By Gabri Mtnez
In august 2025, Marco and I suffered with the amazing histories of Tom Williams in Thailand. I visited the country in 2014 with my ex-girlfriend, but it was a tourist trip with few herping moments, so both Marco and I wished to visit again Thailand, the possible best place in the world to find the largest venomous snake in the world, the iconic King Cobra.
We organized the trip at the end of 2025 to visit Thailand in the spring of 2026, where is supposed to be the mating season of the King Cobra. We would be six in the trip: Marco Sassoe from Italy (“Marco”), Sonke Frahm from Germany (“Sonke”) and 4 spanish herpers: Edu Fernández (“Edu”), Oscar Herrera (“Oscar”), Miki Machado (“Miki”) and I.
The Iran-Israel/USA War almost dynamited the whole trip. Oscar and Miki finally could not join, and others we had to change the flights, and fly via Istanbul instead of Doha.
FIRST DAY
I arrived to the Bangkok International Airport and immediately felt the warm weather of this part of the world. We drove in 2 cars (Sonke-Marco and Edu-Gabri) to the forests 3 hours Southwestern to Bangkok. In the way to the hotel the night began, but although the apparently good conditions, we only spotted a snake, a recently killed Indo-Chinese Rat Snake (Ptyas korros).
After an amazing Thai dinner in Baan Maka, we made a herping expedition around the lodge, but all was quite dry and we only spotted amphibians, geckos and a shed of a Golden Flying Snake (Chrysopelea ornata) under a metallic thing. This was the first Asian trip to Edu and it was really nice to see how happy he was with almost every species, especially with the possible coolest geckos in the world, the Tokay Gecko (Gekko gecko).
SECOND DAY
We woke up and taking the breakfast we enjoyed of many amazing birds and squirrels.
We visited a water pond in which a friend spotted a large Monocled Cobra (Naja kaouthia) some months ago. However, after 9.00h the temperature was really hot and we only saw a young Water Monitor (Varanus salvator).
We visited Kaeng Krachan National Park with very high temperature, so we ate something and later spend some hours in the deep forest, avoiding the sun. We could enjoy of several monkeys, birds, geckos, a sun bear and the first snake of the trip: Murphy´s Mud Snake (Hypsiscopus murphyi).
In the evening returning to our lodge, we could saw some amazing birds (Coracias affinis) and in the last moments with light, crossed the road an amazing Leopard Cat (Prionailurus bengalensis). We could see it very close but it didn´t stop and we had no time to film it or take any photo.
We didn´t find any reptile species in our way to the hotel, but before eating we make a nocturnal expedition with a young guy of the hotel. All was still dry and we didn´t find a single snake. The coolest finding of the night was some Bent-toed Geckos (Cyrtodactylus phetchaburiensis). That guy explained us that in the trash spot where we found the shed of Golden Flying Snake, it was found a young King Cobra less than 2 weeks ago.
When we returned to the restaurant for the dinner, we found a person that was sitting in the floor, looking carefully a hole in the roots of a big tree. His name was Eran English (“Eran”) and he was there with Afiqah Kevouz (“Afiqah”). They were not a proper herpers but they were really interested in snakes. We searched carefully the area but there were lots of spaces under the tree and we never found the 50 cm brown snake that Eran saw few minutes before we arrived.
THIRD DAY
We woke up and after a fast breakfast we visited a cave where there were bats and sometimes snakes. We had bad luck and we only spotted some bats.
Very fast the temperature was very hot again, so we tried to not waste time in open areas and walk in forests, and we could enjoy of some birds and geckos.
The weather was changing, and the appearance of clouds made us to think that we would have more luck with snakes. However, after a massive Clouded Monitor (Varanus nebulosus), we spotted the critically endangered Indochinese leopard (Panthera pardus delacourii). Instead of just running away, the leopard looked to us with surprise.
We continued driving and after a while and another Clouded Monitor, we spotted again a leopard. The distance between both sightings was not very important so we guessed that they were a single specimen. That second experience was really incredible, but in our way to the hotel we spotted a third black animal in the middle of the road. We drove to him and it disappeared in the deep forest. Edu was pretty sure that it was a black leopard, but it was dark and 3 leopard sightings in the same evening looks too optimistic.
The day was amazing so we went to take the dinner in the hotel. There was a large Vine Snake (Ahaetulla prasina) resting in some branches above the restaurant, so the night looked promising.
We found Eran in the lodge, that explained us that there were too other herpers in the hotel. It was an incredible causality that one of them was Christophe Shannon (“Chris”). He is a young Thailand person with a wide experience in Thailand Snakes. He was there because there would be rains and he wanted to find a king with an American friend (Chandler). After a cool talk about Southeast Asia snakes, we made a short route and spotted thanks to Chris a White-lipped Pit Viper (Trimeresurus albolabris) and a second Vine Snake.
FOURTH DAY
We visited the National Park. The temperature was hot in the morning and we saw some interesting birds, amphibians and reptiles, but in the middle of the morning we had our wished heavy rain. During more than 90 minutes, it didn´t stop raining. Strong.
The rain stopped and we were extremely motivated. We would be three teams searching the King Cobra. There were some intense moments with many monitors crossing the roads (Varanus salvator and V. nebulosus), a very cool elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata) and a young adult male king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah sensu stricto, considering the recent split of hannah in 4 species: basically bungarus for south Thailand to islands west of Philippines, kaalinga for the Western Ghats in India, salvatana for Philippine Islands and hannah in the rest from China to eastern India; for more detailed info check Das et al., 2024).
The night began and we continue herping and spotted some interesting frogs (Kaloula pulchra) and two different cat snake species (Boiga siamensis and Boiga multimaculata). The rain completely changed our trip, typical in tropical areas.
FIFTH DAY
Before the beginning of the trip, I promised Edu that if we saw a King Cobra in the first days, we would try to find the Eastern Russell Viper (Daboia siamensis). I would have been more days in that amazing and magical place, but I would keep my promise (instead that Oscar explained us thousands of times that searching for Daboia is the worse experience in his life). It would be our last day in that area. Marco and Sonke wanted to go to the coastal areas, and Edu and I would drive to the mountains of Northeast Bangkok.
That day we visited new spots and found more amazing birds, reptiles and mammals, including a wild male Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus). Driving close to elephants is always an intense experience.
SIXTH DAY
Edu and I drove to Northeast Bangkok. That area was very dry and hot and we didn´t find activity of reptiles. However, in the beginning of the night we had a crazy heavy rain of 2 hours. We couldn´t even drive with so much water so we had to stop the car and wait. I really expected many snakes crossing the roads after the rains, but we didn´t find any snake. Instead of that, we found thousands of frogs and toads, and the craziest thing, hundreds of people in motorcycles hunting frogs!! In few hours the dry landscape become flooded in many areas with more than 4 amphibian species calling constantly. This was supposed to be the first big rain of the year for that area and the amphibians were completely active. Returning to the hotel we spotted a very fresh recently killed Malayan Pit Viper (Calloselasma rhodostoma). I have never seen this species before and it was a very sad new. Oscar already explained us how difficult to spot Daboia siamensis in that area, but it was a hard day.
SEVENTH DAY
Edu and I tried to drive to a National Park but, after hours driving, the Park was closed due to the heavy rains of the previous night (probably trees fell in the road or something like that). We were desperate and Oscar got us a plan, we would visit his Indian friend Rajath. Rajath is a researcher living in the mountains of Northeastern Bangkok, a man dedicated to snakes, the perfect contact.
The start gift of Rajath was a young Brown Banded Cobra (Naja fuxi). He got the snake just in the surrounding of his house, where he also showed us a hole where the previous year a large female laid eggs and he could follow all the process with video-camera. What an amazing place! In the last hours of the day, he wanted to show us the places where he had observed King Cobras in the past. In the trail we saw a couple of Siamese Fireback, the male was awesome!
We walked a while and found some skinks and terrapins, and the night began. With the night, many amphibians began to move and we observed the first Large-eyed pitvipers (Trimeresurus macrops) and the fourth Boiga siamensis of the trip.
Rajath kept us to an amazing place for dinner and later we visited a place to see Chinese Water Dragons (Physignathus cocincinus). Apart of two Chinese Water Dragons, we could see 4 Trimeresurus macrops and some geckos. We told to Rajath our Malayan Pit Viper DOR experience of the previous night, and he told us that around his house is quite common so we probably would find one.
We returned to the Rajath house and stay herping around. We found many geckos and amphibians, and two snakes: a Malayan krait (Bungarus candidus) and a common wolf snake (Lycodon capucinus). We said bye to Rajath and 3 minutes later, he called us because there were a Malayan Pit Viper just in the wall of his house. So we returned quickly and saw the amazing reddish Malayan Pit Viper. Rajath lives in the paradise!!
We returned to the hotel after a some hours road crossing the Daboia area, where we only saw some DOR snakes: 3 more Malayan Pit Vipers, a Dendrelaphis pictus and a large Malayan Krait DOR.
EIGHTH DAY
We visited a National Park in the morning and saw some deers, monkeys, terrapins and a nice Forest Garden Lizard (Calotes emma).
Later we would meet Marco and Sonke in a “Snake Sanctuary”. Eran explained us that there is a temple in Bangkok where people put food (chicken pieces and eggs) in a wall and a king cobra appears for eating the food. I was really sceptic about that but we would meet Eran and would see the Sanctuary. We arrived in the last moments of the day. The Sanctuary was in the center of Bangkok, surrounded by roads and houses, but with a small land close to the Sanctuary. Inside the Sanctuary there was hundreds of Cobra statues of different sizes, and people preying to them, putting candles and buying eggs or chicken pieces. From the Sanctuary windows there was an “altar” with statues of cobras and tigers and some eggs and chicken. After some minutes of night, a massive Monocled Cobra appeared from the basement of the Sanctuary building and began to eat chicken pieces. It was absolutely crazy, incredible. After 20 minutes eating, the cobra disappeared in his shelter (under the Sanctuary).
Then we moved to some water ponds to try to find reticulated pythons. We found a dead Monocled Cobra (unknown circumstances) and 2 reticulated pythons (approx. 3.5m and 2m length).
To end the last night of the trip we visited a stream where some friends found some Tentacle Snakes (Erpeton tentaculatum) in the past. The area had some aggressive dogs, many rats and after a fast walk with “only” 6 Trimeresurus albolabris, an Ahaetulla prasina and some terrapins, we moved to take our last dinner together.
After a boring 14 hours scale in Istanbul, I arrived home. The trip was amazing but Thailand deserves larger trips. It is a very safe country with good roads, people drive good, food is amazing, people are nice and the snake’s biodiversity is probably in the top of this planet.
Acknowledgements
Specially to Tom Williams that planted the Thai seed in Marco and me in august 2025. He insisted us in visit the forests of central Thailand and he was completely right that is my favorite spot in Asia until now with Mangshan Mts. He gave us info and motivation for the trip. Also, for Oscar Herrera that finally couldn´t join us but he was everyday part of the trip with messages and even videocalls. To Christophe Shannon and Chandler that were part of our trip for some moments and they helped us A LOT. Rajath was also an incredible contact that gave to Edu and me an amazing evening-night. Eran and Afiqah were also great people and we enjoyed a lot with them. To Tom Charlton, Matt Wilson, Arlo Hinckley, Edu Rodríguez, Alvaro Camina, Philipp Wagner and Miki for the help in the trip or IDs, and to the Thai people that we meet and they were always very friendly.
References
Das I., Gowri Shankar P., Swamy P., Williams R.C., Lalremsanga H.T., Prashanth P., Sahoo G., Vijayakumar S.P., Höglund J., Shanker K., Dutta S.K., Ganesh S.R. & Wüster W. 2024. Taxonomic revision of the king cobra Ophiophagus hannah (Cantor, 1836) species complex (Reptilia: Serpentes: Elapidae), with the description of two new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 961: 1–51