The Andaman Sea Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center was alerted to the hatching by a Facebook user, AU Freedom, who reported the event occurring on Kata Noi Beach.
Locals had already set up a perimeter around the nesting site to protect the hatchlings before officials arrived, reported the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR).
Upon inspection, the officers, alongside teams from the Phuket Marine Resources Conservation Center and the Office of Marine and Coastal Resources Region 10 branch, confirmed that the hatchlings belonged to the olive ridley sea turtle species (Lepidochelys olivacea).
While most successfully made it to the sea, officials discovered 13 dead turtles, nine undeveloped eggs and one weak turtle with an abnormal shell.
The surviving but fragile hatchling was taken to the Sireetarn Marine Endangered Animals Rescue Center at Cape Panwa for medical care and rehabilitation before its eventual release.
Sea turtles are a protected species in Thailand, and conservation efforts continue to support their nesting and survival along the country’s coastlines.
The DMCR encourages beachgoers and locals to report any sightings of turtle nests to help safeguard these endangered creatures.