Giant honey bee attack leaves 17 injured in Pattaya

Seventeen individuals, including 13 students, sustained injuries after a swarm of giant honey bees targeted a location near a government complex in Pattaya on August 20, according to local reports. Emergency responders, alerted around 10:20 AM, dispatched more than five ambulances to the area, situated close to Bang Lamung Police Station, the district office, and a school.

Initially, 10 individuals in need of assistance were found near food and drink stalls beneath a sizable rain tree, some experiencing swelling from the bee stings and receiving first aid before being transported to Pattaya Patmakun Hospital. The injured count subsequently increased to 17, comprising four adults and 13 students.

Among the injured was 71-year-old food vendor Onanong, who reportedly endured around 100 bee stings and sustained serious injuries. Police Captain Ratchaphon Seniwong Na Ayutthaya, deputy investigation inspector at Bang Lamung Police Station, was also injured while attempting to assist Onanong. A nearby food vendor, 58-year-old Jirapa, stated that Onanong had been lighting a fire to grill chicken when several bees from a hive located high in the rain tree commenced flying towards her.

Less than two minutes later, hundreds of bees swarmed Onanong. Ratchaphon attempted to pull her away but was subsequently attacked and fell to the ground. The officer then utilized a fire extinguisher to drive the bees away, and the swarm continued to attack individuals passing through the area, including students who had been heading home following classes suspended due to a power outage.

An initial assessment discovered a large beehive, measuring approximately one meter by one meter, near the apex of the rain tree. Pattaya disaster prevention officers utilized an elevated platform to access the hive and burned it. Residents mentioned that a similar bee attack had transpired in the vicinity before, although the earlier incident was less severe.

The giant honey bee, scientifically classified as Apis dorsata, is a honey bee native to South and Southeast Asia. These social bees are renowned for their aggressive defensive tactics and ferocious behavior when disturbed.