PATTAYA, THAILAND – A reticulated python discovered far off the coast was rescued from distress by a helpful boat captain and later released safely in a forested area.
Python discovered on fishing buoy off Laem Chabang
According to 29-year-old captain Thanakorn Manyuen, known in Pattaya by the nickname “Tai Fluke”, a fellow boat operator spotted the reptile while spear fishing near the harbor jetty of Laem Chabang, clinging to an illuminated fishing buoy. Concerned about the great distance from shore and the risk that the animal could weaken without food, the other captain immediately contacted Thanakorn and his team, who said they had set out directly after a traditional boat blessing ceremony.
Defensive snake confronted rescue team
When the rescue crew reached the spot, they found the large python coiled on the buoy, hissing and clearly adopting a defensive posture as the boat approached. Shortly afterwards the snake slipped into the water, prompting the men to cautiously encircle it and secure it with a wooden pole and a noose attached to it, in such a way that its body remained uninjured.
Giant snake released near Khao Mai Kaeo temple
Thanakorn described the python as extremely large, roughly as thick as a human thigh and estimated at around three to four meters in length. After loading the animal onto the boat, the group brought it ashore and released it in the wooded area behind Khao Mai Kaeo temple, a hilly zone behind the complex, to protect both people and the snake.
Captain warns of risks for sea-drifting pythons
The captain emphasized that reticulated pythons were good swimmers and could follow sea currents, but faced the risk of dying if they became exhausted on the open sea or went too long without food. In this case, he said, the timely intervention by local residents had saved the animal’s life.
Multiple snake sightings along Pattaya coast
In the same week, the region had already reported a python that came ashore at Jomtien Beach, unsettling tourists, as well as another large snake in the Naklua district that was freed from a drainage pipe. The series of incidents drew additional attention after video footage of the offshore rescue spread quickly on social media.