The 7 Most Venomous Snakes in Thailand and How to Identify Them
A field guide for travelers, expats and locals — with photos, behavior cues, and first-aid for each species.
Thailand is home to more than 60 venomous snake species, but a handful are responsible for almost all serious bites. This guide covers the 7 you actually need to recognize — what they look like, where you'll meet them, and exactly what to do if someone is bitten. Bookmark this page before you hike, dive, or rent a bungalow.
King Cobra
Identification
Olive to brown, faint pale bands, can rear a third of its body off the ground. Up to 5.5m — the world's longest venomous snake.
Generally shy but will defend nests fiercely. A reared cobra with a flared narrow hood is almost always a king cobra.
Where you'll find it
Dense forests, mangroves, bamboo thickets near streams.
Throughout Thailand, especially southern rainforests and national parks.
Bite symptoms
- Severe pain & swelling
- Blurred vision
- Drowsiness
- Paralysis
- Respiratory failure
First aid
- Keep victim still & calm
- Immobilize the bitten limb below heart level
- Remove tight clothing/jewelry
- Get to hospital with antivenom IMMEDIATELY
Never do this
- DO NOT cut the wound
- DO NOT suck out venom
- DO NOT apply ice or tourniquet
- DO NOT give alcohol or caffeine
Thailand emergency number
Call 1669 immediately. Time-critical — antivenom needed within hours.
Monocled Cobra
Identification
Look for the single 'O' or eye-shape on the back of the spread hood. 1.5–2m, brown to black.
Comfortable around villages and rice paddies. Many bites happen at dusk in farmland and gardens.
Where you'll find it
Rice paddies, grasslands, near human settlements.
Central and northern Thailand, very common around villages.
Bite symptoms
- Local swelling
- Necrosis
- Difficulty breathing
- Drooping eyelids
- Paralysis
First aid
- Keep still
- Pressure-immobilization bandage
- Mark swelling progression with pen
- Transport to hospital urgently
Never do this
- DO NOT attempt to catch or kill
- DO NOT cut or suck wound
- DO NOT apply tourniquet
Thailand emergency number
Emergency 1669 — antivenom required.
Banded Krait
Identification
Sharp alternating yellow and black bands of equal width. Triangular cross-section, dull head.
Nocturnal and shy by day, but the venom is intensely neurotoxic. Never handle a banded snake at night.
Where you'll find it
Near water, fields, sometimes inside houses at night.
Nationwide, mostly nocturnal.
Bite symptoms
- Painless bite
- Delayed paralysis (1–6h)
- Difficulty swallowing
- Respiratory arrest
First aid
- Treat ALL suspected krait bites as emergencies even if no symptoms
- Pressure bandage
- Hospital immediately
Never do this
- DO NOT wait to see if symptoms develop
- DO NOT sleep on the floor in rural areas
Thailand emergency number
Call 1669 — needs ventilator support & antivenom.
Malayan Krait
Identification
Glossy black and white bands, the black usually wider. Smooth, slender, ~1m.
Hunts at night and often enters rural homes. Bites are often painless at first — treat any suspected krait bite as an emergency.
Where you'll find it
Lowland forests, rice fields, near water. Active at night.
Central, southern and eastern Thailand. Often enters homes after dark.
Bite symptoms
- Painless bite
- Drooping eyelids (1–6h)
- Difficulty speaking & swallowing
- Total paralysis
- Respiratory arrest
First aid
- Treat ALL suspected krait bites as emergencies
- Pressure-immobilization bandage
- Hospital with ventilator IMMEDIATELY
Never do this
- DO NOT wait for symptoms
- DO NOT sleep on the floor in rural areas — many bites happen at night
Thailand emergency number
Call 1669 — requires antivenom and mechanical ventilation. Mortality is high without ICU care.
Russell's Viper
Identification
Stocky tan-brown body with a chain of dark oval blotches. Loud hiss. Triangular head with V-shape.
Lies still in grass and rice fields. Strikes fast when stepped on. A leading cause of fatal snakebite in Asia.
Where you'll find it
Open grasslands, scrub, rice paddies, farmland.
Central and eastern Thailand. One of the leading causes of fatal snakebites in Asia.
Bite symptoms
- Severe pain & swelling
- Bleeding from gums/nose
- Kidney failure
- Pituitary damage
- Shock
First aid
- Immobilize limb
- Pressure-immobilization bandage
- Photograph from safe distance
- Hospital immediately
Never do this
- DO NOT cut, suck, ice, or tourniquet
- DO NOT delay — kidney damage starts within hours
Thailand emergency number
Call 1669 — polyvalent antivenom required. Kidney monitoring essential.
Malayan Pit Viper
Identification
Pink-brown with darker triangular saddle markings. Heavy body, ~70cm. Excellent leaf-litter camouflage.
Sits motionless on forest floors and plantation paths. Most hospitalized snakebites in southern Thailand are from this species.
Where you'll find it
Leaf litter, rubber & palm plantations, forest edges.
Southern and eastern Thailand. Major cause of snakebite hospitalizations.
Bite symptoms
- Intense pain
- Severe swelling
- Blistering
- Bleeding from gums
- Tissue necrosis
First aid
- Immobilize limb
- Remove rings/watches
- Photograph snake from safe distance for ID
- Hospital immediately
Never do this
- DO NOT cut, suck, ice, or tourniquet
- DO NOT walk if leg bitten
Thailand emergency number
Antivenom available at most Thai hospitals — call 1669.
White-lipped Pit Viper
Identification
Bright green, white or yellow lip line, reddish tail tip, large triangular head.
Lives in bushes and low trees near houses, gardens and resorts. Strikes if brushed against branches at night.
Where you'll find it
Bushes, low trees, gardens, often near houses.
Nationwide. Frequently encountered in resorts and gardens, including on islands.
Bite symptoms
- Immediate severe pain
- Rapid swelling
- Blistering
- Bleeding disorders
- Rarely fatal but tissue damage common
First aid
- Keep limb still and lower than heart
- Remove rings and watches
- Photograph from safe distance
- Hospital for antivenom
Never do this
- DO NOT cut, suck, ice, or tourniquet
- DO NOT handle even if it appears dead
Thailand emergency number
Call 1669 — green pit viper antivenom available at most Thai hospitals.