UPDATE: After this story was posted John Dalley, Founder of the Soi Dog Foundation, issued a statement questioning the veracity of the news report and to clarify the world-renowned foundation’s position on the government’s current strategy on how to deal with stray dogs in public areas, including beaches. (See story here.)
They are seeking someone to traquilise the dogs so they can then be taken to the Phuket Stray Dog Shelter in Thalang.
Chief of the Sakoo OrBorTor Kittikorn Prateep-Na-Thalang told Khao Phuket, “The OrBorTor has been notified of the matter and are in the process of coordinating staff to conduct a tranquilising shot for the dogs and bring them to the Phuket Stray Dog Shelter at the Bang Kanun Forest Park in Thalang, for further care.”
A volunteer from Soi Dog who preferred not to be named said, “This issue is not in the direct responsibility of the foundation.
“However, Soi Dog Foundation has volunteers that look after the dogs at the shelter every Thursday, and nowadays, the Phuket Stray Dog Shelter at Bang Kanun Forest Park has been improved and is better than ever. So there is no need to worry,” said the Soi Dog Foundation volunteer.
The 57-year-old Winyu Yommana, a taxi driver based at Nai Yang Beach, told reporters that within a week residents and tourists had been bitten at least five times.
“On Jan 5, a Swiss man and an unknown tourist were bitten, then an immigration officer was bitten in the morning on Jan 6, and a Chinese tourist and a massage therapist on Jan 7,” he said.
Swiss victim Samuel Roth, 31, told reporters, “On Friday (Jan 5) at around 9:30am I went to exercise in the area around Nai Yang. Suddenly, about six or seven dogs ran at me quickly and one of them bit my hand. I went to a local clinic in Nai Yang.
“It may not be a big wound or big problem, but I’m afraid of rabies. I also had to pay for my own medical fee and I have to get vaccinations continuously,” said Mr Roth.
Meanwhile, the immigration officer who was attacked, and preferred not to be named, said, “Yesterday (7 Jan) at 7:15 am, I went to exercise at Nai Yang Beach and seven to eight dogs ran after me.
“After I crouched, the dogs stopped running, but one of them, the biggest one, jumped on me,” he said.
“So I used my hands to protect myself and my right thumb was bitten. I had to go to the hospital,” he added.
“I suffered finger dislocation and I had to stay in the hospital for one night to have an operation. It will take more than one month until the wound recovers.”
The reporter also sought after a masseuse who was the victim of another dog attack, but they could not be located.