A hard-up fisherman in Thailand is in line for a windfall of more than $1 million after finding a rare piece of expensive “whale vomit” on a beach.
Narong Phetcharaj was returning to shore when he saw a strange object in the surf at Niyom beach in southern Thailand’s Surat Thani province.
He found a large lump of a waxy mass called ambergris, which is French for grey amber.
The substance, which is regurgitated by sperm whales, can be sold for up to $40,000 a kilogram.
Mr Phetcharaj found a piece weighing about 30kg, which could be worth up to $1.2 million
The fisherman took the mass to experts at the Prince of Songkla University, who identified it as ambergris.
The substance is produced by sperm whales, which eat large quantities of cephalopods such as squid and cuttlefish and usually vomit out indigestible elements such as the beaks and pens.
Sometimes, these parts move into the whale's intestines and bind together, slowly becoming a solid mass which grows inside the huge mammal over many years.
The whale then vomits out the mass, which solidifies and floats on the surface of the ocean. It has a foul smell at first but after drying out, it develops a sweet and long-lasting fragrance, making it a sought-after ingredient in the perfume industry.
"None of the villagers has ever seen or touched a real whale ambergris before and that’s why everybody was happy," Mr Phetcharaj said.
"I'm so excited; I don’t know what to do. I plan to sell the ambergris as I’ve already received a certificate to prove that it's real.
"If I can get a good price, I'll retire from working as a fisherman and throw a party for my friends."
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Third place in Ocean Photographer of the Year, Matty Smith: 'A hawksbill turtle hatchling just 3.5cm long and a few minutes old takes its first swim,' says Smith of his photo taken in Lissenung Island, Papua New Guinea. 'It had emerged from an egg just minutes earlier with approximately 100 of its siblings. They quickly made their way into the ocean to disperse as rapidly as they could and avoid predation from birds and fish. I had to work quickly for this shot.' -

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Second place in Adventure Photographer of the Year, Ben Thouard: A wave known as Teahupo’o, as seen from below, in Tahiti, French Polynesia -

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Third place in Collective Portfolio Award, Alex Kydd: A rare encounter with a fever of cownose rays on the Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia -
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Third place in Exploration Photographer of the Year, Matty Smith: A portrait of a squid, taken in Bushrangers Bay, Australia
The mystery of ambergris
The substance has been called the treasure of the sea and referred to as floating gold.
Its origin remained a mystery for years, with theories suggested it was hardened sea foam or the droppings of large birds.
However, it was not until large-scale whaling began in the 1800s that the discovered was made that the sperm whale was the material’s only producer.
Conflicting opinions still exist as to how ambergris emerges from the whale. Many believe that the whale regurgitates the mass – which is where the substance gets its nickname “whale vomit”. Some believe the whale pass the mass along with faecal matter, whereas others say the obstruction grows so large it eventually fatally ruptures the animal.
'Panga'
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Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
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An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
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Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
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If you go
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Luang Prabang via Bangkok, with a return flight from Chiang Rai via Bangkok for about Dh3,000, including taxes. Emirates and Thai Airways cover the same route, also via Bangkok in both directions, from about Dh2,700.
The cruise
The Gypsy by Mekong Kingdoms has two cruising options: a three-night, four-day trip upstream cruise or a two-night, three-day downstream journey, from US$5,940 (Dh21,814), including meals, selected drinks, excursions and transfers.
The hotels
Accommodation is available in Luang Prabang at the Avani, from $290 (Dh1,065) per night, and at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort from $1,080 (Dh3,967) per night, including meals, an activity and transfers.
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Match info
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1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 306
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6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 111
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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
