Snake farm hopes to foster coexistence

Bangkok is home to one of the world’s oldest snake farms, a pioneering facility that has made groundbreaking contributions to venom research and public health for over a century.

The Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute (QSMI) has been helping Thai people coexist with snakes since it opened in 1923. Now home to over a thousand venomous and non-venomous snakes, the institute remains a key center for snake research and education.

Dr Taksa Vasaruchapong, head of the research facility and a specialist veterinarian, says the institute’s goal is to help Thai people understand and safely live alongside the country’s many wild serpents.

One way the institute supports this mission is through the farming of snake venom. The research center collects and processes venom, which is then developed into the anti-venom used to treat snakebite victims across Thailand.

“Compared to other countries, we have much cheaper anti-venom, so we can provide good treatment,” Taksa says.

While anti-venom production and research remain the institute’s core focus, it has also developed an informative program of snake demonstrations.

Roughly 30,000 to 40,000 people visit the farm each year to watch daily live snake shows and explore the center’s educational exhibits.

The center has undergone several updates thanks to growing tourist interest, but Taksa is clear that the institute is not designed for entertainment.

“In our exhibition, we try to include a lot of data,” he says. “But some people say it’s boring because there’s too much text for the modern world.”

This educational approach sets the institute apart from the many privately-owned snake farms that have sprung up around the country.

While the institute has been acknowledged by the World Health Organization for its research and conservation efforts, many private farms cater primarily to foreign tourists seeking thrills and photo opportunities.

Although these wildlife attractions don’t contribute to anti-venom research, Taksa believes they can still play a role in raising public awareness of snake behavior.

“When more people talk about it, that’s better than just one voice—so we have more people helping to educate,” he says.

Still, he emphasizes the ethical responsibility that comes with keeping snakes in captivity. Operators should be mindful of the conditions each species needs to live a healthy life.

“You have to know how to care for your snake according to animal welfare standards and how to keep it in good health—because snakes actually have long life spans,” he says.

QSMI is home to 35 different species, each of which requires specific environmental settings. The institute designs enclosures with precise temperature and humidity controls to support the snakes’ sometimes lengthy lifespans.

“Some Thai endemic species, like the Burmese python, live to around 35 years,” he says, while smaller snakes can live for 10 to 20 years.

This long-term care commitment is why the farm has decided to stop accepting pythons and boa constrictors. These large snakes simply require more space than the facility can provide.

“Our next plan may be to stop housing big pythons,” he says. “The python is non-venomous—it doesn’t quite match our main focus.”

Instead, Taksa recommends the public contact the Department of National Parks and Wildlife when dealing with large snakes.

And if you encounter one in the wild? While snakes rarely strike first, he offers a few tips to minimize the risk of attack.

The best approach is to stay calm and keep your distance. “If you don’t touch it, don’t try to catch it, don’t try to kill it—it won’t attack you,” he says.