A Fisherman Accidentally Discovers a Giant Ambergris Weighing 3.4 kg on a Beach in Trat Province.
Video: Newsflare
Fisherman Prachin Phuekphisut, 64 years old, was watching his grandchildren play on the beach when he spotted a “large lump of fat” exposed on the white sand on June 22. The object measured 15 cm thick and 25 cm long, had a slightly fishy smell but was not overpowering, and melted like fat when exposed to heat.
Suspecting it to be a piece of ambergris, a rare substance produced by sperm whales, he took it home hoping to sell it for a substantial amount of money.
Prachin later went to the local police station to seek assistance, and Lieutenant Colonel Banjerd Krachangsaeng stated that they would support the family.
“We helped Prachin contact an expert in Bangkok to authenticate the ambergris, obtain certification, and sell it at the correct value,” Krachangsaeng told Newsflare. Once the object is confirmed to be genuine ambergris, it will be returned to the original finder.
The value of ambergris is determined by its quality. Based on previous valuations, Krachangsaeng estimated that the lump of vomit owned by Prachin could be sold for $130,000.
Ambergris worth $130,000 found on a beach in Thailand.
Prachin expressed his excitement, stating that he would sell the ambergris and use the money to take his grandchildren on trips abroad, and later fund their college education. “I want a safe life for my children and grandchildren. I will definitely sell the ambergris once it is verified,” shared the fisherman, who typically earns just over $240 a month from his wooden boat.
Ambergris forms when the bile duct in the digestive system of sperm whales secretes substances to aid in the passage of hard or sharp objects. This viscous mass is later expelled by the whale, hardens, and floats on the ocean. Initially, ambergris has a foul odor, but once dried, it emits a sweet, long-lasting fragrance. This quality makes ambergris a valuable ingredient in the perfume industry.
In September of last year, Thai fisherman Narong Phetcharaj discovered a 30 kg piece of ambergris. He received purchase offers from a Chinese businessman at a price of $28,800 per kg.
In 2018, another Thai fisherman, Boonyos Tala-upara, 44 years old, also found a 10 kg whale vomit on Koh Samui Island, valued at $500,000.
