The Marine Turtle Conservation Center rushed to save a hawksbill turtle over 20 years old stranded on Nang Rong Beach, Chonburi. Multiple injuries were found on its shell, and X-rays revealed a hook lodged in its mouth.
On 23 May 2026, Rear Admiral Etm Yuwanangkul, Commander of the Air Defense and Coastal Protection Unit, received a report from Commander Ruamphon Inchoom, Deputy Director of Sattahip Port under Sattahip Naval Base, that a large sea turtle was stranded along the shore of Nang Rong Beach, Sattahip District, Chonburi Province. He ordered Commander Kwanmuang Kresatree, Director of the Navy's Marine Turtle Conservation Center, to deploy a rapid response team immediately to assist the sea turtle.
Upon examination, the sea turtle was identified as a hawksbill, approximately 20 years old, sex unknown, measuring 75 cm wide and 83 cm long. It was alive but weak, breathing heavily, with its underside buried in sand and only its head and upper shell visible. It was moved to the turtle hospital at the Navy Marine Turtle Conservation Center for treatment.
Initially, veterinarians found the turtle to be quite weak due to inhaling water and sand into its mouth. Multiple impact injuries were observed on the upper shell. Furthermore, X-rays revealed a hook inside the mouth. Treatment included rinsing the nose and throat, blood sampling for culture and chemical analysis, administering antibiotics, and providing supportive fluids. Once recovered, the turtle will be released back into the wild.
Commander Kwanmuang Kresatree stated that the Navy's Marine Turtle Conservation Center will do everything possible to save sea turtles with a team of specialized veterinarians, aiming to return them to their natural habitat. In fiscal year 2026, the rapid response team has assisted 20 rare marine animals, including six live sea turtles—three hawksbills and three green turtles—and 14 deceased sea turtles, consisting of six hawksbill carcasses and eight green turtle carcasses. The number of sea turtle deaths highlights the current threat to their population. He urged the public to help conserve sea turtles to ensure they remain part of Thailand’s marine environment.