A white whale was spotted recently off Thailand in what might have been a first for the country.
The appearance of the whale alongside a tourism vessel was brief and the species was not confirmed, although there was speculation that it could have been a Bryde’s whale or Omura’s whale.
The sighting occurred in the Andaman Sea near the Phi Phi Islands.
In the footage, the whale swims swiftly alongside the boat before veering off and surfacing briefly as tourists marveled at the sight.
Yutthapong Damsrisuk, chief of Hat Nopparat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park, told The Nation that it was the first known sighting of a white whale in the region and possibly the first off Thailand.
Damsrisuk did not provide the date of the sighting.
The whale was most likely leucistic. Leucism involves the partial loss of pigmentation, causing white or pale coloration.
Boaters in the area were informed of the whale’s presence and asked to exercise caution.