Killer on the loose

Swimmers are warned after deadly box jellyfish tentacles cause fatalities

Tourists snorkelling off Thailand’s southern coasts have been falling victim to swarms of deadly box jellyfish lately.

Victims have arrived at Krabi Provincial Hospital and Phi Phi health station.

Dead in three minutes

“The venom from a box jellyfish can kill a human in less than three minutes,” said Phuket Marine Biological Centre director Wannakiat Tubtimsang yesterday.

Warnings about the dangerous “sea wasp” are being broadcast by relevant bodies including the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and swimmers are being advised to steer clear of certain waters.

According to Wannakiat, one swimmer died last month after suffering box-jellyfish stings. The creatures have recently been spotted in Phuket’s Nambor Bay, Krabi’s Loh Samah Bay and the islands of Lanta and Phi Phi.

Venom attacks the heart

“Burning pain on the skin is the first sign of contact,” said Wannakiat, adding that if the box jellyfish venom enters the bloodstream, the victim can suffer congestive heart failure.

Unlike other members of the species, the box jellyfish actively hunts its prey. These aggressive tendencies along with an almost-transparent body that’s difficult to spot even at short distances make it a menace to human swimmers.

Vinegar for stings

Wannakiat warned people against using cold water to alleviate the pain of a box-jellyfish sting.

“That can make things worse,” he said. “The best solution is to apply vinegar or hot water, then get to a doctor as fast as possible.”

So far this year, the box jellyfish has been blamed for at least two deaths in Thailand. The first victim was an 11-year-old Swedish boy who was stung to death in Krabi.

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Floods hit North, central provinces

Floods are hitting many lower North and Central provinces following several days of heavy rains in the areas.

In Uttaradit, many Chiang Mai bound trains from Bangkok have been suspended after sections of the railways were inundated. Commuters were forced to use buses after the trains stopped running due to the flooding.

A warning about possible landslides has been issued in Uttaradit, where many people were killed in separate incidents two years ago. A total of 189 villages in Lablae, Muang and Tha Pla districts are still at risk of landslides or mudslides.

In neighbouring Phrae, both passenger and cargo trains heading to Bangkok have been stuck for days, but they were expected to be back in service yesterday evening after the railway lines were repaired, said senior State Railways of Thailand official Charn Tansiri.

In Kamphaengphet, thousands of rai of farmland are under floodwater and more than 40 families are stranded. Monks are starving and receiving food from villages after they stopped taking morning alms due to flooding.

In Tak’s Mae Sot district, more than 500 families have been stranded by floods, and many schools have been damaged.

In Chaiyaphum in the Northeast, thousands of rai of farmland are either under water or damaged. People living by the Chi River have been warned to watch out for flash floods.

In Chaiyanat, eight villages located downstream to the Chao Phya Dam are flooded after water was released to avoid excessive capacity. The flooding also hit two districts in neighbouring Ang Thong, inundating 230 households there.

In the central province of Ayutthaya, where high floodwater is a regular occurrence every wet season, preventive measures are being carried out and embankments being built, although the water level is not yet high.

Source: The Nation - 03 November 2008

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Over 40,000 infected with malaria this year

BANGKOK: — Over 40,000 people, including local residents and migrant workers across the country, have sought medical treatment for malaria infection in recent months, health records reveal.

The Department of Disease Control’s (DDC) chief, Dr Somchai Chakkrabhand said this year the number of Thai people infected with malaria in the first nine months was 20,506 - while the number of migrant workers was 20,803. Tak province is the most hit area with 4,471 cases; while Yala recorded 3,971; and Narathiwat 1,284 cases.

Somchai said the number of migrant workers with malaria in three provinces is increasing - in Chantaburi, Tak and Kanchanaburi - and he expects the overall number of malaria cases to be even higher next year.

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Melamine scare, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ban products.

Bangkok - Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ordered a nationwide ban on the sale of three snack products imported from China and Malaysia after they were found to contain excessive levels of melamine, reports said Saturday. The banned items included Chinese-made Hajuku brand strawberry cream stick biscuits, Chinese-made Koala chocolate cream biscuits and Malaysian-made Julie’s peanut cream crackers, all of which contained more than the safety limit of 2.5 milligrams per kilogram, Thai News Agency reported.

FDA secretary general Pipat Yingseri ordered retailers to remove the items from their shelves nationwide.

Melamine is typically used as a bonding agent for particle board, and as a pesticide.

There has been a worldwide health scare after thousands of Chinese infants became ill last month from drinking milk formula contaminated by melamine. Four of the infants died.

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Centre to help residents affected by cold
Oct 20 2008

NAKHON RATCHASIMA / A coordination centre has been set up to offer help to residents affected by the cold weather, which is being felt in many provinces in the lower Northeast.

The office for disaster prevention and mitigation in Region 5 announced yesterday that the centre is now up and running in Nakhon Ratchasima and will coordinate assistance for victims of the cold weather in Nakhon Ratchasima and the neighbouring provinces of Chaiyaphum, Buri Ram and Surin.

Office director Wallop Theppakdee said the mercury has dropped in most parts of the North and Northeast as the rain has given way to the cold season.

He said the cold season is forecast to last until the middle of February.

The centre, which operates around the clock, is well-stocked with warm clothes. Residents have been warned to brace for cold spells.

In the past two days, the temperature in the Northeast has dropped by an average of two degrees Celsius.

Mr Wallop said the governor of each province is authorised to disburse up to 50 million baht in emergency funds to aid the centre.

Farmers were also advised to keep plenty of hay and water for their livestock. There could also be outbreaks of crop diseases during the change of weather.

More wet weather is predicted for Chon Buri and Phetchaburi, according to a Meteorological Department forecast.

Major tourist attractions in high elevations have reported an increasing number of visitors in Chiang Rai and Prachin Buri.

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