Hunters fail to catch croc

PHUKET: A team assigned to hunt a large crocodile which was captured on video while roaming in the sea near Bang Thao beach in Thalang district successfully tracked the reptile but failed to catch it, said Thalang district chief Vikrom Chaktee yesterday.

The team found the crocodile in a huge marsh that is connected to the sea at an area between Bang Thao beach and Layan beach, which is not far from where the crocodile was first spotted and filmed by a foreign tourist recently, he said.

Upon locating the crocodile on Wednesday night, the team alerted other parties to send a boat with a fishing net to the area to catch the reptile, he said.

However, the team was unable to catch the crocodile as it swam off too quickly. He said the team kept a watch out for the crocodile throughout the night.

The team later sought help with experts and the provincial fisheries office to plan their next attempt.

Earlier, a video clip featuring the large crocodile lingering in the sea at the beach went viral on social media.

The footage is believed to have been captured by a drone operated by an Australian tourist identified as Mike after he spotted the creature while on the beach.

Marine scientist Thon Thamrongnawasawat said crocodiles had previously been spotted offshore in Phuket.