Two-Metre Crocodile Spotted in Rayong After Floods; Chicken Farm Loses Millions

When the Floodwaters Recede, the Unexpected Comes Out to Play

Residents of Nikhom Phatthana district in Rayong were left with more than soggy floors and damp furniture this week — they were startled by a two-metre crocodile casually sunning (or rather, road-laying) itself on a stretch of pavement as floodwaters began to fall back.

Persistent rains have hammered parts of Rayong for days, sending sudden flash floods through low-lying neighborhoods. The Makham Khu sub-district, close to the local spillway, has been among the worst hit. As water levels rose, local rescuers from the Sawang Porakul Foundation (หน่วยกู้ภัยมูลนิธิสว่างพรกุศล จุดนิคมพัฒนา) moved through the community, hauling electrical appliances and furniture to upper floors and checking on vulnerable residents. They did what emergency crews do best: practical help with a steady hand and a calm voice.

But after the initial panic of flooding passed, a different kind of panic set in. A motorist passing near the spillway late one night captured video of a large reptile sprawled on the asphalt — roughly two metres in length — before the animal slipped back into the dark water as the vehicle approached. The footage, shared on social media, sent neighbours into a state of heightened alert.

So far, the crocodile remains at large. Its origins are a mystery: a wild escapee from a nearby breeding pond, an abandoned pet, or something else entirely. No owner has come forward, and no capture has been reported. For now, a community leader has put up warning signs around the spillway and urged residents to steer clear of the area until wildlife or rescuer teams can safely intervene.

Not Just Crocodiles: The Flood’s Heavier Toll

The crocodile sighting may have grabbed the headlines, but for some locals the most painful aftermath of the storm is measured in livelihoods lost. In Mueang Rayong District, a chicken farm owner estimated losses of about 10 million baht after floodwaters swept through and killed roughly 50,000 chickens. The owner had been preparing to sell the birds around September 18, expecting revenue in the 8–10 million baht range — plans washed away along with the flood.

This was not the farmer’s first encounter with catastrophe: her property was previously devastated by flooding in 2022. The emotional and financial toll of repeated destruction is heavy, and whether government compensation will be available remains unclear. For many small-scale farmers, such uncertainty compounds the immediate nightmare of recovery.

Echoes of Last Year’s Tough Choices

The Rayong crocodile’s brief roadside appearance also brings to mind a controversial decision made during floods in the north last year. In 2024, a crocodile farm owner in Lamphun, who had raised crocodiles for over 17 years, announced he had killed 125 crocodiles to protect his community as waters rose. The culling sparked debate about animal welfare, public safety and the impossible choices people sometimes feel forced to make in an emergency.

Those two stories — the stranded crocodile and the mass cull — sit on opposite ends of the same anxious spectrum. One is an unresolved, eerie sighting that keeps locals wary; the other was a grim, deliberate action taken under duress. Both underline how flooding disrupts more than infrastructure: it ripples through ecosystems, livelihoods and ethical boundaries.

What Locals Can Do Now

• Pay attention to official warnings and avoid the spillway area. The community sign is more than a suggestion: it’s common-sense survival advice.
• Keep pets and small children indoors and away from flood edges where reptiles may hide.
• If you spot the crocodile, don’t approach. Alert local authorities or rescue teams who have the training and equipment to handle wildlife safely.
• Document damage carefully for insurance and compensation claims: photos, timestamps and witness statements can make all the difference.

For the people of Nikhom Phatthana and wider Rayong, the coming days will mean more clean-up, more phone calls, and more decisions about where to focus limited resources. They’ll also be watching the spillways — and the roadside shoulders — with a newly alert eye.

As monsoon rains continue to cause flash floods across Thailand, from Rayong to other provinces, communities and responders face an uncomfortable truth: disasters don’t come one at a time. They bring multiple problems — water, wildlife, and wrecked livelihoods — all at once. Neighbourhoods will rebuild, and rescue teams will keep helping; hopefully, better planning and support will follow so the next unexpected visitor can be handled with less fear and fewer tragic consequences.