Are there poisonous Spiders in Thailand? The definitive answer from a Thai Doctor.

[exparte]

Yes, I know there are several threads on the subject. I browsed most of them, and could not find a definitive answer.  I have lived in Thailand for 18 years and have seen my fair share of Creepy Crawley's, but the only insect's I had heard of causing death is the Mosquito, Giant Centipede and a Swarm of Killer Wasps as recently reported on Thai Visa.

 

As I was recently bitten by a spider, I thought I would give the definite answer to the question "Are there poisonous Spiders in Thailand?" as it was given to me by a Emergency Room Doctor in Nakhon Ratchasima.

 

I was bitten by a spider a couple of days ago. I noticed crawling on my arm when I was cleaning around the outside of the house. I flicked it off my Arm and went about my business. Later that evening I noticed two play white small dots on my arm in the area that the spider was that I had flocked off earlier in the day. My reaction was: I wonder if that spider bit me as I did not feel a sting or bite?

 

What was it that bit me? As best I can tell it is called a Yellow Sac Spider.

 

The next day, the bite became swollen about the size of two 10 baht coins, and I could see the onset of cellulitis as the skin was starting to look as if it was breaking down. I got a slight fever and terrible headache. 

 

I went to the Hospital where the Doctor explained to me that there are no dangerous spiders in Thailand unless you brought on in to Thailand, The spiders that do have venom are similar to bees wand wasps. Their venom is protein based; and similar to Bees and Wasps stings; some pope can have an Allergic reaction and that was what I was experiencing. 

 

I was given an allergy shot and sent home with Dicloxacillin to treat the infection/cellulitis around the Bite area and Chlorphenamine (CPM),a antihistamine used to treat the symptoms of the Allergy.

 

Hopefully this helps my fellow Expats and the Tourist wondering about this question.

 

Edited October 30, 2019 by exparte

[jak2002003]

I have never eaten a spider here, so can't tell you if they are poisonous, but I suspect not.  

 

There are no venomous spiders here that are a danger to human beings, thankfully.  Even the scorpions are no danger, only painful.  

 

Your doctor was correct.  Seems like you are having an allergic reaction at the bite site.  Hope you get better soon.

 

 

[worgeordie]

There are no Poisonous spiders in Thailand...but there could be Venomous ones, ditto snakes.

regards worgeordie  

[Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai]

Thailands a breeze compared to Australia with spiders and snakes. Not to mention the foot eating sharks.

As a kid we had a outside dunny not lights, after listening to this song  going to the out house was an experience.

There's a redback on the toilet seat, Slim Newton

There was a red-back on the toilet seat
When I was there last night,
I didn't see him in the dark,
But boy! I felt his b***!
I jumped high up into the air,
And when I hit the ground,
That crafty red-back spider
Wasn't nowhere to be found.
I rushed in to the missus,
Told her just where I'd been bit,
She grabbed the cut throat razor blade,
And I nearly took a fit.
I said, "Just forget what's on your mind,
And call a doctor please,
'Cause I've got a feeling that your cure
Is worse than the disease."

There was a red-back on the toilet seat
When I was there last night,
I didn't see him in the dark,
But boy! I felt his b***!
And now I'm here in hospital,
A sad and sorry plight,
And I curse that red-back spider
On the toilet seat last night.

I can't lay down, I can't sit up,
And I don't know what to do,
And all the nurses think it's funny,
But that's not my point of view.
I tell you it's embarrassing,
And that's to say the least
That I'm to sick to eat a b***,
While that spider had a feast!

And when I get back home again,
I tell you what I'll do,
I'll make that red-back suffer
For the pain I'm going through.
I've had so many needles
That I'm looking like a sieve,
And I promise you that spider
Hasn't very long to live!
There was a red-back on the toilet seat
When I was there last night,
I didn't see him in the dark,
But boy! I felt his b***!
And now I'm here in hospital,
A sad and sorry plight,
And I curse that red-back spider
On the toilet seat last night.

----------------------------------

From his album: "Greatest Hits"

Report lyrics

 

 

 

Slim Newton Lyrics

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Redback on the Toilet Seat

• LYRICS
•  
•  S
•  
•  SLIM NEWTON
•  
•  REDBACK ON THE TOILET SEAT LYRICS

"Redback on the Toilet Seat" is a song by Slim Newton. The duration of this song is 02:19.

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[finnishmen]

many i has read before, thailand has ranging world dangerous jungle, have most danger poisonous spiders and snakes than any other country have all world. but city no have any and no need newer worry in city and home.

[BritManToo]

23 hours ago, exparte said:

As I was recently bitten by a spider, I thought I would give the definite answer to the question "Are there poisonous Spiders in Thailand?" as it was given to me by a Emergency Room Doctor in Nakhon Ratchasima.

How many spiders do you eat in your lifetime?

Or did you mean venomous?

 

Sorry, Jak beat me to it.

Edited October 31, 2019 by BritManToo

[Moonlover]

On 10/30/2019 at 5:05 PM, worgeordie said:

There are no Poisonous spiders in Thailand...but there could be Venomous ones, ditto snakes.

regards worgeordie  

Tarantulas are quite a delicacy apparently. In Cambodia, kids go out and catch them in the fields and bring them home for supper.

 

I used to jump a foot or so whenever I saw a scorpion. That was until my wife's uncle picked one up in the garden and claimed for his next meal. Issan folks. they'll eat anything!

[zaZa9]

I was once bitten ( stung ?) by a spider  in South Thailand that looked like a half  version of this.

 

http://www.oceanwideimages.com/categories.asp?cID=349

 

It certainly caused a welt , and if 'necrrosis' is taken to mean your skin melts ( a 10 baht size ) , seems to recover , then can be easily wiped off again , then thats what I had for about 3 weeks.

 

Forget the drugs ... they give the very same EVERY time I go , even for flu or Dengue.

Its a 'bill padding' thing .

 

 

 

 

[justin case]

baking soda or active charcoal on the wound to get the venom out 

[Dumbastheycome]

Basically  all  spiders  have a poisonous  bite. But  not all  are  capable  of  biting  people despite  being some of the  most  venemous.

Reaction to a spider  bite varies with individual and spider.

But  any  spider  bite  that  develops into a necrotic  ulcer  wound  needs  to  be taken  good  care of. That is not because  the ulcer is in itself poisoned  but because the localized poison has  destroyed the  flesh and is now open to infection.

 

[khunPer]

On 10/30/2019 at 10:56 AM, exparte said:

I went to the Hospital where the Doctor explained to me that there are no dangerous spiders in Thailand unless you brought on in to Thailand, The spiders that do have venom are similar to bees wand wasps. Their venom is protein based; and similar to Bees and Wasps stings; some pope can have an Allergic reaction and that was what I was experiencing. 

I'm happy to hear that there are no dangerous spiders in Thailand.

 

I'm however not happy to hear that about venom similar to wasps...????

 

[HHTel]

A simple google search should put anyone frightened of spiders at ease.  Deaths from spider bites are almost non-existant accounting for less than 3 worldwide. 

Bites can be uncomfortable/painful but the biggest risk is from infection.

[ronaldo0]

There are no spiders in Thailand that are capable of killing adult humans.

My friend was bitten a few years ago when he went to start his scooter . Very small spider on the handgrip bit him and he didn’t think much off it , couple of days later his skin started to rot around the bite area . Took a month to heal up .

[soalbundy]

11 minutes ago, ronaldo0 said:

There are no spiders in Thailand that are capable of killing adult humans.

My friend was bitten a few years ago when he went to start his scooter . Very small spider on the handgrip bit him and he didn’t think much off it , couple of days later his skin started to rot around the bite area . Took a month to heal up .

Happened to a colleague of mine, he was bitten by something in Koh Samui, when he returned to Germany the bite became an abscess that just kept getting bigger, he was treated by a doctor in Munich but without success, he ended up having to go to the tropical illness institute in Hamburg before it got better.

[ronaldo0]

39 minutes ago, soalbundy said:

Happened to a colleague of mine, he was bitten by something in Koh Samui, when he returned to Germany the bite became an abscess that just kept getting bigger, he was treated by a doctor in Munich but without success, he ended up having to go to the tropical illness institute in Hamburg before it got better.

Strangely enough my friend was in samui also ! 

[Speedo1968]

Working in farming for many years whilst visiting a client here in Thailand I took the opportunity to spend a few days at a large yearly International Poultry Exhibition in Bangkok.

Sometime during the show I was unknowingly bitten on the arm by what proved to be a spider.   I become violently sick and was taken to emergency in hospital.    By the time I got to hospital I had low level hyperventilation and uncontrollable shaking.   The doctor saw the bite marks on my upper arm and I was given an Intravenous injection of Plasil and Dramamine.   Before the injection I was asked if I was allergic to either medicines and replied that I had never had Plasil before.    "Ok" the doctor said, gave the injection and walked away.    The ward was very busy.

 

A minute later I felt really strange, my toes curled, there was numbness to end of toes and all of my legs, this worsened and spread to the all of my feet.     I kept calling for a nurse but the emergency ward was busy and a child was shouting.    No one came back for nearly 30 minutes.
My toes were permanently damaged with what is known as "chicken toes" meaning that they curl, they also become very prone to fractures.    This is a a known but rare response, the doctor / nurse should have stayed to check me out.

 

Are there poisonous spiders in Thailand - Yes - but maybe only ones that have arrived in a box at an exhibition.    Be aware of anything that bites / stings, if there is a change of any kind to your body that you are uncomfortable with see a doctor, ensure you know your drug allergies ( I carry a list with me at all times which includes antibiotics ).

Edited November 1, 2019 by Speedo1968
Added text

[rickudon]

Doctors in Thailand know jack <deleted>. Misdiagnosis is common here, and the local patient will just accept it.

I have a friend who has been bitten twice by yellow sac spiders. First time he was ill for a while, second time he was in hospital for a week and suffered nerve and kidney damage. He was told 'next time it will kill you'. If you do die, the cause of death will probably be put down as heart failure - which, i suppose, is sort of true. Cause of death in Thailand is always whatever will be the least problematic for the doctor.