The local residents first reported the sighting to Rawai Municipality, whose officers soon arrived at the scene, a lotus pond behind the Seashell Museum on Wiset Rd, in Moo 2, Rawai.
After confirming the sighting, Rawai Municipality officers called in the Phuket Provincial Fisheries Office, the government office responsible for dealing with crocodiles.
Phuket Fisheries Chief Sittipol Muangsong this afternoon confirmed that the reptile caught was a freshwater crocodile about a metre long, weighing four to five kilogrammes.
The crocodile will be handed over to the Freshwater Fisheries Research and Development Center in Surat Thani for further care, Mr Sittipol said.
“This is because the crocodile is protected wildlife, which people are not permitted to hunt or even be in possession of without special permission,” he added.
“If anyone sees or even suspects a crocodile is in a public area, or is being kept without permission, please notify the Phuket Provincial Fisheries Office immediately [click here],” Mr Sittipol said.
People in Rawai can inform Rawai Municipality at 076-613801 (click here).
“This is to prevent danger to people in the area,” Mr Sittipol said.