Animal welfare groups on Koh Phangan are warning residents after a suspected poisoning incident left multiple dogs dead and others hospitalised on Ban Tai Beach, the latest in a series of similar incidents reported in the same area since at least 2022.
According to posts from local animal welfare pages, poison was found hidden inside pieces of chicken meat left along the beach.
Phangan Hug Satt Animal Clinic said it had received multiple poisoned dogs on the day of the incident, and residents were advised to keep pets on a leash, avoid letting them scavenge, and seek immediate veterinary treatment if they showed signs of poisoning, including bleeding from the mouth or nose, vomiting, lethargy or paralysis.
A reader submission sent to The Thaiger, along with screenshots from local Facebook community groups dating back to 2022, describes a recurring pattern of poisonings on the same stretch of coastline, affecting stray animals as well as pets belonging to residents and tourists.
Community members estimate more than 50 dogs have died this way over the years, though this figure has not been independently verified. Posts sent to The Thaiger show similar warnings issued in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, with residents and animal groups noting that cases tend to increase during the low season.
Residents say they have filed numerous police reports over the years and, in at least one case, hired legal counsel to pursue the matter, but no suspect has been identified or charged.
Deliberately poisoning an animal is an offence under Thailand’s Prevention of Animal Cruelty and Provision of Animal Welfare Act B.E. 2557 (2014), which carries a penalty of up to two years in prison, a fine of up to 40,000 baht, or both.
Poisoning a pet with an owner can also count as criminal damage under Section 358 of the Criminal Code, which carries a heavier penalty of up to three years.
Residents also referred to a previous case on Koh Samui, which they said had resulted in a court-ordered fine.
Animal welfare organisations Watch Dog Thailand and the Soi Dog Foundation have reportedly offered support to the affected community, according to the reader submission.
The story Years of dog poisonings on Koh Phangan beach remain unsolved as seen on Thaiger News.
