Thai man strikes it rich after finding whale vomit

A Thai man in Nakhon Si Thammarat is striking it rich after finding whale vomit on the local beach. Narit Suwansang thought his discovery was just a large rock, but had an inkling that it could be something more. US$4.2 million more, that is!

The whale vomit, also known as ambergris, usually looks like a rock, with yellow-beige colouring. After a sperm whale throws up, the bile floats along the ocean until it washes up beachside as a hardened chunk (sorry if you’re in the middle of a meal). But the reason it is like striking gold, is due to the fact that it is used in luxury perfumes as an additive to help the scents last longer.

Considering the obvious difficulties that come with trying to find whale vomit, those who find it, are thought to have struck gold. Suwansang has already received an offer of 960,000 baht (about US$42,600) per kilogram of the ‘rock’ if it is indeed certified Grade A ambergris. And, Suwansang says his rock weighs 100 kilograms.

The 60 year old man says he only figured out it may be whale vomit after it started melting, unlike a rock, after being put near flame. He told Asia One he wanted to know more.

“I want to know more about this ambergris. Please find out what kind of whale puke I found.”

One thing’s for sure, he has joined an elite group of Thais who have found such a jackpot as only a couple others have struck it rich off of the vile (or is that ‘bile’) finding. Just last year, a bar owner in Koh Samui, found a chunk of whale vomit that weighed 6.5 kilograms, worth a total of 10.5 million baht, while yet another found another piece that weighed 16 kilogram and was worth 20 million baht.

One thing’s for sure, the happenstance has turned out to be a pot of gold.

SOURCE: Chiang Rai Times