I love living in the tropics. Thailand affords a really nice lifestyle with beaches, restaurants, great food and really interesting flora and fauna. However, something that comes with living anywhere in the tropics is the fact that some of the fauna can do you some serious damage. I come from England, which is a country with the most boring wildlife on earth. The most exciting wild animal you’ll see in the UK is a badger. The obvious advantage is that there are literally hardly any animal attacks (from wild animals). I’ve had this kind of discussion many times with people (usually accompanied with a few beers) and it’s always fun. So here goes with a list of animals you could potentially be attacked by in beautiful Thailand. Which one would you least like to be attacked by?
- Snake – Thailand has many different species of snake from the King Cobra to the Malayan Pit Viper. A bite from one of these bad boys is very unpleasant indeed. The venom will cause the affected area to start decaying immediately (one victim described his foot as smelling like death). The venom will destroy all cells it comes into contact with, muscle, bone, tissue. If not treated quickly you could start bleeding from all orifices. Best avoided this one.
- Elephant – Elephants are lovely animals but if you upset one be prepared for an onslaught like no other. They’ll destroy everything in their path. There aren’t many creatures that can survive an attack by an angry elephant. Even hiding in a car can’t save you.
- Tiger – Although rarely spotted in Thailand these days the Burmese Tiger is still found in the wild here. They have big teeth and sharp claws and can tear you apart easily. Unless you are killed quickly it will probably be a slow agonising death.
- Bear – Sun bears are found in the Khao Sok national park region of Thailand and like all bears, they are not to be messed with. One victim who managed to survive said it was like being hit by a train and then thrown around like a rag doll.
- Shark – Shark attacks here , like anywhere, are rare but Bull Sharks have been known to frequent Thai waters. The idea of being attacked by something from below that you can’t see is terrifying. When I did my great Barrier Reef trip the guide told us not to swim too far off the back of the boat as that’s where the big sharks live. That’s just great. Awesome news.
- Scolopendra centipede – Although these things will only give you a nasty bite, they look horrifying. One paid me a visit in my living room one night while I was watching TV which scared the living c*** out of me. I managed to kill it but it wasn’t easy.
