The team led by Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC) Marine Endangered Species Unit chief, Kongkiat Kittiwattanawong, found that the dolphin, thought to be one or two years old, had recovered enough from its exhaustion later on the same day to be released into the ocean.
Mr Kongkiat explained that the team did not want to keep the dolphin in the PMBC tanks because this would probably cause stress, which might trigger some other medical condition. The dolphin was strong enough to be freed and would be better off in the wild.
That said, they have been keeping an eye out for it. So far they have no spotted it, and there have been no reports of young dolphins washed up nearby, so they hope it is doing well and has rejoined its pod, as dolphin groups are known.
Mr Kongkiat added that there are plans to build stalls in the sea near the PMBC to allow endangered species, particularly dolphins and dugongs, to be treated in more natural conditions.
See earlier story here.