Bangkok Is Having A Toilet Snake Problem — Here’s What You Should Know
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Toilet snakes. Snakes in toilets. It’s the nightmare to ruin even your most private bathroom moments. And Bangkok, Thailand is experiencing what is basically a toilet snake outbreak.
The New York Times recently reported on two different incidents of pythons lurking in Thai toilets. We’re talking eight-foot snakes biting folks at their most vulnerable. We won’t go into all the gory details, but it was not pretty.
And the problem is actually getting worse. In 2013, there were 16,000 reported cases of snakes in people’s homes. In 2016, there were 29,000 cases. As of last week, the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department received 31,801 calls to remove snakes in 2017.
We’re not here for fear-mongering, but holy f#$&%*!g viper! Consider all our Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets-induced bathroom serpent fears justified.
Thailand is home to 300 different species of snakes, but only 10 percent of those are venomous, according to AP News. You know, just your average king cobras, kraits and pit vipers. Most aren’t a deadly threat — including the pythons that have been biting humans — but that doesn’t mean they should get cozy in your toilet.
According to experts, you can blame city expansion and bad waste practices for the growing number of snakes in Bangkok homes, along with an especially rainy year.
While the horror of finding a snake in the loo ranks up there with tarantulas climbing into your bed, the reptiles do some of the same good work as spiders. They eat vermin and keep the populations of other creepy crawlers under control. So it’s not all bad. Just think of it as a rat versus python trade-off.
Even if you have a severe phobia, you don’t need to cancel your trip to Bangkok. However, you should be prepared to see a potential slitherer on your trip. Keep the following things in mind.
Check before you squat. Whether you’re using a squat toilet or a sit-down variety, just take a peak to make sure there’s nothing lurking down the pipe.
It’s not just the toilet. While the worst stories are potty tales, snakes might also be drawn to wet spaces like showers, tubs or a kitchen sink.
Don’t touch the snakes. There are trained professionals ready to rid you of these scaly predators. Call the fire department if you encounter one.
Get help if you get bit. It’s very unlikely a snake will actually bite you, even if there’s a higher chance these days that you might see one in your hotel, hostel or Airbnb. But if it happens, go to the hospital.
No need for paranoia. Yes, it’s a bit scary to think about reptiles in your home, but don’t let the possibility of seeing a snake ruin your trip. Snakes are like most animals. They don’t want to deal with you any more than you want to deal with them.
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