Bang Saen fishermen seize golden opportunity as swarm of mantis shrimp surfaces

The phenomenon went viral on social media when Suwanan Saehueng, the daughter of a fisherman in the province, posted a video clip on her Facebook page.

In the clip, a fisherman can be seen seizing the moment and skillfully netting the mantis shrimps along the shoreline. In her post, Suwanan invited other fishermen to capitalise on this unique chance to boost their income.

Explaining the rarity of the sighting, Suwanan noted that red-tail mantis shrimp typically live in the depths of the sea, concealed in holes. However, rising sea temperatures likely prompted their emergence to the surface.

Meanwhile, Chonburi resident Pornwilai Sakhonrat, 35, said she has never witnessed such a phenomenon in her lifetime. Mantis shrimps, she said, can fetch 2 baht each and are sought after for their roe, for use as fishing bait or a delectable snack fried in batter.

Echoing Pornwilai’s sentiments, local fisherman Sang Chusri, 65, said he too had never seen this phenomenon before. He said these shrimps are so rare that no more than 10 can be caught in a fishing net at a time.

"This is the first time that red-tail mantis shrimp have surfaced near Bang Saen Beach,” he said.