Arom Arunroj was coiled by a massive 13ft snake for two hours before being rescued. She fought for her life. The local community is now on high alert after the chilling incident raised fears of python attacks.
An elderly Thai woman survived an attack by an extremely large python snake in Samut Prakan on Tuesday night. The frightening details of the incident and the 64-year-old’s calm response have made it an international news story. Arom Arunroj, a hospital maid, had just eaten and was doing the washing up. She felt something around her thigh. Within minutes, she was on the ground struggling against a 10-metre python. The snake both bit the woman and placed her in what would have been a deadly grip, except Ms. Arom’s call for help drew a response from neighbours.
A 64-year-old Thai woman, Arom Arunroj, endured a terrifying two-hour ordeal when a 13ft python coiled around her in her home in Samut Prakan, a province south of Bangkok.
The massive snake bit her several times and tightly wrapped itself around her body, nearly strangling her before she was rescued.
The incident occurred around 8:30 PM while Ms. Arunroj was washing dishes at her home. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her thigh.
“I looked down and it was a snake,” she told local media outlet Koha News. Shocked, she immediately tried to fight off the python and grab its head to free herself, but the snake’s grip only tightened.
A terrifying two-hour ordeal with a Python leaves a woman nearly strangled as she struggles to survive
As she struggled to free herself, the python constricted tighter around her midsection, making it increasingly difficult for her to breathe.
Despite her best efforts, the snake refused to let go, leaving her trapped for nearly two hours. Alone and unable to call for help, Ms. Arunroj feared for her life.
“I tried calling out to my neighbours and anyone nearby, but no one heard me,” she recalled. “I thought I wouldn’t survive and would surely become the snake’s meal.”
Eventually, her faint cries were heard by a neighbour who was passing by. Realising something was wrong, the neighbour quickly called the police and a local rescue unit for help.
Members of the She Poh Tek Tung Foundation, a local rescue organisation, arrived along with the police at the scene. Police Sergeant Anusorn Wongmalee of the Phra Samut Chedi Police Station recounted the events.
“When we arrived, we knocked on the door and called out to Ms. Arunroj, but there was no response. Then, we heard faint groans, so we broke down the door. Inside, we found the python wrapped tightly around her. She appeared pale and weak.” Rescue workers were shocked by the scene.
“It was a python, a big one,” Sgt. Maj. Wongmalee said. “I saw a bite mark on her leg, but I knew there might be others.”
Rescue efforts by police and a local unit took over 30 minutes to free the woman from Python’s deadly grip
The python, estimated to be over 4 metres (13 feet) long and weighing around 20 kilograms, had coiled itself tightly around Ms. Arunroj’s torso.
It took rescue workers more than 30 minutes of intense effort to free her from the snake’s grip. After the python was finally pulled off, it slithered away into a nearby forest, escaping capture.
Once freed, Ms. Arunroj was rushed to the hospital for treatment. She sustained multiple bite wounds from the python, but her injuries were not life-threatening.
She later recounted her harrowing experience to local news outlets, explaining how she had been living alone since her husband’s death in November 2023.
Her home is located near a bamboo forest with a pond, where the python likely came from. “I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life,” Ms. Arunroj said. “I thought I wouldn’t make it.”
Local community left on edge after python incident raises concerns about safety and recent attacks
Pythons are non-venomous snakes, but they can be extremely dangerous due to their method of killing. They constrict their prey by coiling around it and squeezing tighter with each exhalation. This eventually leads to suffocation or cardiac arrest.
In Ms. Arunroj’s case, her struggle lasted much longer, but she was fortunate to have been rescued in time. This incident has left the local community on edge. The python’s escape into the nearby forest has raised concerns among residents, especially given recent reports of fatal python attacks in other parts of Southeast Asia.
In 2023, two women in Indonesia were swallowed whole by reticulated pythons, highlighting the deadly potential of these massive reptiles.
In another incident in 2018, a woman in Indonesia’s Sulawesi province was also killed and consumed by a python. Both horror stories emphasise the risks posed by these large constrictor snakes.
Reticulated pythons, which are common in Southeast Asia, can grow to lengths of over 10 meters (32 feet) and are known for their formidable strength.
Despite their non-venomous nature, pythons pose a serious threat to humans due to their size and relentless constricting method of execution
While pythons primarily feed on mammals, their diet can include a variety of prey, such as reptiles and even large animals like pigs and cows.
They use their flexible jaws to swallow prey whole, and their constricting method ensures that their prey is subdued before being consumed. Although rare, incidents involving pythons attacking humans do happen, especially in areas where human habitats intersect with the natural environment.
In 2023, Thailand’s National Health Security Office reported that approximately 12,000 people sought treatment for venomous snake and animal bites. Government data also showed that at least 26 people died from snake bites in the same year.
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Despite their non-venomous nature, pythons can still inflict severe injuries with their bites, which can lead to infections. Their real threat, however, lies in their ability to constrict and suffocate their victims.
Ms. Arunroj’s experience has left many in her community shaken, but she is expected to make a full recovery. Meanwhile, local authorities have warned residents to be cautious and vigilant, especially in areas near forests or bodies of water where snakes may be more common.
Another python in Samut Prakan
This was the second incident of a python invasion in Samut Prakan in a month. Last month, a Thai man, Mr. Tanat Tangtewanon, was going to the toilet when he felt a sharp pain in his scrotum.
When he looked, he saw that a python had bitten him. The snake had emerged from the toilet bowl through the drain system at his home.
Afterwards, he battled the snake with a toilet brush to get it to release its grip. Afterwards, it was confirmed he had suffered a bite wound to one of his testicles. He was given treatment at the hospital, and the snake was captured but later released.
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Further reading:
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Frenchman who founded mission to rescue abused dogs reported to Buriram police by disgruntled staff
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