PHANG NGA – A public safety warning has been issued after blue button jellyfish were found along parts of the shoreline at Princess beach and in other areas of the Similan Islands National Park.

Princess beach has been temporarily closed for swimming.  

Park officials in Phang Nga province alerted visitors to the threat after several blue buttons  were seen in several areas designated for swimming, mainly on the island’s eastern coast, known locally as the front beach.

The marine creatures are easily recognisable by their vivid blue colouring, a distinctive circular “button-like” disc at the centre, and numerous tentacles surrounding the body. They typically drift with ocean currents and are often carried ashore by waves.

While their venom is less severe than that of the box jellyfish, contact can cause an immediate stinging or burning sensation. Symptoms may include redness, swelling, itching or the formation of small fluid-filled blisters. Even when stranded on the beach, the organisms can still irritate the skin, and direct contact should be avoided.

They are also smaller, 2-3cm across, and their stings less painful than the bluebottle jellyfish that often appear at Thai beaches. 

Park officials recommend rinsing  the sting area with seawater. Fresh water should not be used immediately, and the area should not be rubbed. Any remaining tentacles should be carefully removed. Visitors experiencing severe pain, a spreading rash or other unusual symptoms should notify park officials without delay.

As a precautionary measure, the swimming zone along Princess beach has been temporarily closed until conditions are deemed safe.

Tourists who encounter the jellyfish elsewhere in the area are asked to inform park staff immediately and to follow all official guidance strictly in the interest of public safety.