Encounter with big'ish Cobra

Super Joe · Post by **Super Joe** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 1:01 pm

Not sure if right section, admin please move as appropriate.

Driving on a soi between Soi 94 and 88 this morning and before I had chance to react a big black snake zoomed out of bushes across road but straight under my wheels Reversed back and it was half dead, couldn't move itself, so had to forward, reverse, forward, reverse a couple of times to put it out of it's misery. Definately seemed longer than looks in picture, arrows are where wheels damaged it, so that's width of the car wheel base.
By then a fair few residents were out and after it by the looks of things, turned out to be a cobra. Are they sought after eating wise, or other, above other snakes ?
It had come from some wasteland next to some Thai houses, just show what's lurking around, if it had been someone on a motorbike could have been nasty

Pic:

SJ

Post by **hhfarang** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 1:50 pm

We've had one of those about two meters long living in our yard for years (stays hidden and I only see it two or three times a year). I tried to get a photo last time but before I got within 30 meters he took off into some hedges with a speed I couldn't believe.

It seems to not mean us any harm and will flee when humans are anywhere nearby so I'm not too worried about it, except for my two dogs, one of which already survived a bite from a Malayan pit viper that he subsequently mutilated...

Post by **Randy Cornhole** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 2:54 pm

What a stroke of luck that those arrows were on the road in the exact place you struck the Cobra! Freaky...

Post by **PeteC** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 3:18 pm

Randy Cornhole wrote:What a stroke of luck that those arrows were on the road in the exact place you struck the Cobra! Freaky...

Joe should have gotten out and drawn an outline in chalk.

Pete

Post by **redzonerocker** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 5:23 pm

Randy Cornhole wrote:What a stroke of luck that those arrows were on the road in the exact place you struck the Cobra! Freaky...

it was lucky he had his crossbow with him at the time too!!

Super Joe · Post by **Super Joe** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 6:05 pm

Randy Cornhole wrote:What a stroke of luck that those arrows were on the road in the exact place you struck the Cobra

I've always driven in accordance with what it said on the bottom part of my first driving licence .......... "Tear along the dotted line".

SJ

Post by **poosmate** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 8:16 am

Can anyone confirm that this is a cobra? Looks like a harmless rat snake to me. I'm no expert but would like to be able to tell the difference.

ozuncle · Post by **ozuncle** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:27 pm

poosmate wrote:Can anyone confirm that this is a cobra? Looks like a harmless rat snake to me. I'm no expert but would like to be able to tell the difference.

Hi,
http://www.siam-info.de/english/poisonous_animals.html

This might be of some help.

Post by **charlesh** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 4:12 pm

the flattening of the head (not caused by the wheels) seems to suggest cobra. Did you exchange telephone numbers and licence details with the owner and who foots the insurance bill? Surprised you weren't "bitten" by the locals ha, ha.

Super Joe · Post by **Super Joe** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 4:38 pm

poosmate wrote:Can anyone confirm that this is a cobra? Looks like a harmless rat snake to me. I'm no expert but would like to be able to tell the difference.

It's a good point as I could not tell at all at first but the pic I put up with it's head back over it's body showed what looks like the 'hood' part.
But I asked one of the Thai guys on the seen twice, "gnoo how mai", 'how' is Cobra and he confirmed. Also until I finally put it out of it's misery and ran over it again the Thais kept a clear distance away from it and where throwing stones at two dogs that were sniffing round it to scare the dogs away.

SJ

JW · Post by JW » Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:39 am

Think its a rat snake, arrow markings are uncommon in a Cobra - they often have bands. Quite afew can mimick the hood of a cobra for defense. Rat snakes will give a nasty bite and are aggressive so keep out if the way.

Post by **poosmate** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 10:19 am

A bit like Estate agents

JW · Post by JW » Tue Jul 07, 2009 3:52 pm

Post by **charlesh** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:01 pm

Rumour mill indicates Scandinavian lady died of a snake bite to the neck recently on golf course in HH recently while trying to find lost ball. Always wondered what first aid available in case of bite (rat snake/cobra etc). No body seems to know and it would appear that anti venom is not always available for the various species that lurk around in the J, drains and ditches.

Post by **hhfarang** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 10:51 pm

Why the heck would a foreigner be looking for a lost ball... that's what the caddies are for!