Sea Turtle Recovers After Passing Wristband Swallowed from Tourist

BANGKOK — Thai marine officials said a sea turtle has recovered after successfully excreting a plastic wristband it swallowed while interacting with tourists in the Andaman Sea.

Dr. Pinsak Suraswadi, director-general of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, said Thursday that the Upper Andaman Sea Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center confirmed the turtle’s condition had improved following weeks of veterinary care in Phuket.

The incident occurred on November 21, 2025, when a tourist fed a wristband to the turtle while snorkeling near the Similan Islands, officials said. National park officers later found the turtle near the Koh Ha–Koh Hok area and transported it to Thap Lamu Pier before transferring it to the research center for urgent medical evaluation.

A screenshot from a video shows a tourist offering a wristband to a sea turtle, which the animal swallowed while snorkeling in Thailand’s Andaman Sea. Dr. Pinsak Suraswadi, director-general of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources

Veterinarians at the Siritharn Rare Marine Animal Rescue Center conducted continuous monitoring and diagnostic tests after the turtle’s admission. X-ray imaging with barium contrast on December 1 detected the wristband in the animal’s digestive tract.

Officials said the wristband, measuring about 20 centimeters in circumference, was mixed with fecal matter but did not cause an intestinal blockage. Blood test results remained within normal ranges, and the turtle was able to eat and excrete normally.

However, examinations of the feces revealed plant and fruit matter — including pineapple leaves, papaya seeds and banana leaves — that are not part of a sea turtle’s natural diet and cannot be properly digested.

An X-ray image shows a wristband inside the stomach of a sea turtle (left) on Dec.1, 2025. Officials later said the wristband was successfully excreted and the turtle’s condition has improved.

After daily health assessments, veterinarians confirmed that the turtle successfully passed the yellow wristband on December 18, along with banana leaves. The entire process, from ingestion to excretion, took 27 days.

Officials said the turtle will continue to be monitored, and authorities are coordinating with national park officials to determine an appropriate time for its release back into the wild. The department reiterated calls for stricter management of marine tourism activities, warning tourists not to feed sea turtles foreign objects or unnatural food.

Regarding the tourist involved, a tour company said the individual has already returned to their home country. The company said it issued a warning but did not file a police complaint, despite the director-general of the Department of National Parks previously ordering an investigation to identify the tourist for possible legal action.

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