PHUKET — A fisherman has been praised online after rescuing an exhausted monkey found struggling in the sea off Phuket, with the animal believed to have swum more than five kilometres before being brought to safety.
The heartwarming rescue was shared on 19 July 2026 by the Phuket Times Facebook page.
According to the post, the incident occurred at around 09:30 hrs while the fisherman was anchored in waters near Koh Maphrao (Coconut Island).
He spotted a monkey swimming alone in the open sea and appearing to be close to exhaustion.
The monkey is believed to have entered the water from Koh Siray, a journey of more than 5 kilometres, leaving it fatigued after a prolonged swim.
Realising the animal was struggling, the fisherman carefully manoeuvred his boat alongside it, allowing the monkey to climb aboard before transporting it safely back to shore.
The story has drawn widespread praise on social media, with many users commending the fisherman for his compassion and quick response.
Many commenters described the rescue as a reminder that every life is precious, while others jokingly suggested the monkey would probably choose a boat instead of attempting another long swim in the future.
