Snake Bites

Medical issues, doctors, dentists, opticians and hospitals in Hua Hin and Thailand.
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expat71NL
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Snake Bites

Post by expat71NL »

I have seen quite a lot of posts about people seeing snakes in their gardens here in Hua Hin. I have never heard any7 stories about someone being actually bitten by a snake. Does this often happen?
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Re: Snake Bites

Post by Deep Blue »

This place wouldn’t bother Australians but if you’re from the US or UK, yeah it’s scary - without checking, I’d say there’s about 25 snakes that can kill you in an hour here. Definitely, don’t walk in the Jungle at night.
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Re: Snake Bites

Post by dtaai-maai »

expat71NL wrote: Does this often happen?
No
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Re: Snake Bites

Post by Vital Spark »

90% of snakes in Thailand are non-venomous - fact. If you ask a Thai what kind of snake it is, they'll normally respond with ngoo how (king cobra) and attack it. They're not experts and will assume every snake is venomous. Snakes generally won't attack unless they feel threatened - don't threaten them, and you'll be OK.

Found a snake on top of my washing machine the other day, so I just stood back until it slithered away. The other night there was one exiting the house, it wasn't after me (it may have been after the dog food?). I try to keep the mozzie screen on the door closed now, but dogs and doors... :?

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Re: Snake Bites

Post by Bristolian »

As with any wild animal, exercise caution and good sense. As has already been said, the vast majority of snakes are non venomous or some others that have venom that will react, if bitten, similar to a bee sting, not pleasant but for most not serious.
Most snakes will rapidly disappear with the slightest vibration caused by someone approaching.
They are fascinating and for someone like me, from the UK, a little scary at first. You soon get to recognise some of the species and I simply knowing that they are not dangerous, leave them alone. Any suspicious snake that I do not recognise is handled with caution, using snake tongs and is moved to an area well away from my home. Get a good book on snakes in SE Asia and take the chance to identify the harmless ones.
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expat71NL
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Re: Snake Bites

Post by expat71NL »

I know all about caution, etc. My question however has not been answered. I would like to know approximately how often snake bites occur in the Hua Hin area. Are we talking about 1 a year or 1 a month or what?
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Re: Snake Bites

Post by hhfarang »

How would anyone know that? You could contact all of the area hospitals and ask them if they have snake bite stats, but even if they do and if they will release them to you, I doubt if they would be accurate. Thais sometimes treat snake bites themselves or via a local/village practitioner without going to a hospital.

I lived there ten years and encountered a snake probably weekly when I owned my own (large) property; probably a poisonous one monthly, mostly Malayan Pit Vipers and a few Cobras. The only bite on my property in that time was to my dog.
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Re: Snake Bites

Post by dundrillin »

Did your dog survive ?
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Re: Snake Bites

Post by Deep Blue »

expat71NL wrote:I know all about caution, etc. My question however has not been answered. I would like to know approximately how often snake bites occur in the Hua Hin area. Are we talking about 1 a year or 1 a month or what?
No one knows. Snake fatalities statistics are not available for Thailand. The overall estimate worldwide is 90,000 deaths a year and Thailand (southeast Asia area) has the highest percentage of deadly species (the post above by ‘vital spark’ claiming 90% are harmless is wrong). There are 200 species of snakes in Thailand and 60 species are dangerous to humans. If you are bitten, you must kill the snake and bring it to the hospital for identification because every species has a unique antivenom. Antivenoms are very expensive and hospitals don’t have all of them.
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Re: Snake Bites

Post by hhfarang »

Did your dog survive ?
Yes, it was late at night and we drove around to every vet we knew of and none would open their doors so my wife made a poltice using a village remedy (tobacco and some other ingredients) and he was ok after a couple of days. I was sure he would die as his head was twice it's normal size but I guess she knew what she was doing.
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Re: Snake Bites

Post by Takiap »

Deep Blue wrote:
expat71NL wrote:I know all about caution, etc. My question however has not been answered. I would like to know approximately how often snake bites occur in the Hua Hin area. Are we talking about 1 a year or 1 a month or what?
No one knows. Snake fatalities statistics are not available for Thailand. The overall estimate worldwide is 90,000 deaths a year and Thailand (southeast Asia area) has the highest percentage of deadly species (the post above by ‘vital spark’ claiming 90% are harmless is wrong). There are 200 species of snakes in Thailand and 60 species are dangerous to humans. If you are bitten, you must kill the snake and bring it to the hospital for identification because every species has a unique antivenom. Antivenoms are very expensive and hospitals don’t have all of them.

Statistics are not always what you expect them to be, and no, VS is not wrong at all - most of the snakes you see here are harmless. The only deadly ones I've seen here are Malaysian Pit Vipers and Cobras, and on one occasion, a Krait.

To answer the OP's question..........I've been a member on this forum for around 10 years and I cannot recall ever reading a report of someone being bitten. I myself have never felt threatened, and I've even managed to save a few cobras from certain death. Snakes DO NOT attack humans because we are not suitable as part of their diet. The only time you'll get bitten is if you stupid, or if you really have bad luck and you happen to step on one that is poisonous.

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Re: Snake Bites

Post by dtaai-maai »

dtaai-maai wrote:
expat71NL wrote: Does this often happen?
No
expat71NL wrote:I know all about caution, etc. My question however has not been answered. I would like to know approximately how often snake bites occur in the Hua Hin area. Are we talking about 1 a year or 1 a month or what?
To reinforce my "No", I can only say that I've lived in Thailand for 12 years, 9 years in this area, and encountered many snakes and many more people, both Thai and farang, and I don't know anyone who's ever been bitten.
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Re: Snake Bites

Post by pitsch »

I know of 2 dogs killed by cobras, but the dogs chase the snake.
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Re: Snake Bites

Post by Nereus »

It may depend where you both live and walk around! I have not seen any in my Condo, but do see them in my house garden.
If you work in a rice paddy, or a cane field, look out!

The following link gives some numbers, but better still, has good photos of snakes:

http://www.tm.mahidol.ac.th/jitmm2008/d ... -bites.pdf
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Re: Snake Bites

Post by GLCQuantum »

Just to close this - you don't need to worry about snake bites here as they are very uncommon. Deep Blue is once again taking ketamine.
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