The chief petty officer who bled to death after a fish cut his throat during training with the navy on Wednesday was the victim of a very rare attack by a 'barred long tom' fish.
Experts said CPO2 Kriengsak "Best" Pengphinit was attacked by the fish, known in Thai as Pla Kratoong Haew Bang. Barred long tom are also known as needlefish, barred needle fish and flat needlefish.
"The attack is unusual because the barred long tom fish hardly attacks humans," said fishery expert Lakkana Leecha of the Royal Fishery Department (RFD) on Thursday.
She described it as the fastest fish in the world.
"These fish usually travel with their school and often hunt near the sea surface. This fish must have gotten lost and panicked," she added.
On Wednesday afternoon, Master Sergeant Kriengsak, 23, bled to death after being attacked in the throat by a fish with a long sword-like beak during naval training in Trat province.
This case is the first recorded instance of an attack by the barred long tom in Thailand.
