Sharks are a generalized name for a suborder of cartilaginous fish with a similar structure: an elongated torpedo-shaped body, powerful tail, dorsal and pectoral fins, and a mouth equipped with rows of sharp teeth. There are 450 species in all, of which only three are not predators but phyllators that feed on plankton. They inhabit all tiers of the water column – from the surface to a depth of 2,000 meters. The logic of their behavior, although simple – to hunt anything moving and of a suitable size – is often unexplained and unpredictable. There are stretches of coastline, such as along the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, where they regularly attack people. That’s why beach areas there have special netting. Sharks in Thailand, washed by the waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, there are. They are their common inhabitants. So the question of tourists about whether they should be afraid of them is quite natural.
The answer is both simple and complicated. Indeed, in the waters of Thailand there are predatory fish dangerous to humans. But attacks sharks in Thailand on humans have never yet been recorded (at least we have not heard). In all the time since the tourist boom, which is more than thirty years, this has not happened. Neither just the facts of the attack, much less deaths. The only places where tourists can see these legendary predators are oceanariums (e.g. oceanarium in Bangkok) and boat trips (diving).
What sharks are found in the waters of Thailand?
The area of distribution of a particular species of shark in Thailand clearly depends on their size and food preferences. The relatively shallow and ocean-enclosed Gulf of Thailand, which washes the beaches of Pattaya, beaches of Hua Hin, beaches of Samui, and beaches of Pangan Island, is home to: gray, leopard, various types of reef sharks, black, tiger.Their aggressiveness is rated as medium, since their main food is fish fry. But you should not abuse their tolerance. If you have wounds with open bleeding, you should not test your fate at all.
If you have wounds with open bleeding, you should not test your fate at all.
The beaches in Phuket and beaches in Krabi, located on the Andaman Sea coast, can also be approached by deep-sea, oceanic species whose food is large fish like tuna or marine animals like dolphins, seals. These include: vaunted in horror movies great white shark, and no less dangerous blue, longfin, mako, hammerhead shark and others. Their appearance in shallow water is always accidental, usually these predators tend to leave it as quickly as possible.
Sharks in Thailand are found everywhere, but the likelihood of encountering them is not very high. Especially in the Gulf of Thailand, which suffered an ecological disaster during the Vietnam War of 1965-74, after which the population of all sea creatures is only just beginning to recover. In addition, these carnivorous fish are quite skittish and know for a fact that they are being targeted by locals. Therefore, they always try to avoid meeting with humans, if they are not alone, and small vessels. On the busy sea route linking Pattaya with Ko Lan Island, where dozens of boats pass in one hour, they are almost never encountered.
How not to become a victim of an attack?
From the question of “Are there sharks in Thailand?”, a second question logically follows: how to behave so as not to become a victim of an attack?
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The most important thing is to be careful! When you get to the beach, make sure there’s a metal fence around it. Swimming behind such structures is more expensive. But signs warning of sharks may not be present. Hoteliers are afraid to scare away their potential customers.
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Always remember that a drop of blood can be smelled by a shark from several kilometers away. So if you have bleeding skin injuries, refuse to swim at all. There is a chance that for a piece of bread, with which you want to lure the coral fish, the predator will come. But, most likely, sharks are attracted to slapping on the water. She believes that so behaves wounded animal, which, subsequently, turns out to be her potential prey. This is a natural instinct used by locals to catch them. Only they do not slam the water with their hands and feet, but with a special tackle.
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Ocean sharks in Thailand are a danger to divers, who are usually in deep water alone or in a small group. A relatively successful way to protect themselves is to “stay still” and stay in the water column. Smooth movements do not indicate panic, so this predatory fish may not consider the swimmer as prey.
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Snorkelers are in the greatest danger. Swimming across the surface of the water is usually always accompanied by slapping and splashing. For sharks, there’s no better bait.
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Any bright spot, moving quickly in the water, is sure to interest the predator. So it’s better if not only your wetsuit, but also your regular swimsuit is monochromatic and not too bright. No less attractive are shiny details. You’ve got a depth gauge watch, knives or trim on the camera boxes, for example.
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Take a romantic nighttime dip on the seashore. This is the time when the sharks in Thailand come out to hunt. You may also miss other dangerous sea creatures: jellyfish, sea urchins, rockfish and others.
For more information, we recommend reading the article ” Types of dangers in Thailand.”
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