Additional Crocodile Tracks Found Near Lopburi River Temple
Authorities in Lopburi province have found fresh crocodile tracks near Wat Tago on the Lopburi River and are 70 percent certain a crocodile is present. A multi-agency command center has been established, 24-hour patrols deployed, and baited traps set to capture the animal. Residents along the river, which borders Ayutthaya province, have been warned to stay out of the water while capture efforts continue.
On October 20, 2026, Lopburi Deputy Governor Pracha Pepatang, Lopburi Fisheries Chief Sangha Kamsing, Kong Thanu Subdistrict Headman Somsak Jampathip, Wat Tago Abbot Phrakru Sathit Akkharathammo, Ban Kum Municipal Police, and other relevant agencies held a meeting to assess the situation after a village assistant headman spotted a crocodile swimming in the Lopburi River in front of Wat Tago, crossing from Village 12 to Village 3.
Authorities have issued loudspeaker warnings along the river, causing panic among riverside residents who are now forbidding children from playing in the water. Local leaders have organized 24-hour patrols on land and water, with a command center set up at the Wat Tago pier.
After the meeting, officials inspected the pier area and found village patrol boats monitoring the river. The pier area is a fish sanctuary teeming with fish, which may be attracting the crocodile. Fisheries officials took journalists by boat to examine fresh tracks on a remote, quiet bank of the Lamiao canal, where they found numerous tail drag marks and footprints. Officials have set baited hooks using chicken carcasses and fish offal to lure the animal.
Subdistrict Headman Somsak revealed that during overnight patrols, Village 11 headman Sirikan Singchai saw something swimming upstream the previous evening. She spotted a dark, forked tail unlike those of snakehead fish, catfish, or monitor lizards. Neighbors confirmed the sighting but darkness prevented photos. The creature appeared to move toward the bank before hiding in the grass; searchers found only footprints and a long tail drag trail.
Deputy Governor Pracha stated he was tasked by the governor to work with fisheries to educate riverside communities on crocodile safety and reporting procedures. Since the Lopburi River borders Ban Phraek District in Ayutthaya province, coordination with that district chief is underway for joint prevention efforts.
Fisheries Chief Sangha said officials inspected the suspected track sites and are urgently warning riverside residents of potential dangers. While not conclusively confirmed as crocodile tracks, the forked tail appearance and swimming pattern are strong indicators, as crocodile tails differ distinctly from snakehead or catfish tails. The Freshwater Fisheries Research Center in Lopburi is providing baited cages to trap the crocodile, a measured approach necessary given the river's vast expanse. Coordination with the Freshwater Fisheries Protection and Suppression Unit is also in progress.
