Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong said that Phuket has announced to crocodile owners in Phuket to register their unregistered crocodiles at Phuket Fisheries Office within August 10 or face penalties under sections 19 and 49 of the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act B.E.2535.
If the owners do not register their crocodile, they will be fined up to B10,000 or face one year in jail, or both, if they are caught.
The governor has asked for cooperation from local village headmen and local residents in observing those who own the aquatic reptiles.
If anyone finds any suspicions of people owning crocodiles, they can report any clues to the Phuket Fisheries Office via 076 212460, 089-8665991 or 081-731 8923.
Phuket will give rewards to those who provide information which lead to an arrest.
Governor Norraphat first put out his warning about unregistered crocodiles on July 24 after the crocodile initially spotted at Ya Nui Beach in Rawai on July 18 was spotted at Tri Trang Beach just south of Patong on July 23. (See story here.)
It also came as Paisarn Sukpunwan, head of the Administration Department at the Phuket Fishery Office, confirmed that the elusive crocodile had not escaped from any of the five registered crocodile farms in Phuket.
The crocodile that eluded capture for 11 days since it was spotted off Yanui Beach in Rawai was caught early last Sunday morning near the rocks off Koh Kata, just offshore from Layan Beach.
The crocodile was snared in nets by the ‘Kraithong Lumnamtapi’ team of experts from the Department of Fisheries in Surat Thani, brought to Phuket especially to catch the reptile, at about 5:30am.
The crocodile, a female, measured about 2.3 metres long and weighted about 150 kilograms.
She was taken to the marine life research centre at Baan Laem Sai in Mai Khao, Thalang. (See story here.)