Weak Sea Turtle Found Stranded on Phuket’s Patong Beach

A sea turtle weighing more than 50 kilogrammes was found stranded and in a weakened condition on Patong Beach in Phuket on September 3.

The turtle was discovered on the shoreline in Patong subdistrict, Kathu district, early in the morning.

Jiraporn Wijit was walking along the beach at around 6am when she noticed the turtle lying on the sand. According to Khaosod English, she immediately alerted lifeguards stationed at Patong Beach.

The lifeguards moved the turtle away from the waterline and provided first aid. They continued monitoring its condition while arrangements were made to transfer the animal to a specialist marine rescue centre.

The lifeguards contacted the Siritharn Rare Marine Animal Rescue Centre, which operates under the Upper Andaman Marine and Coastal Resources Research Centre in Laem Phanwa, Wichit, Muang Phuket.

According to reports by The Phuket News and Thai Rath, the turtle was expected to be transferred to the Sireetarn team for a health assessment and any treatment considered necessary. However, the two outlets differed on whether the handover had already taken place when their reports were published.

The rescue centre plans to keep the turtle under care until it has recovered sufficiently to be returned to the wild.

The reason why the turtle became stranded has not been established. The rescue centre had not confirmed any injury or illness at the time of reporting.

Similar incidents involving weak or injured sea turtles have occurred on Phuket in recent years. In September 2024, lifeguards at Bang Tao Beach in Thalang district found a 30-kilogramme turtle that was too weak to swim. The animal also had no visible injuries and was handed over to marine rescue teams for further care.

Other turtles found around Phuket have been discovered trapped in fishing nets. Rescue teams have freed and treated animals caught in discarded fishing gear, although such incidents can sometimes result in fatal injuries.

Marine officials in the region have also dealt with cases involving other protected marine species. Among them was a decomposed dugong found on Phuket, whose death was considered likely to have resulted from natural causes rather than human activity.