BANGKOK: A 27-year-old crocodile weighing more than 400kg has been moved from a flooded temple in Prachinburi amid fears it could escape into the river.
Residents and monks in Prachinburi breathed a sigh of relief after a crocodile weighing more than 400kg was moved from Wat Pho Thong as flooding spread across the temple grounds.
On Sunday afternoon (Sept 27, 2026), Juthamas Buaphuean, chief of Si Maha Phot district, received a request from the temple for officials to help relocate the crocodile from its flooded enclosure.
She coordinated with the Department of Fisheries, Ruamkatanyu Foundation rescue volunteers and local residents to carry out the operation.
Officials secured the crocodile’s jaws and legs with ropes before moving it onto the road. A truck-mounted crane was then used to lift the animal onto a vehicle for transportation.
The crocodile, named Nuea Thong, is 27 years old, more than four metres long and weighs over 400kg.
Water around its enclosure at Wat Pho Thong had risen to about 1.3 metres. The crocodile was taken to a temporary holding facility in another subdistrict approximately 20km away, where flooding had not affected the area.
The relocation brought relief to the temple abbot, residents and officials, who had been concerned that the crocodile could escape from its enclosure and enter the Prachin Buri River as floodwater continued to rise.
Authorities feared such an escape could cause alarm among nearby communities. - The Nation/ANN
