BANGKOK, Thailand – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suchart Chomklin has instructed the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources to coordinate efforts across all sectors to monitor the status of the bowmouth guitarfish (Rhina ancylostomus), a vulnerable marine ray species, after reports of a sighting in Trang Province.
Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources Pinsak Suraswadi endorsed the policy and instructed the Marine and Coastal Resources Office 7 to conduct field monitoring. Preliminary inquiries indicated that the bowmouth guitarfish was observed swimming close to shore near Khlong Lak Khan in Palian District of Trang Province, on January 18, 2026. The animal was sighted for about four to five minutes and showed no visible injuries or entanglement with fishing gear before swimming into the nearby canal.
The Department will continue monitoring through patrols, surveillance, and by preventing activities that may affect the bowmouth guitarfish and other rare marine species. Public information will be shared through the Trang Marine Protection Volunteer Network and coastal communities, urging caution during navigation and the placement of fishing gear. Officials have also assigned unmanned aerial vehicles to survey the area in the coming days to enhance monitoring.
The public is encouraged to report sightings of injured or distressed bowmouth guitarfish or other rare marine animals to the Marine Department hotline at 1362, available 24 hours a day. These efforts will help ensure the ongoing protection and sustainable conservation of Thailand’s marine resources. (NNT)
