A German tourist suffered a significant injury while swimming at a beach in Khao Lak, Thailand, where she was bitten by an unidentified fish. The incident resulted in a deep, 20-centimeter wound on the woman's lower leg, requiring her to be hospitalized for surgery. Fortunately, her condition has stabilized since the attack.

The incident occurred on November 29, during which the 57-year-old was swimming in shallow waters near a resort alongside her family. Witnesses report that she suddenly cried out in pain, prompting immediate assistance from those nearby. She was subsequently taken to a local hospital before being transferred to a facility in Phuket for further treatment.

Khao Lak is a favored destination among German tourists, located on the mainland near Phuket, Thailand's largest island. Authorities are currently awaiting expert analysis to determine the species of fish responsible for the attack. Thai marine expert Thon Thamrongnawasawat from Kasetsart University has suggested that shark involvement cannot be ruled out based on the wound's characteristics. He speculated that either a bull shark or a blacktip reef shark could be the culprit.

According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), there were 69 unprovoked shark attacks reported worldwide in 2023. These incidents occur when individuals are in natural habitats of sharks without deliberately engaging with them. This number aligns with the average from the previous five years, with ten of those attacks resulting in fatalities. The majority of shark attacks were recorded in the United States and Australia.

Following the incident involving the German tourist, expert Thon emphasized that the fish only bit once, indicating that it likely mistook her leg for prey and retreated upon realizing the error. He reassured the public that shark attacks in Thailand are infrequent, occurring approximately every three to five years, and that they rarely result in fatalities. He noted that such attacks do not typically recur in the same location, suggesting that sharks do not intentionally target humans.

Speculation on social media has also suggested that a large barracuda might have been responsible for the bite. A similar incident was reported in January 2020, where a tourist was bitten by a large fish in the same region, with experts also suspecting a shark incident due to mistaken identity.

Thon further highlighted that Thailand has not recorded a fatal shark attack in over fifty years. He advised tourists to exercise caution when swimming early in the morning or late in the evening, as these are times when shark activity may be heightened.

The Khao Lak incident serves as a reminder of the ocean's unpredictable nature, and while such occurrences are rare, awareness and caution remain essential for those enjoying Thailand's beautiful coastal waters.