BootsnAll Travel Community

Alright...I know this probably sounds stupid, but bear with me...

I am planning an extended tour of SE Asia, sepcifically, Thailand, Cambodia, hopefully Myanmar, and Vietnam.

I've been researching Thailand the most and have heard that they have a huge number of snakes, even in urban areas, with thousands of bitings a year. I realize for most this isnt a concern, but I have a serious snakephobia.....For anyone who has been or lived in this region, how serious is this problem?

Will I come home at night to find a cobra waiting for me in my guestroom? One site considered them as common as houseflies, which makes me a litle hesistant....anyone have any input? Thanks

I have never seen snakes wandering about my guest room (or outside) in the five or six visits that I have made to SEA. I have only seen snakes in zoos there.

I'd read the same kind of thing about snakes in South East Asia and was worried as I'm not a fan.

The only ones I've seen were deep in the jungle in Borneo, then only one tiny tree snake. Another small one in the jungle on Tioman Malaysia and one on a trek in Thailand.

They were all small. The thing with snakes is they tend to know you're there before you see them so they get out of your way.

The worst was on a trek on Komodo Island when the we were walking through the woods the guide kept telling us there were 12 different types with enough venom to kill, including cobras. We didn't see any.

The with with all things in live, you can't not do something just in case something might or might not happen, best to just get on with it and hope for the best.

Failing that, I'm a psychotherapist, pop past the UK on your trip and I'll cure you're phobia before you get to South East Asia

Hah...that is comforting to hear...and I appreciate the offer..lets hope I dont need it!

I had read that snakes of all kind are found even in downtown bangkok, swimming around in fountains and the such, just going about their business...I guess this is a bit of an exaggeration??

More than a bit, to say the least.

quote:

Originally posted by minerguy:
I saw this one in Khao Yai National Park, near Pratchin Buri. We were in a forest environment and the guides were pointing it out.

I was excited about it instead of scared, but only because you knew it was there and not a surprise.

Found the better pic, just remember I was no where near this close.

Snakes will make as good an effort as possible to get out of your way. Unless of course a local is waiving one at you, trying to get you to put it round your neck and pay him to take a picture.

They can feel your vibrations in the floor from miles away, as long as you aren't creeping thru paddy fields at night then you'll be fine.

Most people that get bitten are probably trying to catch the poor things. As for snakes biting you in the city - I'd be more careful to keep an eye out for someone nicking your wallet.

I appreciate the feedback guys.....

now how about those damn giant red centipedes??

Bump into these critters a lot, here in Taopun, a suburb of Bangkok.
They're typically about 2cm wide by 20cm long.

We were staying with a hill trip for a while and the men there said they were far more scared of the centipedes than they were of the snakes. Snakes they said, would keep well away from them. The centipedes, with a huge bite, would head for their warmest parts and could cause a lot of damage!

The worse thing we've come across was the leeches in Borneo - still have nightmares about them!

China too has plenty of snakes judging by the ones I se in wine bottles (snake wine isnt too bad by the way) but I have only seen one in my time here.
Coming from Australai i can just re-iterate what has been said ablove. They will try an avoid you just make sure you dont corner them

yup..ive heard those red centipedes have an EXTREMELY painful bite.....are they everywhere in SE asia?

I was in SE Asia for the better part of a year and had two relatively close encounters with snakes on footpaths around Ubud, and then once more on Lombok. It was more startling than anything else. Two of those took off in a hurry the moment they realized I was there.

Saw a dead one at Angkor Wat, and none at all in Thailand, Malaysia or Vietnam (or in India for that matter).