Phone shop python: Serpent causes a ‘sting’ in Chanthaburi

A large python caused quite a stir in the heart of Chanthaburi City when it was discovered in a mobile phone shop, leading to a dramatic and challenging rescue operation.

The incident unfolded around 10am yesterday, November 5, prompting a swift response from the Chanthaburi Rescue Association after a report about a sizeable reptile lurking inside a mobile phone store in the Sui Market area, Wat Mai subdistrict.

Concerns for the safety of the shop employees and nearby residents necessitated immediate action to safely remove the reptile and return it to the wild.

Upon arriving at the scene, the rescue team found the python hiding under a computer table in the shop named Phone Zen, located at 60-62 Sui Market. The initial assessment revealed a large, coiled reptile whose species was not immediately identifiable.

Using a spotlight, the rescue volunteers confirmed it was indeed a large python, its dark scales glistening under the light. The team began carefully moving items to clear a path for the capture, said one of the rescue volunteers.

“As soon as we pulled the python out, it struggled fiercely, wrapping itself tightly in self-defence while blood splattered onto the floor.”

Python rescue

This dramatic encounter left both the rescuers and onlookers at the bustling market in awe. Once the python was safely extracted from the shop, the team relocated it to an open area for easier control. The python measured over 3 metres in length and weighed approximately 7 kilogrammes.

The blood observed was not from the python but from a rescue volunteer, who had sustained a hand injury after being bitten by the python during the capture attempt. The wound was promptly cleaned and given initial medical care.

Wilai Polcharoen, a 32 year old employee at the store, explained that she had arrived to open the shop as usual when she heard unusual noises coming from behind the computer table. Initially thinking it was a stray cat, she inspected the area but could not see anything.

However, the persistent strange noises prompted her to climb onto a chair for a better view.

“I thought it was a cat because I couldn’t see clearly, but when I shone a light, I saw scales instead of fur. It was clear it wasn’t a cat.”

Terrified, she quickly jumped down, ran to the front of the shop, and called the rescue team for assistance, reported KhaoSod.

The unexpected appearance of the python in the shop might be linked to the scent of dogs and cats kept in the store, attracting the snake. However, the exact reason remains uncertain.

Given the proximity to a nearby market with a drainage channel, it is plausible that the python was hunting for prey, such as rats, which are common in such environments.