning or heart attack).

A 9 year old Swedish girl is lucky to be alive after receiving serious stings from what is understood to be a Chironex-type Box Jellyfish. Holidaying with family on the Gulf island of Koh Mak located in the Koh Chang group in Trat province, Ida Rosenberg according to reports in ScandAsia, Aftonbladet and Phuketwan was splashing around close to shore when her parents who were snorkelling heard her agonizing screams.