The phenomenon was captured on video by Facebook user Nicky Rueangrud, who was seated on the beach when the towering white vortex appeared, sucking seawater high into the air.
In his caption, Nicky described the scene as “Patong Beach Waterspout” and noted it may have been part of a pair of vortexes, with one dissipating while the other continued to twist offshore.
The waterspout persisted for about 10 minutes before fading away in overcast conditions accompanied by strong winds and light rain.
Waterspouts are rotating columns of air and mist that form over a body of water, often resembling tornadoes. They are typically weaker than their land-based counterparts but can still be dangerous to boats and swimmers.
The Thai Meteorological Department has warned that current weather patterns remain unstable, with the potential for similar storms along Thailand’s southern coast. Residents and visitors are urged to closely follow official weather updates and advisories.