King Cobra Devours Rat Snake at Ko Pha Ngan Resort
A rescue team on Ko Pha Ngan captured a four-meter king cobra in the act of constricting a rat snake near a resort swimming pool. The veteran snake handler called it his first king cobra encounter in over a decade and warned the public to avoid handling snakes, urging them to call professionals instead.
The 'Surat Thani Snake Catcher' page reported that on October 21, 2026, Nattawut Kanitthan, a rural highway engineer and rescue volunteer with the Kuson Sattrathani Foundation, received a call from a resort in Moo 8, Ban Si Thanu, Ko Pha Ngan district. Staff requested help capturing two snakes fighting near the swimming pool, fearing danger to guests. Nattawut rushed to the scene with Ko Pha Ngan rescue officers and snake-catching equipment.
Upon arrival, he was astonished to find a giant king cobra over four meters long tightly coiled around a rat snake approximately 1.5 meters long. Using specialized tools and extreme caution, the team managed to separate the pair in about five minutes, capturing both snakes safely.
Nattawut, who has been catching snakes for over ten years, said this was his first encounter with a king cobra — a highly venomous apex predator that preys on other snakes. He urged the public never to approach or attempt to catch snakes themselves, but to contact rescue professionals for safe removal.
