August 31, 2002	Saturday	Karachi, Jamadi-us-Saani 21, 1423

BANGKOK, Aug 30: “I sleep with my crocodile,” 42-year-old Prayoon Thongjon was quoted on Wednesday as saying about the unusual pet he found as a hatchling in a local pond.

He said hat his pet freshwater croc, named Kheng, has become a beloved member of his family in Phichit province, 280 kilometres north of Bangkok.

The two-metre-long crocodile is free to roam the family’s home but also made it clear it does not like to sleep alone.

“Whenever I went to bed he would follow and scratch the mosquito net over my mattress as though he was begging to join me. I gave in eventually and let him in,” Prayoon said.

Adding to the suspicion that Kheng may be confused about its species is the fact that it cannot swim.

“I tried to teach him to swim once in the nearby canal, but he gave up after swallowing gallons of water. After that he never got into the canal again.” —dpa