DAN AP has not at all recommended that vinegar not be used. That is incorrect.
The hot water discussion has evolved from a researcher in Hawaii who has been using hot water (after vinegar) to manage pain relief from the stings of the local 4 tentacled and less venomous species of boxie. It seems to work on it, and it seems to work on the smaller blue bottle species in Sydney. However, some of the jellyfish experts here and in the USA are concerned that immersion in hot water could increase envenomation and other potential problems with stings from multi-tentacled box jellyfish. It hasn’t been tested properly on this and on most other species.
Please note that the hot water/ice pack debate only applies AFTER VINEGAR has been used to deactivate the stingers.
The hot water advocate from Hawaii has just been to Thailand and has caused a stir and some confusion about this. She is also promoting a spray that she has invented which is claimed can be used on serious jellyfish stings – again, there is no published evidence that it works effectively on life-threatening stings such as those found in Thailand. Remember that there were two reported deaths from jellyfish stings in Thailand this year. One on Koh Phangan and one on Koh Samui. These appear to have been from multi-tentacled box jellyfish, similar to those we have in Northern Australia.
Therefore, it’s important that the Thai operators stick to the traditional protocols at this time.