The following has been complied from two press releases from the Bangkok Post. For the last few days reports from Thailand have suggested that 15 snakes escaped from a flooded hous near Bangkok. The National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department and the Zoological Park Organisation are investigating. The probe follows a report on Wednesday from Facebook that was creating panic and fear among flood victims in flood-hit provinces Nonthaburi, Bangkok and Pathum Thani. Pimuk Simaroj, director of the Zoological Park Organisation, said it was unclear whether the report was true and there was no official record of this type of snake being imported into Thailand. Zoological Park Organisation official Anupong Nualpang said he had received information that about eight people were being bitten by poisonous snakes each day during the floods.
As a precautionary measure, Health Minister Wittaya Buranasiri said his agency ordered the antivenom after 15 poisonous green mambas, with body lengths of 1-2 metres, had reportedly escaped via floodwater from a house in Nonthaburi province. No bites have been reported as yet. The public health ministry currently reserves 3,500 bottles of seven kinds of serum especially for use during flooding situations according to the types of snakes commonly found in each part of the country – the cobra, king cobra, banded krait, Malayan krait, Siamese Russell's viper, Malayan Pit viper and green pit viper.Labels: Dendroaspis, Mamba, Thailand
