When heading to Thailand for a holiday, it is important to remember that there are many snakes on its territory. Some of them do not pose a serious danger, while others, on the contrary, are mortally dangerous to humans.
Safety rules should be kept in mind both during walks through the jungle and when crossing the hotel grounds.
If a snake does bite, a series of immediate steps must be taken to save the victim’s life.
Venomous Snakes
Thailand is home to several highly dangerous snakes, which differ not only in color but also in the potency of their venom.
They also vary in their activity times: some hide from the sunlight, while others are keen to hunt during the day.
King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah)
Despite its terrifying and, simultaneously, majestic name, this snake does not possess the most potent venom. The thing is, when biting, the King Cobra tends to deliver venom in small portions or sometimes avoids injecting it into a human altogether. This is because the snake does not perceive humans as prey, so it uses its venom sparingly.
However, if a full bite does occur, around 7 milliliters of venom can be injected into the human body. If an antidote is not administered promptly, death can occur in as little as 15 minutes.
The size of the King Cobra can reach 5.5 meters.
Banded Krait (Bungarus fasciatus)
This snake species has a bright and striking appearance, with wide rings of yellow and black coloring. It is shorter than the King Cobra, measuring only about two meters in length.
However, its venom is so potent that one dose can kill up to 10 people. A unique feature of the krait’s bite is that it is absolutely painless, making it extremely dangerous.
It is often encountered on beaches at night. It crawls closer to people to warm up. One careless movement and the person receives a dose of venom.
Even some snakes cannot withstand the toxicity of the krait’s venom. For example, vipers, which have fairly strong immunity, do not survive such a bite.
Malayan Pit Viper (Calloselasma rhodostoma)
Among all the pit vipers inhabiting Asia, the Malayan Pit Viper is arguably the most venomous. An antidote for its bite has not yet been widely found (or is not always effective). If this snake bites a person, they can perish within half an hour. Some victims are helped by general snake antivenoms, but this is far from always the case.
The unique danger of the pit viper’s venom is that it literally eats away the victim’s tissues from the inside.
In addition to its dangerous venom, the snake is very cunning. While other reptiles signal an imminent strike with their posture, the pit viper can lie motionless in the grass until the last moment without revealing its presence. When it deems necessary, a rapid strike occurs.
It particularly favors bamboo groves and tropical forests.
Russell’s Viper (Daboia russelii)
This snake has the largest population in Thailand compared to other snakes. More than 50% of snakebite cases are attributed to it. Vipers were previously kept in special terrariums but spread across the country after a flood.
The Russell’s Viper reaches an average length of 120 centimeters. A bite and the introduction of venom into the body provoke cerebral hemorrhage and kidney failure. This snake only attacks if it feels threatened. Therefore, if you encounter one, it is best to avoid contact and calmly attempt to move away.
White-lipped Pit Viper (Trimeresurus albolabris)
These snakes are small, mostly reaching one meter in length. They like to be both on the ground and in trees. The wide area of habitat is linked to the high number of attacks.
The bites are predominantly more painful than dangerous. However, a special antivenom serum against the White-lipped Pit Viper bite has also been developed in Thailand.
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Non-Venomous Snakes
In addition to venomous species, non-venomous snakes also inhabit Thailand. Although their bite is not dangerous to humans, they can still frighten or cause harm to the health of a child or adult.
Reticulated Python (Malayopython reticulatus)
One of the largest snakes in Thailand. As an adult, it can reach six meters in length. There are documented cases of even larger specimens found – over 12 meters in length.
The Reticulated Python can be found in almost every corner of Thailand. The country’s capital is no exception. Its bite is non-venomous. However, an irritated python and its huge mouth can pose a danger to a tourist.
Burmese Python (Python bivittatus)
The Burmese Python’s size is inferior to that of the Reticulated Python. It is also characterized by a low level of aggression. It is also often found in the capital of Thailand.
Despite its smaller size, the python can easily swallow an animal the size of a large dog. The snake does not show aggression towards humans and is quite peaceful. If it is not provoked, it will never attack first.
Asian Vine Snake (Ahaetulla prasina)
These snakes are often found on palm trees, which is why they are sometimes called palm snakes. It is this snake that can practically drop onto a person from a palm tree.
It loves to sneak into homes, scaring its inhabitants with its green color and causing panic. Around its neck, it has an impressive, expandable collar. This makes it look visually even larger.
Tourists are also frightened by its huge forked tongue. The snake seems to know that it is feared even more because of it and is in no hurry to hide it.
Ornate Flying Snake (Chrysopelea ornata)
It chooses gardens and residences for its habitat. It can be found in most settlements in Thailand.
It is slightly less than 150 centimeters long. It does not sleep during the day and hunts for prey. Its distinctive feature is its ability to climb vertical surfaces.
If cornered, it attacks sharply and rapidly. The snake does not possess potent venom, so it does not cause harm to human health.
Radiated Rat Snake (Coelognathus radiatus)
The Rat Snake reaches about 160-170 centimeters in length. It inhabits practically everywhere.
A distinguishing feature of the Radiated Rat Snake is its ability to move very quickly. If it senses danger approaching, it simply flees.
If the Rat Snake is cornered, it will try to intimidate the opponent with sudden lunges. If this trick doesn’t work, the snake doesn’t attack but pretends to be dead.
Common Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosus)
This snake slightly exceeds one meter in length. It is characterized as an excellent fighter against rodents. The snake expertly deals with them.
The Common Rat Snake tries to avoid humans. If the situation is hopeless, it may lunge and attempt to bite the aggressor. However, this bite does not cause significant harm, but it is still better not to provoke the snake.
Indochinese Wolf Snake (Lycodon subcinctus)
This is a small snake that does not grow more than fifty centimeters. It lives throughout all of Thailand. It is often found in residential areas.
If cornered, the Indochinese Wolf Snake can be aggressive. However, the snake is non-venomous, so it poses no danger to tourists.
Dog-faced Water Snake (Cerberus rhynchops)
This snake loves water. It can often be seen in the water. During downpours, it can be encountered in the city. In general, like other snakes, it may attack a person if it feels threatened. Otherwise, the Dog-faced Water Snake simply doesn’t pay attention to people.
This snake reaches 120 centimeters in length.
If a person and a Dog-faced Water Snake meet in a body of water, the latter does everything to end the encounter. Also, there has not been a single reported case related to this snake attacking a person.
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Sea Snakes
There are over 20 species of sea snakes in Thailand. Some of them are venomous. The majority of them live in deep water. Therefore, they do not pose a significant danger to humans.
Other snakes have teeth structured in a way that simply prevents them from biting a person and causing harm. Their teeth are located in the throat.
This is why sea snakes are considered generally harmless to humans. They themselves prefer not to cross paths with people and rarely attack first.
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What to do if bitten
It is impossible to memorize absolutely all the snake species existing in Thailand. Therefore, it is better to treat any snake as venomous rather than underestimate its danger, even if you are confident that it is completely harmless.
If a snake does bite, you must:
- First of all, widen the wound area. This will allow the venom to exit with the blood. You can assist this process by pressing on the skin adjacent to the bite area. This will provoke a faster exit of the venom from the damaged area.
- If the person has no cuts in the mucous membrane of the mouth, you can try to suck the venom out of the wound. Afterward, you must quickly spit it out. This is strictly forbidden for people who have any injuries in the oral cavity. The presence of decayed teeth is also a contraindication.
- You should apply a tourniquet made from improvised means (rope, belt, etc.) above the snake bite. This will help slow the spread of venom through the body. You must remember or write down the time the tourniquet was applied.
- Despite all timely actions, you must urgently contact the rescue service or the nearest medical center and describe the situation.
- If there was no one nearby except the victim, you should find any person and explain what happened in any available language. It is even better to show them the bite. Thais are well aware of what should be done in case of a snake attack.
- It is very important to remember what the snake looked like. You need to remember everything – color, behavior, patterns. This will allow for the quickest possible determination of what kind of snake it was and which antidote is best to use.
- Under no circumstances should you panic. Panicking causes an increase in blood pressure, meaning the blood will circulate faster. All of this will provoke an even faster spread of toxins throughout the victim’s body.
- After the bite, you need to drink more water. It is recommended to lie down horizontally and move as little as possible. Otherwise, this can also provoke the rapid spread of toxic substances throughout the body.
- Since there are many snakes in Thailand, all medical centers and ambulances have a sufficient supply of antivenom in their arsenal.
The presence of snakes in Thailand is not a reason to refuse to visit this beautiful country. The main thing is to remember safety precautions. Before traveling, it is best to study the most common snake species and try to remember which ones are venomous.
It would also be helpful to remember or even write down the sequence of actions in case of a bite.
