Residents and visitors have reported spotting green lights glowing on the horizon off Hua Hin’s coast in recent nights, with some social media users speculating they might be seeing the northern lights.
The northern lights, or aurora borealis, occur when charged particles from the Sun interact with Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere, producing colourful displays in the sky. They are typically visible only in high-latitude regions such as Scandinavia, Canada, Alaska, Iceland, and parts of Russia. Thailand is far too close to the equator for the phenomenon to be seen, except in extremely rare geomagnetic storms — and even then, not as far south as Hua Hin.
Green lights over Hua Hin caused by fishing activity
In reality, the green glow over the Gulf of Thailand comes from squid fishing boats. At this time of year, squid fishing is at its peak, running until the end of November, when squid populations in the gulf surge. Fishing crews use powerful green lights, engineered to emit wavelengths between 495 and 570 nanometres, to mimic plankton — a main food source for squid — and lure them to the surface.
With dozens of boats operating at night, the collective glow can be seen from the shoreline and even from elevated viewpoints such as Khao Takiab. The sight, while not an atmospheric phenomenon, provides an unplanned light show for anyone looking out to sea after dark.
These photos taken in August 2024 show the extent of the illumination across the gulf, with clusters of green-lit vessels stretching towards the horizon.
