Thai Nature Closes In On Homeowners As The Rainy Season Takes A Hold

[webfact]

Thai nature closes in on homeowners as the rainy season takes a hold

By Staff Reporter

BANGKOK: -- As the rainy season progresses in Thailand, so many insects and vermin will try and find fresh homes, away from the wet and heat. Those new homes could easily be in your house, garden, car or even shoes, as we all leave them outside.

Thais of course take this for granted but for Kuhn Farang, the arrival and sudden discovery of a monster like this one in our homes or gardens can be scary.

The locals here say that this little beauty, discovered in a flower bed under a rock, has a nasty habit of biting when disturbed.

The bite can mean 4-6 days in hospital and, according to reports, is more painful than a snakebite.

They also tell me that they like to soak them in the local Lau Khao whisky too, which, for some reason, won’t surprise us.

Seriously though, a word of warning. All types of critters will be on the move in the next few months and, in the tropics as we are, they know the territory better than us.

So keeping an eye out for everything from Ants to this type of visitor could save you a lot of discomfort.

Full story: http://www.pattaya10...n-takes-a-hold/

-- pattaya103.com 2012-09-12

[F1fanatic]

Apart from mossies, the only creature that I hate here is the centipede.

Fortunately, I've only seen 3 but the thought of one getting in the house is a real fear.

I block the gap underneath an external door, but presumably they can climb and find a way through other small gaps...

[Captain_Bob]

It's called a "ta-khab" (takab) in Thai and is a nasty creature. Worse than getting bitten by a scorpion, very toxic. If you see one, kill it. I had this specimen crawl past my feet while sitting at my desk one night. Stuck it in a plastic food container and into the freezer for the night. Then you dry it out in the sun next day and can keep it handy when you want to flighten unfamiliar houseguests.

[CharlieH]

See them almost daily and dont give them a second thought now, like most things you just get used to them and avoid when needed.

[jacktrip]

is that a fatal bite without medical attention?

[TommoPhysicist]

is that a fatal bite without medical attention?

No, you just wish it were.

[dave2]

f1 fanatic

re .. presumably they can climb and find a way through other small gaps...

they can : ( .... and their fast as well : (

dave2

[kohphangan]

I have had the misfortune of attacks from these things on three occasions.

My 1st was the most painful of the three bites,it crawled out of some bamboo while making a fire and ran over my right foot.

I was age 42 at the time,fit and i think healthy but WOW i can tell you this thing gives a lot of pain.

The size of the takab was smaller than shown here more like 7 inch but the pain was instant and very painful.

I hobbled back to the bar a walk of 20 meters and already by this time my foot,leg felt like it was on fire.

To try and give you an example of the pain from the moment it got me,i feel it would be like calmly standing minding your own business,then someone comes up and chops your foot off with an axe. Within minutes the pain was now going up my leg very fast,like a heart beat,pumping the poison and pain.

I was at the time able to take a picture of the 7 inch horror,as i had my camera on hand taking some pictures of the fire on the beach,and after it bite me pointed the camera at it. This was in my favour as when i got back into the bar i showed the thai staff to which their face said it all.

I had been living and spending time in Asia-Thailand for many years and had never seen one but they knew exactly what it was,the Mama of the resort came to me 5mins later with a white powder mixed with water in a coconut bowl and pasted it over my foot,i have no idea what it was,or if it did any good,but i was in No hospital for 5-6 days,not even hospital was needed.

The pain however lasted for many hrs,it was approx 10pm when it happened and i feel to sleep still with pain at about 4am.

The instant 1st bite was the nasty bit,but those several hours were not pleasant,after about 2hrs this pumping burning sensation was now in my groin area and even passed my hip point.

I woke up around 9am the morning after and felt no pain at all,the only thing i could see was that my toes had a red rash mark on them,which still to this day makes me think it's not a bite,but more like the poison is in the feet. Unless i was unlucky and it bite me many many times,my theory is the poison is carried. But that is only my opinion

As i mentioned i have had 2 other attacks from these nasty things,but the 2nd one was not as bad. The instant pain of the 2nd was the same horror pain,but this time while in bed and got me on the back. Pain i would describe as,happily sleeping away when an intruder comes in and stabs you in the back. Same same but different i think the saying goes,and this was different,the pain,the real bad pain only lasted for about 1hr,the burning pumping action not as bad and not for such a long time.

The 3rd attack was back on the right foot again,standing at the wash basin cleaning my teeth and it ran over my foot again. This was not as painful from start to finish as the others,but still was left with red rash across the toe area.

I did a bit of research on these things,and stumbled across a thai man that claimed to have been attacked by small scorpion,king Cobra and the Takab... guess which he put the most painful..... our little friend here

For me personally it has helped knowing i have been got by one of the nasty things of Asia and could handle the pain. King Cobra i have seen many and have no fear.

For me again personally i have visited Australia and travelled it for 6 months,there they just about have everything land,sea,desert that can kill. My advise would be if you worry about these little nasty things don't get making any plans of Australia.

[h90]

please note: it is nasty when it bites you, but it feeds on a lot other nasty insects.

In one of our house we have a real bad cockroach problem.....No one stayed 3-4 month.

When I came back all was full of cockroach fragments and 1 happy centipede. It was even larger than on the photo and on the head it was different shaped.

Looked like some strange tools are mounted, like out of a cheap SiFi movie.

I didn't kill it, I kicked it out.....

[Dork]

Those are the only creatures I regularly see that I hate & will try my best to kill. Years ago I had a very close call with one crawling up my dressing gown against my thigh but luckily didn't get bitten. Thinking about it still makes me shudder. Conversely I have actually been bitten by a pit viper in Bangkok and even though that caused me a night in hospital, strangely snakes don't bother me too much.

I think it is partly because they are so hideously ugly and, as mentioned above, looks like something out of a sci fi movie. I chopped one in half with a spade once and the 2 halves took off in different directions.

[bendejo]

One year i was out on the street in Bangkok when the first all-out downpour of monsoon kicked in. I was in a non-touristy neighborhood, and a bunch of us were huddled under an awning. The entertainment was a swarm of creepy-crawlies (including a few of the monster pictured above) coming up from the holes in the sewer cap, and they all were heading in out direction. When something came within a meter of me I squished it. The Thais were amused by this, commenting and laughing, until they started reaching THEM and crawling up their legs, which caused them to join me in the cucaracha dance.

Bad bad Uncle Bob stole a pen from the waitress at MK!

[Dork]

Oh, one more disgusting fact about these creatures. I read that the species share common ancestry with shrimps/prawns. Never did understand why some people rave about river prawns.......

[bendejo]

... or river fish! The Brazilians love them, but to me some taste so bad I couldn't even fake a bite to be the polite guest.

[Meisgq]

talking about fish... anyone ever use this for bait?

[mahtin]

talking about fish... anyone ever use this for bait?

This b'ain't no lugworm, bhoy.

[LennyW]

http://www.chiangraitimes.com/news/10883.html

[travelmann]

It's called a "ta-khab" (takab) in Thai and is a nasty creature. Worse than getting bitten by a scorpion, very toxic. If you see one, kill it. I had this specimen crawl past my feet while sitting at my desk one night. Stuck it in a plastic food container and into the freezer for the night. Then you dry it out in the sun next day and can keep it handy when you want to flighten unfamiliar houseguests.

Not a good idea to kill it they are good for the environment, same with snakes kill kill kill kill baaaaaaaaaa