Travel Report: Bangkok Snake Farm, Thailand.

Bangkok Snake Farm.

April 2015.

It was a scorching afternoon in Bangkok as I made my way through the grimy streets towards Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute. When I first heard that there was a snake farm in the Thai capital, I was more than skeptical. There are snake farms all across Thailand, but they don’t have great reputations. In addition to being tacky tourist traps, most farms shamelessly exploit their snakes and have shoddy safety standards.

Happily, the snake farm at Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute is different! It opened in 1913 as a rabies vaccine facility, but by the mid 1920s had morphed into a small snake farm and anti-venom research centre. In fact, it was only the second such snake farm in the world after an institute in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Under the guidance of the Thai Red Cross Society, the institute has grown into one of Asia’s largest and most successful production centres for snake antivenom. Moreover, the farm is committed to protecting and breeding endangered snakes. And to the general promotion and education of all things snaky.

Bangkok Snake Farm.

Photo courtesy of Paola Di Bella.

On the day of my visit I paid the modest 200 Baht entry fee (arond $7) and began my own educative journey into the world of snakes. The small onsite museum is well worth a wander, with its exhibits on snake evolution, anatomy, toxicology and reproduction. You can also find grisly displays of skin and skeletons.

If you time your visit for 11:00 on a weekday, you’ll get to witness a live venom extraction from one of the farm’s slithery subjects. Impressively, the centre produces seven types of antivenom and holds lectures on snake venom research and treatment.

Photo courtesy of Paola Di Bella.

The institute regularly welcomes school groups of all ages to come and learn more about snakes. The idea is to break down kids’ fears and educate them on venomous and non venomous types. And crucially what to do in the event of a bite. (Get to a hospital pronto, I would imagine!)

In the outdoor enclosures you can meet some of the farm’s residents. Thousands of snakes live within the compound, which hosts around thirty five species. For the ultimate experience, I came at 14:30 on a weekday to see The Snake Handling Show.

Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, Bangkok.

Designed to thrill and get people shrinking back in their seats, this is where visitors can get close (but not too close!) to some of the world’s most venomous serpents. First, they wheeled out a white-lipped pit viper, a bright green creature found in forests throughout Southeast Asia. Next came a  King Cobra, the world’s longest venomous snake at three to four metres.

For the most part they feast on other snakes, sometimes lizards and rodents. Furthermore, I was surprised to learn that The King Cobra is actually shy with humans and unlikely to attack unless heavily provoked. Which sounded great, as I had zero plans to provoke it in any way!

Even more terrifying, in my book at least, was the above pair of Siamese Cobras. The moment they were released from their caged enclosure, they came zipping forward towards the audience at high speed. They hissed loudly and huddled together, their eyes darting suspiciously from side to side.

The handlers expertly managed to contain their movements, simply by brandishing their wooden sticks to the side of each cobra. No contact was ever made and the cobras stayed put. But for the first time that day I did seriously begin to question what the hell I was doing there.

Bangkok Snake Farm.

Another poisonous dude on show that day was the Malayan Mangrove Cat-eye Snake, with its signature yellow and black patterns. Much to my relief, he remained in his handler’s clutches. Although, as the man assured us, “He’s only mildly venomous”.

That afternoon I also got to see a copperhead rat snake, a Brazilian Rainbow Boa and an Indochinese Spitting Cobra. However, the standout moment came right at the end of the show. When one of the handlers asked if I’d like to have a large Burmese Python wrapped around me, I initially froze.

It took every bit of courage I had to subsequently say ok, I’ll give it a go. The snake was huge and therefore pretty heavy, but gentle and quiet with slow, cautious movements. At one point it twisted its head up to mine, paused for just a moment…. and ever so softly hissed in my ear.

Bangkok Snake Farm.

Looking back on that visit, I feel I was probably a bit naive. While their online reviews remain solid, and the farm itself insists snakes are always treated with the utmost care and respect, I can’t help but wonder about the handling show aspect.

Should I have agreed to hold the python at the end? I have read several reviews claiming snakes are usually drugged for these kinds of interactions. That said, my research during the writing of the article tells me that The Burmese Python is a generally docile creature, so who knows.

If I were to come across such an attraction now, six years wiser, I’d probably pass. But I wouldn’t say I regret my visit, as they clearly do great work protecting and breeding endangered snakes.

What’s more, they remain pioneers in the production of antivenom, which saves more and more lives each year. Finally, I was fascinated to read that they also have a department researching the use of antivenom in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. For more info, and all the latest opening times, head to their Facebook page.

Like this? Check out more of my adventures from Bangkok.

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