Key Takeaways:
– A 64-year-old woman in Thailand was attacked by a python at her home
– The snake, measuring between 13 to 16 feet, coiled itself around her body for nearly two hours
– Police and animal control officers arrived on the scene only after a neighbor saw her struggling
– The woman was treated for several bites and recovered well from the incident.
– Encounters with snakes, particularly pythons, are not uncommon in Thailand.
A Tale of Terror in Thailand
In a startling encounter, a 64-year-old woman found herself wrestling with a large python for nearly two hours in her home outside of Bangkok, Thailand. The woman, identified as Arom Arunroj, had been in her kitchen preparing to do the dishes when the python lunged at her, wrapping itself around her torso and inflicting a sharp bite on her thigh.
A Late-Night Surprise
Arunroj shared her terrifying confrontation with the snake with Thailand’s Thairath newspaper. According to her account, the python, which was estimated to be between 13 to 16 feet long, bit her immediately as she sat down to scoop water. The snake quickly coiled itself around her body, dragging her to the floor of her kitchen. Despite attempting to loosen the python’s grip, Arunroj found the constrictor only tightening around her.
Neighbors to the Rescue
Pythons are known constrictors, killing prey by squeezing the breath out of it. Arunroj, trapped by the python, managed to prop herself against the kitchen door and call for help. It was only about an hour and a half later that a neighbor chanced to pass by and heard the cries, triggering a call to local authorities.
Police officer Anusorn Wongmalee shared with The Associated Press that he found Arunroj leaning against her door, looking exhausted and pale, still enclosed by the snake. Along with animal control officers, the police used a crowbar to hit the snake until it released its grip and retreated.
A Close Call with a Python
All in all, Arunroj spent approximately two hours in this harrowing hold before being freed. She received medical treatment for several bites but otherwise seemed unharmed. Videos released to Thai media shortly after the incident show her sharing her ordeal with reporters, appearing to have handled the situation well.
Python Encounters in Thailand
Encounters with snakes, particularly pythons, are not rare in Thailand. Last year, 26 people died due to venomous snake bites according to government statistics, with a total of 12,000 people receiving treatment for venomous bites from snakes and other animals.
The reticulated python, the largest snake species found in Thailand, can range in size from 5 to 21 feet and can weigh up to about 165 pounds. Larger pythons have been found, with specimens reaching up to 33 feet in length and weighing 287 pounds. These snakes majorly feed on small mammals like rats but can resort to bigger prey like pigs, deer, and even domestic pets in some cases.
While attacks on humans are infrequent, they do occur and have resulted in fatalities in some instances. In a shocking incident in Indonesia last year, a woman was found in the belly of a python after the reptile swallowed her whole, marking the fifth such occurrence in the country since 2017.