Officers from the park were joined by a team from the Phuket Fisheries Office to conduct a search for a crocodile reported seen at Koh Kata, at the northern end of Layan Beach on Tuesday (Sept 7).
Joining the search yesterday were Watcharin Rattanachoo, Chief of the Phuket Fisheries Office; Niyom Dechophanang, Head of Sirinat National Park Station 4 (Layan beach); and Cherng Talay Moo 6 village chief (Phu Yai Baan) Suchart Yuyen.
The team searched the area from 2:30pm to 4pm, and found no sign of any crocodiles, Mr Watcharin reported.
The team checked with lifeguards and local fishermen, who all reported not seeing any signs of crocodiles in the area, he added.
However, several monitor lizards one to two metres long had been seen in the area, feeding off scraps from local fishermen, he said.
“We have not been able to find any crocodiles like the one reported,” Mr Watcharin noted.
“It is now believed that the man may have seen a monitor lizard on the sand on the island [Koh Kata], and understood that it was a crocodile,” he said.
“To build confidence, we have coordinated with lifeguards and the head of the park protection unit to keep watch [for any crocodiles in the area. This is standard procedure to ensure the safety of tourists and local people,” Mr Watcharin concluded.
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