CHONBURI, Thailand — A photograph appearing to show a crocodile lurking in floodwaters at a high school in Sattahip district triggered a frantic, multi-agency search operation on Thursday, only for a student to later confess that the image was artificially generated.

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The incident began when a teacher reported that a highly convincing image of a crocodile floating near the school library at Singsamut High School was being widely circulated on social media and within the school’s official messaging groups. The image gained immediate credibility because the campus and surrounding areas had experienced heavy rainfall and flooding the previous night, raising legitimate fears that a wild reptile might have entered the grounds and posed a danger to students and nearby residents.

In response to the alarming reports, rescue workers from the Sawang Rojanathammasathan Sattahip Foundation, alongside local police and municipal officials, swiftly cordoned off the affected area. More than ten personnel spent approximately thirty minutes combing through the standing water and inspecting potential hiding spots. Despite a thorough search of the premises, officials found no trace of the reptile.

The mystery was resolved when school administrators successfully traced the origin of the photograph to a Year 11 (Matthayom 5) student. Upon being questioned, the student apologized and admitted to using artificial intelligence software to superimpose a crocodile onto a genuine photograph of the school. The student explained that the edited image was initially created and shared with friends as a joke, with no expectation that it would go viral or be mistaken for a genuine wildlife sighting. The student expressed deep regret for acting without thinking and emphasized that there was never any intention to cause disruption or public concern.

The false alarm drew the attention of Thanatharn Pramoonpong, a People’s Party Member of Parliament representing Sattahip, who traveled to the school upon hearing initial reports of the crocodile sighting. The lawmaker commended the student for taking responsibility and honestly admitting to the prank, while also expressing gratitude to the emergency agencies that responded promptly to the situation.

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Following the incident, Sattahip district officials and rescue workers issued a strong public advisory, urging residents to carefully verify the source and credibility of images and information before sharing them online. Authorities emphasized that the rapid spread of AI-generated content can easily cause unnecessary public panic and lead to the wasteful deployment of critical emergency resources based on fabricated reports.

-Thailand News (TN)