Snake Farm

KRUNG THEP - Bangkok in Thai Language

Snake Farm (Pasteur Institute)

The Snake Farm at the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute is located on the corner of Rama IV and Henry Dunant Road, west of Chulalongkorn Hospital belongs to Thai Red Cross. They do cholera, smallpox and typhoid inoculations as well as rabies treatment there, none of which may qualify as tourist attraction. However, the institute has become a popular tourist attraction because of its large collection of live poisonous snakes.

The Snake Farm at the Thai Red Cross Society is one of Bangkok’s most popular tourist destinations. It is visited by scientists, students, and anyone else who has an interest in snakes, snake ecology, or the medical importance of Thailand’s venomous snakes. The Snake Farm serves three purposes:

To extract venom from snakes for the production of anti-venom.
To educate the public about snakes and their ecology.
To breed snakes for service and research purposes and to maintain endangered species, such as the King Cobra and the Rat Snake.

A 20-minute slide show airs at 10:00A.M. and 2:00P.M. Here, visitors are given a quick overview of some of Thailand’s most dangerous snakes and of the Institute’s production of anti-venom.

The Snake show starts immediately afterwards at 10:30A.M. and 2:30P.M. on weekdays and 10:30 A.M. on public holidays. Experienced snake handlers tangle with Cobras, Kraits, and Vipers. The extraction of venom from the snakes is also demonstrated. Visitors may even get to hold a 2-meter long Python. After the demonstration, please feel free to walk through the snake museum, or observe the snakes up closely in their natural habitats.

The Snake Farm is open to the public everyday between 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. on weekdays and 8:30 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. on public holidays. Admission fee is 70 Baht. For further information please call 2520161-4.