A 100kg crocodile was caught after being seen swimming in a canal next to a village in Thailand.

The 9ft-long reptile was first spotted sunbathing on a low bridge in Nakhon Prathom province on September 29.

It is believed to have been disoritentated during recent rainstorms which saw rivers flood, with fast-flowing currents pushing the croc out of its river terrritory and into the canal.

Pranee Soparb, 58, said his daughter rushed home after noticing the crocodile before they reported it to the village officials.

A search party with the help of animal rescuers was formed to hunt for it around the river near the bridge where it may be hunting for food.

After three hours, the crocodile reappeared in the canal so the team decided to tranquilise it by running electricity in the water.

However, the clever reptile had escaped through a drainage pipe before it reacted aggressively and lunged at the animal catchers.

Village official, Krit Chaichana, 47, immediately shot it with a pistol to prevent the teacm from being bitten by the crocodile.

It slowed down but did not die after the first shot so he fired more bullets into its body until it was dead.

Officials from a nearby crocodile farm said that the crocodile may be wild and did not come from their enclosures.

They said: "It may have wandered through the river after a thunderstorm, we are not missing a crocodile after the storm."

Although it is illegal to kill a wild animal in the country, the animal rescuers said that it posed a threat on the lives of people in the area so its death was justifiable.

Government officials are not taking any actions. The crocodile's body was buried near the river after the incident and prayers were said by Buddhist monks for its spirit.