SAMUT SONGKHRAM — 17 April 2026, police safely captured a stray buffalo that wandered onto a main road and returned it to its owner after the animal became disoriented and posed a potential danger to traffic, in an incident that later went viral online.
The buffalo was seen walking along Ekachai Road near the provincial prison, prompting concerned residents to alert local police. Officers arrived to assist, but the animal fled into the compound of the Samut Songkhram Provincial Police headquarters.
Local officials later contacted the owner, who was reportedly away in Chiang Mai at the time.
Police Lance Corporal Nukul Thapcharoen led the effort to capture the animal, drawing on his prior experience raising buffalo. He said the animal was initially highly agitated due to the unfamiliar surroundings and the number of people attempting to approach it.
He asked bystanders to step back to allow the buffalo to calm down before using a cable fashioned into a lasso to secure it.
Once the animal had settled, officers led it on foot for more than 2 kilometres in the dark, with assistance from a village headman and a caretaker, before safely returning it to its enclosure.
No injuries were reported.
Police Lance Corporal Nukul added that he felt proud to have fully carried out his duty in serving the public. He joked that the buffalo had probably wanted to go out and enjoy the Songkran festivities at night, but ended up losing its way and needing help from the police.
