Holiday snap for tourist in Thailand

A French tourist was bitten by a crocodile inside a Thai national park as she tried to get close to the animal to take a selfie, an official said on Monday.

The incident took place on Sunday afternoon in Khao Yai, a national park filled with jungle hiking trails and waterfalls three hours north of Bangkok.

“She wanted to take a selfie with the crocodile who was lying down near a stream,” said a park official, who asked not to be named.

“It was startled and bit her on her on the leg.”

The official said two crocodiles had made their home in that section of the park for years with warning signs laid out.

“I guess she wanted to see it for real,” the official added.

Local media posted pictures of park rangers dressed in camouflage carrying the 47-year-old victim strapped to a stretcher, a thick bandage wrapped around her knee.

Another shot showed a ranger pointing to a pool of blood close to a sign saying in Thai and English “Danger Crocodile No Swimming”.

The victim was taken to hospital for treatment and is expected to recover.

Siamese crocodiles were once ubiquitous across Southeast Asia but their populations have been decimated in the last century by hunting and habitat loss.

In Thailand there are just a handful of wild populations left in central and western national parks.

Most tourists will only see them in crocodile parks, many of which have been criticized by animal rights groups for controversial feeding practices.