Thai Officials Rescue 600 Smuggled Cobras

[webfact]

Thailand Cobra Seizure: Officials Rescue 600 Smuggled Snakes

BANGKOK -- Thai authorities have seized a pickup truck full of deadly cobras at a checkpoint in the country's central region. They believe the snakes came from Malaysia and were destined for a third country for use in traditional medicine or human consumption.

Thai Customs chief Benja Louicharoen said Tuesday that officials found 600 cobras worth about 500,000 baht ($16,500) in mesh bags inside plastic baskets in the truck.

Officials arrested the Thai driver after the suspicious vehicle was stopped 210 kilometers (130 miles) south of Bangkok.

Benja said the man confessed that he was delivering the snakes to northeast Thailand where they were to be smuggled over the border into Laos.

Thailand is a major transit country for illegal wildlife trafficking in Asia.

Source: http://www.huffingto..._n_2122129.html

-- HUFFINGTON Post 2012-11-14

[Nisa]

What the heck are officials going to do with 600 Cobras?

[Pond Life]

Sell them to laos ?

[LeeKat]

What the heck are officials going to do with 600 Cobras?

I hope they send them to a animal shelter.

[LuckyLew]

They make nice wallets, belts and bags

[Songhua]

What the heck are officials going to do with 600 Cobras?

I hope they send them to a animal shelter.

I don't wanna be the vet examining each one for good health prior to their adoption.

[asiawatcher]

Whilst I think Cobras are rife and not endangered, what is the difference between a truck full of chickens, pigs or cobras no matter what their fate?

[Jimi007]

Whilst I think Cobras are rife and not endangered, what is the difference between a truck full of chickens, pigs or cobras no matter what their fate?

I'll agree partially. I usually see several cobras in my yard every year, but they are not raised to feed people as are the other animals you mention. They are part of the local ecosystem.

[hellodolly]

I wouldn't miss them.

[jerrysteve]

They should find out who they were to be delivered too, and put those people in with the Cobras, including the driver

[Nisa]

If there ever was a case for taking a bribe and looking the other way, this would have been the perfect case.

[webfact]

Snakes in a Pickup destined for foreign restaurants

By Staff Reporter

Seen by many as a method of reviving sex drive, The cobra can be found in many Asian restaurants, but Not in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Customs officers have seized a shipment of 600 live cobras being smuggled through Thailand from Malaysia and believed destined for restaurants in neighbouring countries.

The 600 snakes, with an estimated value of 500,000 baht, were seized as. It was believed that the shipment was being moved to another country via southern Thailand.

Working on a tip off, Customs officials set up a checkpoint and used X-ray machines to scan all suspicious vehicles.

Full story: http://www.pattaya10...gn-restaurants/

--Pattaya 103 FM 2012-11-14

[asiawatcher]

Whilst I think Cobras are rife and not endangered, what is the difference between a truck full of chickens, pigs or cobras no matter what their fate?

I'll agree partially. I usually see several cobras in my yard every year, but they are not raised to feed people as are the other animals you mention. They are part of the local ecosystem.

Valid point yes, as our moo baan is beside a waterreed field and heaps of rats and cobras. They keep the rats down - that's a good thing.

[JeremyBowskill]

Thai officials and Cobras, exactly how would you be able to tell 1 snake from another.........

[Briandajew]

830 Baht a pop! not a bad little earner.

[Pimay1]

830 Baht a pop! not a bad little earner.

You're right. I hope the people in my village don't hear about this. I love to eat snake (taste like chicken) and I pay 100 Baht each. If course they have to be above a certain size.

[Thai at Heart]

Why is it illegal to sell cobras?

[osiboy]

" thailand is a major transit country for illegal wildlife",.............Well they didn't want to label it a" HUB" This time , wonder why ?

[hellodolly]

Snakes in a Pickup destined for foreign restaurants

By Staff Reporter

Seen by many as a method of reviving sex drive, The cobra can be found in many Asian restaurants, but Not in Thailand

BANGKOK: -- Customs officers have seized a shipment of 600 live cobras being smuggled through Thailand from Malaysia and believed destined for restaurants in neighbouring countries.

The 600 snakes, with an estimated value of 500,000 baht, were seized as. It was believed that the shipment was being moved to another country via southern Thailand.

Working on a tip off, Customs officials set up a checkpoint and used X-ray machines to scan all suspicious vehicles.

Full story: http://www.pattaya10...gn-restaurants/

--Pattaya 103 FM 2012-11-14

I guess a hands on check would not have been a good idea.

[hellodolly]

830 Baht a pop! not a bad little earner.

You're right. I hope the people in my village don't hear about this. I love to eat snake (taste like chicken) and I pay 100 Baht each. If course they have to be above a certain size.

You are saving on the transportation cost. Any snake or just Cobra.

I have heard in the states that a rattler has a chicken taste.

[Lite Beer]

Hundreds of cobras seized in Thai customs bust

BANGKOK, Nov 14, 2012 (AFP) -

Thai customs officers have seized hundreds of cobras being smuggled through the country for use in traditional medicine as a supposed sexual aid, an official said Wednesday.

The 600 deadly wild snakes were discovered in crates on a truck when it was stopped at a checkpoint in the south of the country.

"They were in blue net bags, they could breathe through the net -- there were about five cobras in each bag," the customs officer told AFP, requesting anonymity.

Estimating the total number of snakes at around 600, the officer said a full count would take place on Wednesday night as it was too dangerous to do it without extra help.

The cobras, worth an estimated $16,300, were destined to be used in traditional medicine, the official said.

They are prized in some forms of Chinese medicine, which holds that their blood and meat boosts sexual potency.

The snakes had been smuggled in via the southern Thai border and were believed to be on their way through the kingdom and destined for neighbouring countries, the official added.

There are three cobra species native to Thailand.

Although none is endangered, the export of live snakes is banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna.

Two men have been arrested in connection with Monday night's haul in Prachuap Khiri Khan province and face up to 10 years in jail.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-11-14

The cobras have been sent to a national park in central Thailand.

[Pimay1]

830 Baht a pop! not a bad little earner.

You're right. I hope the people in my village don't hear about this. I love to eat snake (taste like chicken) and I pay 100 Baht each. If course they have to be above a certain size.

You are saving on the transportation cost. Any snake or just Cobra.

I have heard in the states that a rattler has a chicken taste.

Mosy any snake taste the same. I am not choosey but you are correct about the rattlers in the US.

[sunshine51]

This IS really bad news lads.

It means that the cobras won't be stuffed into

bottles then covered with rotgut "liquor" and

marketed as Lao-Lao (loose translation...whiskey

or wine) and sold for 50 Baht a bottle. Now the price

will most likely be 70 Baht a bottle...Heaven Forbid!

[sawati]

Seen by many as a method of reviving sex drive, The cobra can be found in many Asian restaurants, but Not in Thailand

There are many restaurants in Thailand where you can eat that snake.

If they can eat magots,cocaraches,crikets,rats...and who knows what more...the cobras are a delicacy.

At Lumpini park they drink cobra blood with the bilis...after the jogging.

Thailand all the time passes the blame to his neighbours.

[SiamRose]

I hope they send them to a animal shelter.

I hope they warn the cats and dogs living at the shelter first.

[DocN]

Whilst I think Cobras are rife and not endangered, what is the difference between a truck full of chickens, pigs or cobras no matter what their fate?

Some (King Cobra) is actually on the endangered species list!

[DocN]

I wouldn't miss them.

You would, if you would be living in a rural area and your house would be overrun by rats!

[hhiser]

830 Baht a pop! not a bad little earner.

You're right. I hope the people in my village don't hear about this. I love to eat snake (taste like chicken) and I pay 100 Baht each. If course they have to be above a certain size.

Snake is way better than chicken. I ate King Cobra in the Philippines when I was in the military and it was excellent!

[GOLDBUGGY]

I wouldn't miss them.

Me niether!

Hope they don't let them lose near my house.

[lujanit]

What the heck are officials going to do with 600 Cobras?

Let them loose in Parliament House. No one would notice a few extra snakes