THAILAND: More Than 320,000 Tourists Flock To Watch King Cobras

The popular Ban Koke Sa-nga in Khon Kaen has been an established cobra capital for years, but a lack of proper food for the fussy eaters is threatening not only their existence, but that of the village.

The villagers have raised and domesticated king cobras, originally collected from the nearby forests, for decades, attracting tourists who come in droves to see the pets in action.

The rearing of king cobras for public display is found only in Ban Koke Sa-nga village," said Plang Phramuang, 51, the third head of the King Cobra Club of Thailand based in the village.

Born in the village 50 years ago, Mr Plang, who raises three king cobras of his own, is serving a five-year term as the club leader. He said villagers mainly earn income from farming rice and sugarcane.

Raising the cobras for recreational purpose and putting them on a show helps supplement their income.

But now the feared creatures are under threat, although not by locals or visitors but a shortage of food. Their food is harder and harder to come by these days, he said.

Feeding the reptiles is tough task. Normally, we treat them with all kinds of small snakes, frogs and small green frogs, Mr Plang said. He said normally the king cobras eat smaller snakes.

So, raisers must go out to catch or trap the small snakes in the wild.

But water sources around the village are drying up, disrupting the ecology and driving away the small snakes and creatures the cobras feed on.

The prolonged drought and the vanishing water sources mean fewer fish for the small snakes. Also, wide areas where there used to be creeks and swamps have been turned into sugarcane farms.

The drought is causing a problem of fish shortages. Hopefully, after April, there should be some relief with the coming rains. Then, we might be able to trap more small snakes, he said.

Sometime, we have to venture some twenty kilometres to find the small snakes in other places or in the forests, Mr Plang said, adding that when the situation becomes desperate, the villagers buy small snakes at 50 baht per kilo.

The small snakes, such as the ngoo kinpla and ngoo sairung, find their habitats in the creeks or swamps, he said.

The small Ban Koke Sa-nga has a population of 735 people, most of them king cobra raisers. The snakes are kept in wooden boxes on the lower floor of the house and fed every three to four days.

King cobras mostly reach maturity in five years with a life expectancy of between 30 and 40 years and they can grow to between 3.7 and 5.5 metres in length.

King cobras are put on show in the 24 rai of land in the village club. Admission is free and donations are welcome.

The villagers established the King Cobra Village and Club of Thailand, the first of its kind in the country, in Nam Phong district of Khon Kaen.

It is where all the action can be can be witnessed of king cobras fighting with men, women flaunting the snakes coiled around their necks, as well as exhibitions of king cobra nurseries.

The club was set up in 1951 but it was not fully functional and integrated until 2002. Ken Yongla, the first club chairman, pioneered king cobra raising in the village. He was 91 years old when he passed away in 2010.

Back in 1951, Ken brought in some traditional medicines from his relatives in Roi Et and introduced them to the villagers. This was regarded as the first club activity.

Ken cultivated more knowledge about traditional medicine derived from the natural plants in the forest, which helped treat handlers who suffered from snake bites. In 1953, Ken started catching some ordinary cobras in the wild and kept them for show.

The local residents later decided to operate the show in one specific place in the village. However, they must ensure the audience sat a good distance from the cobras which are known to spit venom capable of blinding spectators.

In 1956, Ken switched to catching king cobras instead of cobras because they do not spit poison. His method of showing king cobras to promote herbs proved a success.

The show and the sale of herbal medicines and souvenirs have generated a steady income for many villagers, who have taken up snake raising instead of farm work.

Every Thai traditional New Year on April 13 sees "World King Cobra Day" to coincide with the popular Songkran water festival. This is a reflection of the close ties that bind local customs and the people living at one with nature, according to cultural experts.

World King Cobra Day is celebrated with contests and parades of snakes representing the 13 king cobra-raising villages in the Nam Phong area. Mr Plang said in Ban Koke Sa-nga alone, 342 king cobras are domestically raised. He has 12 of them.

The village's history associated with the snakes goes back over a hundred years. Ban Koke Sa-nga was founded around 1897 when cobras and king cobras roamed the surrounding forests.

But it was not until The village's history associated with the snakes goes back over a hundred years.

But it was not until 1995 that the king cobra show was unveiled to the general public for the first time. As more visitors came to see the show, more king cobras were domesticated to keep up with the rising demand from spectators.

The live show and raising of snakes allows the villagers and visitors to become educated about the nature of king cobras and to learn to live with one of the world's most poisonous snakes.

The residents have also expanded their knowledge on the raising of other breeds of snakes, including constrictor pythons.

Khon Kaen University specialists often visit the village to observe the snakes and take samples of venom for closer study.

It might be useful to learn more about the king cobra's life, as well as how how people can save their own lives after being bitten by poisonous snakes, Mr Plang said. Also, the show is a significant employer.

There's no longer any need for most villagers to move to the cities in search of work, he said, adding the whole family can sometimes join in the work of preparing and conducting the show.

He noted the show draws an increasing number of Thai and foreign tourists, some of whom buy traditional medicines concocted from herbs.

Last year, around 320,000 visitors arrived in the village to catch the show,up from the peak of 200,000 visitors in previous years.

Most visitors are Thais, and around 15% are foreigners, said Mr Plang, adding the visitors also learned about the basic features of the poisonous snakes and how to treat a snake bite.

Since the show began, four handlers have died after being bitten. The last victim was Por Heang in 2012. Last year, one person was bitten and the victim fell unconscious for three days.

The club receives financial support from the Khon Kaen Provincial Administration Organisation and the Saimool Tambon Administration Organisation. The club current has 170 members who are the villagers who are also king cobra raisers. More people have subscribed to the club.

We look after them in the most natural way possible, placing them in wooden boxes and sometimes under our beds, Mr Plang said.

The king cobra conservation is encouraged by the Khon Kaen provincial governor,the Kohn Kaen PAO, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

The agencies also send representatives to act as honorary advisers to the village and the club.


Tourism Observer

Africa’s Most Deadly Snakes

Step in line, humans! You’re the superior animal on the planet, sure, maybe, but do you have two-inch fangs loaded with the milk of death? Can you choke a cow with your body? If someone is kicking you, can you bite their ankles to stop them…forever? Maybe you’re not as awesome as African snakes then. Here are 10 African snakes to respect and fear that are among the most lethal on any continent.

Cape Cobra (Naja nivea)

A rich yellow color variation is painted up and down the gleaming body of the Cape cobra, although darker-toned ones (purplish, copper, mahogany) are also common. It depends on the region — the yellow varietal is found mostly in the Kalahari Desert of Botswana and Namibia, while the ones found in South Africa all the way to the Cape coast have a shadowier tint. They’re known to be anxious and aggressive. It takes about four hours for the venom to work through a grown human’s body. Paralysis leads to respiratory failure, with a 60-percent mortality rate from bites.

Gaboon Viper (Bitis gabonica)

Of all the venomous snakes in Africa, this one is the heftiest, weighing in at approximately 18 pounds (eight kilograms) and around seven feet (two meters) long. It also carries the highest reserve of venom in its body of any snake globally. Unlike the Cape cobra, these are relatively passive ground dwellers, although to spot one is to fear one. They’ll kill a lumberjack-sized man. They have facial features that include horn-shaped projections on the snout that kind of make it look like they’re wearing a freaky cat mask. They also have the longest fangs of any snake in the universe, which stay embedded in the flesh of their prey until it’s dead. They’re found in the forests of most of sub-Saharan Africa.

Boomslang (Dispholidus typus)

Two thirds of the world’s snake species are categorized as colubrid, of the colubridae family — that’s about 1,760 different species. The boomslang is one of the only ones that can end a human’s life with a bite. Male boomslangs (translation: tree snake) are a vibrant green with black scales, and the females are a dusty brown. Both reach about five feet in length and can camouflage well on the ground and in trees. While the boomslang is a very timid snake, thee’s nothing timid about its bite. Here’s how the journey to glory can go after a bite: the haemotoxic venom clots the blood, causing the internal organs to shut down. There’s bleeding from every orifice. Respect and fear.

Egyptian Cobra (Naja haje)

This really potent snake inhabits folklore and history. Many believe it was the asp Cleopatra used to off herself. Fast moving and ornery when crossed, it’s found mainly in the sands of the North African deserts, but its range also extends further east into the Asian continent. The toxicity of its venom varies, as does its method of using it: some spit by a muscular contraction of the venom ducts, and some just bite. The most lethal ones in Africa can kill an elephant in three hours. Anything smaller than an elephant should probably take heed.

Eastern Green Mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps)

The smallest of all the mamba species, the lemon-lime-colored eastern green grows to an average length of 5.9 feet (about 1.8 meters). It’s full of venom which bodes poorly for those who may tamper with them for sure, but it’s far less aggressive than its darker-colored sibling. Green mambas are arboreal, and rarely come down from the East African tree branches (they’re mostly found in Kenya) they wind through. When they’re born, they’re yellow, but then turn into a very shiny, very lovely lime green color. If threatened, they’d rather run, and can slither away at about seven miles per hour.

Saw-Scaled Viper/Carpet Viper (Echis genus)

This monster is usually out after dark, which is when most of its hapless human victims have been bitten. In Africa it mostly inhabits dry or savanna regions north of the equator, but the eight saw-scaled viper species are found as far across the globe as Sri Lanka. Dry-looking and the color of dirt, their scales rub together to produce a sizzling or sawing sound, hence the name. They’re also categorized as sidewinders for their sideways motion. They move slowly, but can strike quickly, and their sour temper coupled with quick-acting venom has not fared well for some folks.

Western Bush Viper (Atheris Chlorechis)

Another arboreal inhabitant found in the lush woods of West Africa from Gabon to Guinea, this snake is a sight to behold: a solid green the color of the healthiest leaves, it has faint yellow spots running along its dorsal. These snakes are quite small, with adults reaching only about 20 inches (50 centimeters) in length. While bites are not common, they’re an emergency if they happen, especially because there’s no established antivenin. Their venom is haematoxic, which means that blood will clot, often leading to fatality if untreated.

Puff Adder (Bitis arietans)

According to Venemoussnakes.net, the puff adder is responsible for the majority of fatal snake bites on the African continent. This has been attributed partly to the lack of infrastructure in rural areas that could slow efforts to rush someone to a hospital to receive treatment. It’s quite the ubiquitous snake, found in all areas from Africa to Southeast Asia excluding rain forests. Puff adders in the Southern African region reach up to 4.5 feet (1.4 meters) long. They are heavily set and brown with chevron-like patterns running along the back. The combination of patience and camouflage make this snake dangerous to stumble upon — they’ll stay motionless on the ground for weeks waiting for a meal. Their cytotoxic venom causes swelling, extreme pain, and shock.

Mozambique Spitting Cobra

This guy will feign death in a strategic way in order to avoid being molested, then turn the tables and make the would-be attacker the victim. Considered the second most dangerous snake in the world, this cobra is really a marvel. In order to disable its prey, it will spit venom up to eight feet (2.4 meters), usually aiming for the eyes. Its juice can cause blindness in a human being. While other cobras spread their hood before spitting, the Mozambique does not need to, and can launch from any position. Found mostly in the savannas of subtropical Africa, it prefers watery areas…and to be left the hell alone.

The Black Mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis)

Let’s start with its neurotoxic venom: it attacks the nervous system, reducing the ability to see, smell, move, and breathe. It’s the most aggressive snake in Africa and the fastest (it can run after you at 12 miles per hour or 20 kilometers per hour). It’s the largest of the continent’s venomous snakes (up to eight feet or 2.5 meters in length), and its venom is strong enough to kill up to a dozen people in an hour. This is because the black mamba can strike up to 12 times in a row, pumping venom into one or multiple victims each time. Sub-Saharan Africans know to watch themselves, to watch the trees above, and to tread lightly on the ground.