A channel in Rawai has been dredged to connect Nai Harn beach with Nai Harn lake to make it easier to catch a rogue crocodile.
More than 50 officials and a specialist team from Surat Thani have been planning to catch the crocodile while Nai Harn beach is closed. They have been patrolling where the crocodile was last seen in the hope it may become weak and come ashore
The team from Surat Thani joined the operation this morning amid stormy conditions.
The crocodile has been seen about 10 times but has not walked on to the beach while the team has been present.
A team led by Nikom Suksawat, a crocodile-catcher from the Surat Thani Fisheries Office, and Rawai Mayor Aroon Solos wanted to catch the crocodile by dredging the channel that frequently cuts off access at different times with the tides and the weather.
The crocodile catchers believe it is a freshwater crocodile as it keeps trying to approach the beach to get out of the sea.
“The crocodile is above the water at least every 15 minutes to breathe. If it was a sea crocodile, it would have already gone.
“If the crocodile moves into the lake it will be trapped.”
