Shark-bite fame, or bust

Sai Noi Beach in southern Hua Hin is usually packed with tourists in the summer due to its powdery white sands and pristine blue waters, but over the past two weeks this normally bustling beach has been almost deserted. Beachgoers started avoiding the place after a foreign tourist was recently attacked by a bull shark.

Warning signs have been installed along the beach and a safety net 400 metres long and six metres wide strung up 50 metres off the beach to protect tourists and deter more shark attacks.

On April 15, 54-year-old Norwegian tourist Werner Danielsen was bitten in the leg as he was swimming at Hat Sai Noi in the sea off Sai Noi Beach.

At first, nobody would admit he was a shark-attack victim, because such incidents are rare in Thai waters. A tendon in his ankle was severely damaged, the wound deep. He was taken to hospital and received 19 stitches.

Phra Khru Boonya Phiram, an abbot at Wat Tham Khao Tao, later released a video clip showing at least four sharks swimming off the beach, forcing authorities to admit there were indeed sharks in the area, and that one of them had bitten Mr Danielsen.

The clip added to publicity about the shark attack, bringing mixed results. While Thais who once visited the beach are now staying away, foreign visitors are more willing to chance fate by taking a dip in the beach's silky waters, taking comfort from the fact that authorities are now installing shark nets.

Those nets, which have set off debates overseas about shark welfare and whether some harmless marine species might also get entangled in their mesh, putting them at risk, illustrate the sensitive nature of the debate over sharks.

They pose a negligible risk to swimmers and attract little interest for the most part -- until someone gets bitten.

Now, the local temple which filmed the clip of sharks circling off the beach reports an increase in "shark tourism" -- visitors drawn by the prospect of shark sightings, eager to spot the endangered species in local waters. This should help offset the drop in beachgoer numbers to and a recent decrease in resort bookings which has been reported since the attack took place.

BEACHGOERS STAY AWAY

In the eyes of local businesses at Sai Noi Beach, Mr Danielsen was not the only victim hurt by a shark, as they are feeling the bite as well.

Prayat Inpitak, 75, an owner of a small resort near the beach, said five customers have cancelled bookings at his resort since news of the shark bite broke.

Although they didn't give a reason for their cancellations, Mr Prayat said he believed news of shark sightings in local waters and the attack on the tourist are scaring people away.

"The publicity surrounding this is out of control," he said. "I don't think people understand the ramifications it can have on local businesses. I've never had so many cancellations in one week," he said.

Sunee Maiman, owner of a souvenir shop in the area, said the popular beach, which usually draws up to 500 visitors daily during summer season, now attracts only 20-30 visitors on weekdays and fewer than 100 on weekends.

"Compared with a normal situation, the number of customers and sales have fallen sharply. It's a huge blow for us," she said.

Ms Sunee said she hoped the shark nets will help restore people's confidence.

"Some local people were strongly against nets because of the danger they can ensnare and kill hundreds of other marine animals, but I think it's the only way at the moment," she said.

Another local entrepreneur, who asked not to be named, criticised Mr Danielsen for swimming in an area which tourists are warned off. He also chided the abbot at Wat Tham Khao Tao for exaggerating the situation after the monk claimed in the video clip that he had even seen 40 to 50 of sharks in the sea when looking from his temple.

"We all know that sharks do not normally attack humans unless they are bleeding, and I've heard the victim was swimming in an area where there are sharp rocks on the sea bed. He might have slipped on sharp rocks and cut himself with his blood attracting the shark," he said.

NO DETERRENT FOR FOREIGNERS

Prasit Pramcheun, an officer of the Department of Disaster Prevention & Mitigation, who was assigned to watch the situation on the beach between April 19-25, said he had been asked by many foreign tourists about the warning signs and when he explained to them about the recent attack they understood. Some chose not to go in the water and stay on the beach.

"Some foreigners even asked me if it's okay to swim in shallow areas and I told them there is no problem with that because the beach is not closed. We just warn them to not go into deep areas and not to wear clothes with colours which attract sharks mistaking them for food, mainly red or orange," he said.

However, Mr Prasit said he has rarely seen Thai tourists coming to Sai Noi Beach and asking for information since the shark attack took place.

"I think Thai tourists are too scared of sharks. The chance of a shark attack is one in 2 million, and a fatal shark attack is even less likely. Rather than unreasonably fearing sharks, I think swimmers should be wary of more apparent dangers such as getting stung by sea urchins or poisonous jellyfish," he said.

Stoka Solla, a tourist from Poland, said he learned news of the shark attack at Sai Noi Beach from newspapers and TV. However, he still came to catch some rays and take a swim off the beach.

"I know the risk, but I'm not scared of sharks as they rarely attack humans. In Thailand, the chance of being injured on a motorcycle or getting bitten by rabid dogs is much higher than being attacked by a shark," he said.

Marijan Plese, a tourist from Croatia, said he was not too worried about shark dangers, and praised Thai authorities for putting up warning signs and installing the safety net to protect tourists.

"All tourists are warned by signs, so it's their choice whether to go in the water. I think people are observing the ocean a little bit more, taking in what's happening out there rather than just jumping in the water and going for it, which is a good thing," he said.

OPPORTUNITY IN CRISIS

At Wat Tham Khao Tao, situated on a cliff near Sai Noi Beach, where the footage of sharks swimming in the sea was shot, the situation is quite different as the place is now full of tourists hoping to glimpse the marine predators.

Duangta Muangmanee, owner of a stall in front of the temple, said her sales have increased almost half since a group of bull sharks was spotted in the sea from the temple's balcony.

"Tourists are now coming from everywhere. They show up and ask, 'What's the best spot to see the sharks?' or 'What time do they start to show up?" For me, the sharks are boosting our incomes at the temple by luring more tourists," she said.

Supoj Porthongkham, a tourist from Chumphon province, said he came to the temple specifically because of the recent shark sighting.

"I was kind of hoping to see a fin pop up from the water, but I saw nothing," he said.

When asked why he visited the temple instead of the beach, he said he thought the beach was closed and assumed the temple's balcony would be the best spot for a sighting.

"I think there is a better chance of seeing a shark up here, more than on the beach, and I also wouldn't want to be the first back in the water after the attack," he said.

Bannarak Sermthong, director of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources Regional Centre 4, said the number of bull sharks in the seas around Sai Noi Beach and Wat Tham Khao Tao is increasing because of the greater availability of prey, as they are restricted areas for fishing.

"Our team has spotted bull sharks from the vantage point at the temple five days in a row. They usually show up during high tide and we have seen them swimming around from 3pm to 11 pm. Tourists who come before that are unlikely to see them," he said.

Bannarak admitted the shark attack news has hurt beach tourism.

However, he thinks it also presents an opportunity for Hua Hin municipality to turn the shark sighting into a tourist attraction in the long run.

"The most important thing is that we need to raise awareness about the animal among locals and tourists. For example, using bait to attract sharks to a particular spot for tourism must not be allowed. People need to keep in mind that the ocean is the sharks' home and we are just their guests," he said.

NO HELP IN SIGHT

As the shark-bite drama breaks around him, victim Werner Danielsen has his own reason to regret his dip in the seas that day, quite apart from what the shark took out of his leg.

After a two-night stay in Bangkok Hospital Hua Hin, Werner Danielsen was transferred to Khon Kaen province, his wife's hometown, where he is receiving post-bite treatment at Srinagarind Hospital.

On the day of the accident, officials turned out in big numbers offering flowers and goods hampers, perhaps eager to fend off bad publicity from the normally booming tourist town.

Danielsen's wife, Amornrat "Kaew" Paeng-nga, says interest in her husband's plight was as fleeting as the shark which bit him that day.

Officers from various government agencies who turned out at the hospital on the day of the accident and promised to help, have since disappeared.

"On the day of his admission, everyone was there, the governor, mayor, tourism police. They told me 'if you need any help, just tell us, we will be here'. Yet so far, they have given us flowers and hampers, nothing else."

Ms Kaew said the governor of Prachuap Khiri Khan handed her an envelope of money.

However, she refused take it, telling him to keep it for those who are really in need.

At the time, she said, she and her husband understood the insurance company based in his country would cover the cost of his treatment.

During their stay at Bangkok Hospital Hua Hin, where Mr Danielsen was first hospitalised, they contacted the company, which paid approximately 100,000 for his initial operation cost.

However, not long after, they learned the company was no longer willing to cover his expenses because Mr Danielsen had overstayed his visa.

Mr Danielson, who has visited Thailand on and off for over a decade, failed to extend his stay this time (Norwegians can enter Thailand and stay for 30 days without a visa), prompting the insurance company to refuse him coverage.

The company, therefore, sent the bill to Mr Danielsen's home in Norway.

In response, Ms Kaew reached out to the agencies which visited her husband at the hospital on April 19 and promised to help.

First, she tried to contact the governor of Prachuap Khiri Khan but was not successful.

She then called the mayor of Hua Hin municipality on Saturday but also failed to reach him. Neither called back.

Ms Kaew feels it is the state's responsibility to assist her husband since the incident was not self-inflicted.

"If it's a self-inflicted accident like an injury from a motorcycle, I would not ask for any help. But this accident occurred in the ocean. There was no warning sign nor flag. The they can't deny responsibility; they are liable," she said.

She said the state should step forward and help alleviate their plight.

"I don't want the country to lose face, so I haven't made a fuss yet."