Have you seen a python in Bangkok?

[Bangkok Herps]

A little more than a week from now I'm giving an interview about pythons in Bangkok for a podcast on urban wildlife. I have my own experience and a few others to share, along with some general information about pythons in the wild. But I'd love to get a few more data points if possible.

This is what I'm interested in:

Have you ever seen a wild python in Bangkok?
Approximately what part of the city, and what was the area like nearby?
Was it close to a canal, park, or green space?

How big was the python, and what was it doing?
What did you do?

Answers to any or all of those questions would be welcome. Thank you!

Edited October 22, 2014 by Bangkok Herps

[kurnell]

Yes.

Bangkapi near several housing estates

Everywhere in Bangkok is near water

6-8 feet, sitting in a tree

Our security guard took it away

Edited October 22, 2014 by kurnell

[Showbags]

Yes, in sutthisan, no water nearby, in out front garden, was a reticulated python from memory...have a pic somewhere...about half metre, caught it and released it in khao yai.

[Marcel1]

Yes, well to be honest it was in pra phradeang which is I belive a part of samut prakan province but I am not sure, largest one I've seen was 4.5 meter just a few seconds before it disappeared

[Carib]

Yes, in the Onnut area. Close to the small canal dividing the area. It sat in the backyard and dissapeared when the family came to take a look at it. About 1.50 meter.

[tw25rw]

A little while ago, someone posted a pic of what looked like a reticulated python on the footpath near On Nut station..

[singa-traz]

Bangna Area, 4-5 meters (a few years ago), we called "the specialists" to come and catch it.

The area still has swamp type of land, where you can find monitor lizard as well.

[AyG]

Yes. Video clip at http://postcardsfromthailand.com/2013/11/python/

This is Khannayao district, close to some unused wetland which you can see in the background of the clip. I'd estimate it at about 4 m long.

[shamimoto]

Yes, about 4 months ago in my house on the boundary wall, that lived in next door neighbour's property (not as a pet). It devoured a few cats and was probably after my 2m old puppy (GSD). Location is Bang Sue, Wong Sawang Road, Bangkok.

Called the wild life, who came but it vanished under a pile of deadwood, beside a khlong. It was approx 3m long. Since then, a few more cats disappeared. Wife tells that wild-life guys finally captured it last month. No idea about its fate, probably it was released in a natural environment in the outskirts of Bangkok.

[tormok]

2 or 3 years ago in Jatutak Park. Near the entrance/exit opposite to the Chatuchak MRT Station.

It was about 2,5 to 3 meters long and just lying on the walkway. There were two policemen keeping spectators at a distance.

I shot a few photos (which I can't find) and left the park.

[tormok]

2 or 3 years ago in Jatutak Park. Near the entrance/exit opposite to the Chatuchak MRT Station.

It was about 2,5 to 3 meters long and just lying on the walkway. There were two policemen keeping spectators at a distance.

I shot a few photos (which I can't find) and left the park.

Well time flies quickly and memories fade.

Small correction to my above post.

It was 6 years ago, the python was not more than 2 meters long, there were more than two policemen and I found the photo.

Edited October 26, 2014 by tormok

[Bangkok Herps]

Great photos tormok and shanimoto.

Kurnell, that's a Green Tree Python in your photo. They are found in Indonesia, but not Thailand. Maybe an escaped pet? Or was your story and the picture two separate incidents?

Keep the stories coming if anyone else has one.

[Bangkok Herps]

By the way, I should add that the only wild python species you should really expect to see in Bangkok is the Reticulated Python. Here's a photo of a little one in Pra Khanong.

There is a chance you could see a Burmese Python. They get up to the outskirts of the city (I have a friend who has seen one in Rangsit), but they don't seem to appreciate urban areas to the degree that Reticulated Pythons do. Here's a photo from one in Khao Yai.

Any other python species you saw in Bangkok would be an escaped pet.

Edited October 27, 2014 by Bangkok Herps

[overherebc]

Afew years ago saw one one the carraige way not that far from Don Muang airport. Caused a bit of a traffic jam. It made it into the area where the hopewell pillars are and disappeared.

[Pib]

Not me...I live in western Bangkok in Khet Talingchan....a canal is right behind my house and a large open/jungle field. Have seen other snakes such as small green-colored snakes usually in bushes, some baby cobras, and other misc small snakes, but no pythons to the best of my knowledge. I did see one snake approx 7 foot long but with a small diameter body as it went from a grassy area into the water. We have a good supply of large monitor lizards in our area, a few up to 2 meters long but most around 1 meter long, which probably keep the snake and frog population down...but monitor lizards are very afraid of humans and run away from you when you get so close....and they can definitely run fast and go up a tree or over a perimeter wall with ease.

[Camelot]

I saw one wrapped around a power pole in a newly-built-up soi in the Suan Plu/Sathorn area. It caused quite a commotion. The first thing I did was grab our small dog (a shih tzu) and lock him up in the house until the python had been removed.

[shamimoto]

My dogs didn't like this visitor. It was about 1.5m long, slender and quick crawler. Managed to contain it in a rubbish collecting box and released it to adjacent khlong, unharmed. Hope it wasn't poisonous. What was it?

[AjarnNorth]

Shamimoto: Reticulated Python

 

I see them often in Bangsaen, Chonburi. I have removed half a dozen from my property and relocated them, and lost two cats to them thus far. A friend was in Kao Yai doing research a few weeks ago and saw (and photographed) a 5 meter reticulated kill a full grown adult barking deer.