ZooCheck
Thonburi Snake Farm
70/9 Khlong Watsai Floating Market
Bangkok
Thailand
Report prepared independently
for
The Born Free Foundation
Date of report : 17 September 1997
GENERAL INFORMATION
Name of Establishment : Thonburi Snake Farm
Address : 70/9 Khlong Watsai Floating Market
Bangkok
Thailand
Telephone Number : + 66 2 4675665
+
66 2 4573241
Location : Bangkok, Thailand
The establishment is situated in the suburb of Thonburi, in the western part of the city.
(Refer to enclosed map).
Access to the establishment can only be made by boat, via the canals (khlongs) of Bangkok.
Contact person : No contacts made.
Opening Hours : Open Daily : (Hours not known)
Languages spoken : Thai / English
Date of Visit : Wednesday 16 July 1997 (1030 - 1330 hrs.)
Climate/Temperature on day of visit : Overcast with sunny periods / 30 C
Please note that only a few of the photographs mentioned on this page are available at this site: Photos of Thonburi Moon Bear (and one of a Sun Bear in Vietnam).
INTRODUCTION
General Introduction
Bangkok (known to the Thai people as Krung Thep, or City of Angels), is the capital city of Thailand and more recently has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in South East Asia, as well as being a major stop-over route for long-haul flights bound for Australia.
One of the main tourist items in Bangkok is the "Pasteur Institute", or as it is better known, the "Snake Farm". The Pasteur Institute is located on the Rama IV Road, directly opposite the Montein Hotel. The institute is operated by the Thai Red Cross and its primary function is to produce antivenom serum to be used on snake-bite victims.
Unfortunately, another establishment exists in Bangkok which is also known as the Snake Farm. The Thonburi Snake Farm (also known as the Thonburi Crocodile Farm), is located on the canal (khlong) known as Khlong Wat Sai. The primary function of the Thonburi Snake Farm is not to produce antivenom serum for snake-bite victims, but to provide tourists with "entertainment" in the form of "snake shows" and to house a variety of wild animals in cages, for the passing tourists to view (Please refer to enclosed, printed brochure on Thonburi Snake Farm).
The establishment known as Thonburi Snake Farm is the subject of this report.
Visiting the "Thonburi Snake Farm" Via The Khlongs of Bangkok
Located in the western suburbs of Bangkok, Thonburi Snake Farm, is accessible only by taking a rua hang yao (long-tailed boat) through the khlongs of Bangkok.
Boats may be hired from a number of points along the Chao Phraya river. One major departure point is from alongside the Royal Grand Palace. The cost of a tour of the Bangkok khlongs is very much subject to your own individual bargaining skills. A long-tailed boat (irrespective of the number of passengers) may cost somewhere in the region of Baht 1,000 for approximately 1.5 hours to 2 hours.
The "Thonburi Snake Farm" is considered as one of the key attractions of the Bangkok khlong tours. These khlong tours are targetted specifically at foreign tourists.
On my visit to the Thonburi Snake Farm, on Wednesday, 16 July, 1997, I hired a small, slow, boat, that left a jetty on the Chao Phraya river, (The approximate route taken on Wednesday, 16 July, along the khlongs of Thonburi, is highlighted on the attached map of Bangkok. An alternative route from the Royal Grand Palace is also shown).
The Plan of the Thonburi Snake Farm.
In order to assist the reader with a visual picture of the Thonburi Snake Farm, and the overall layout of the establishment, I have produced a "Plan of Thonburi Snake Farm" (See enclosure).
Within Photograph Album 1, alphabetical coding is used on the first series of photographs, as these photographs represent the approaches to, and the outside of, the Thonburi Snake Farm.
Thereafter, within this photograph album and the subsequent photograph albums that make up this report, each photograph has been numbered and each photograph may therefore be cross referenced to the "Plan of the Thonburi Snake Farm". The number of each photograph (in the top right hand corner of each page) may be found as the corresponding number on the plan of Thonburi Snake Farm.
Where a photograph shows a particular aspect of the Thonburi Snake Farm from a given view point, this is shown on the plan of Thonburi Snake Farm using the corresponding photograph number and an arrow. The arrow indicates the general direction in which the photograph was taken.
This cross-referencing, of the photographs to the plan, should allow the reader the opportunity to build up a fairly good appreciation of the size and layout of the Thonburi Snake Farm.
16 JULY 1997 VISIT
Photograph Album 1
Photograph Album 1 contains a collection of photographs (A to K) taken along the Chao Phraya river and the khlongs of Thonburi.
Photograph A
This is a photograph of the boarding point, from where I hired the boat, on the Chao Phraya river.
Photograph B
This photograph was taken moving up the Chao Phraya river towards Thonburi. The long-tailed boat shown in this picture is typical of the boats (taxi’s) that ply for business along the waterways / khlongs of Bangkok.
Photographs C to K
These photographs provide the reader with a glimpse of life along the waterways / khlongs of Bangkok.
The photographs reveal that the housing along the waterways / khlongs are typically constructed from a combination of wood and corrugated sheet metal. The houses that line the khlongs are raised above the water on (wooden or concrete stilts).
The waterways were very murky and looked heavily polluted. One of the side channels that I passed, was jet-black and it looked as though there must have been an extensive oil spillage in this side channel. The oil was gradually seeping into the main khlong !
I noticed a number of people living alongside the khlongs who were :
Bathing in the water
Washing clothes in the water
Removing water in their cooking pots
In addition, there were a number of spots along the khlongs where young children were swimming and playing in the water.
There was an unpleasant smell from the waterways and it can only be assumed that the sewerage system that serves the houses along the waterways must be the waterways themselves!
The waterways contained many items of rubbish (plastic containers, bags, wood, etc.) floating on the surface.
Photographs L to O
These photographs show the approaches to the "Thonburi Snake Farm" along Khlong Wat Sai (Refer to map).
Photograph L
This photograph provides the reader with a view of the final approach to the "Snake Farm" when approaching from the direction of Wat Sai Floating Market towards Wat Arun.
An old "bill-board" type sign of the "Thonburi Snake Farm" can be seen in this photograph just above the long-tailed boat.
In the centre of the photograph can be seen the yellow / red roofs of the Wat Maiyainui.
Wat Maiyainui is situated on the opposite side of the khlong from the "Thonburi Snake Farm" (Refer to enclosed map of Bangkok).
Photographs M & N
These photographs show a closer view of Wat Maiyainui from the moorings at the "Thonburi Snake Farm".
Photograph O
This photograph shows a number of long-tailed boats moored alongside the "Thonburi Snake Farm".
Long-tailed boats were arriving and departing with tourists (from these moorings) on a frequent basis. Typically 4 to 6 tourists would arrive per long-tailed boat. The average duration that the tourists appear to stay at Thonburi Snake Farm, is about 20 to 30 minutes. I managed to stay for a longer time period by "dismissing" the driver of my first boat and "hitching" a lift with a second boat.
I noticed in the few hours that I was present at the Thonburi Snake Farm that the tourists walking around the Thonburi Snake Farm included, English, French, Italian, German, Dutch, Japanese and Australian nationals.
Photographs P to R
These photographs provide the reader with a view of the area directly outside of the "Thonburi Snake Farm" (i.e. the area between the boat moorings (Photograph O) and the actual entrance to the "Thonburi Snake Farm" (Photographs 1 & 2)).
Photographs 1 & 2
Photograph 1 shows a view of the "Main Entrance" to the Thonburi Snake Farm.
The entrance fee was Baht 100 (approximately two pounds sterling) per adult. The ticket office is the area behind the blue, brick-like counter to the right of the photograph.
The sign behind the counter actually states "Welcome to...Thonburi Crocodiles Farm".
As can be seen in Photograph 2, immediately inside the entrance are a series of souvenir stalls. Items for sale included "stuffed" Cobras in addition to leather goods (handbags, wallets and shoes) made from Cobra and Crocodile skin.
Photograph 3
This photograph provides a view from within the covered, circular, Snake Show Arena. To the right of the photograph can be seen three small glass enclosures on a brick base, containing a variety of different snakes. To the left of the photograph can be seen the enclosure of a white-handed gibbon (please see Photographs 103 & 104 for a full description of the white-handed gibbon).
Photographs 4 to 7
These photographs were taken in the snake show arena. An announcement was made over the loud-speaker system (in English), within the snake show arena, that the snake show would start within the next five minutes and that visitors should therefore make their way to the arena.
Tourists sat on benches around the arena (best visible in Photograph 6) and watched as two Cobras were removed from their "holding" enclosure (the "holding" enclosures are the three adjoining wire cages, on the floor of the snake show arena, best shown in Photograph 8).
The snake show that then took place, was described as the "most dangerous snake show that you have seen".
The cobras focused on the "snake handler’s" knees as he swayed his knees a short distance (approximately one foot) in front of the two cobras. Occasionally one, or both of the cobras, would strike out towards the snake handler. However, on each occasion the snake handler managed to avoid being struck by the cobras. The cobras appeared very slow when they struck towards the snake handler. Perhaps they had been sedated or perhaps they were simply tired of being man-handled into the arena every time a new show started (each show took place at approximately 30 minute intervals).
Following on from the cobra show, a number of other snakes were then introduced into the arena, one at a time. First a "Copper Headed Racer" (Photograph 6) and then a "Python" (Photograph 7). The copper headed racer was "dragged" around the arena by its tail and was provoked into striking at the snake handler. On one occasion the fast moving copper headed racer almost escaped over the small fence (approximately 1.5 feet high). The tourists in the path of the fleeing copper headed racer jumped back startled, but the snake handler "dragged" the snake back into the centre of the arena.
Both Photographs 6 and 7 show the copper headed racer and python being "man-handled" by two or more "snake handlers". The purpose of this man-handling was to show the tourists the fangs / teeth of these snakes. Photograph 6 shows how a snake can be "milked" for its venom by forcing the snake to "bite" into a piece of cellophane stretched over the top of a glass. It was explained that the venom can then be collected and used to produce anti-venom. Although not shown in these photographs, visitors were encouraged to stand in the arena and have their photographs taken with a python around their neck.
Upon completion of the snake show, the python was placed in a sack (seen in Photograph 8 on the floor of the arena) and the other snakes were placed back into their holding enclosures (immediately behind the sack).
Photograph 9
This photograph was taken to show how two snake handlers had removed the holding enclosures from the snake show arena and moved it a short distance away to wash the holding enclosure (with detergent and water). The snakes were still inside the holding enclosures when they were washed down with detergent and water. The holding enclosures were then rinsed with the use of water from a hose pipe.
Photographs 10 & 11
Whilst Photograph 10 shows an enclosure housing a number of rabbits, it also shows in the background, some of the snakes being returned to their normal enclosure (shown more clearly in Photograph 11), following a recent snake show. Approximately 8 to 10 snakes consisting of copper headed racers and cobras were within this enclosure. The enclosure contained a small tree, a water pool and a soil base.
Photographs 12 & 13
These photographs show two of the enclosures that adjoin the snake enclosure described above. The two enclosures housed two Lesser Mouse Deer. Access from one enclosure to the next enclosure was via a hole in the wall (best shown to the left of Photograph 13).
Both enclosures were equally barren. The floors of both enclosures were covered in gravel/soil. The enclosures were partially roofed (at the rear of the enclosure). A small bush/tree was in the corner of one of the enclosures (to the right of the enclosure in Photograph 13). A bowl of water and a pile of dried "lettuce-like" leaves were on the floor of the enclosure shown in Photograph 12.
Photograph 14
The enclosure in Photograph 14 contained a Palm Civet Cat . The floor of the enclosure consisted of a gravel/soil base. In addition, however, there were a collection of rocks and a few tree branches. A wooden box laying on its side can just be seen to the right of the sign, at the back of the enclosure. A palm civet cat was lying in the box. There was no bedding in the box. It is possible that more than one palm civet cat was in this enclosure behind/beneath the rocks, however, only one palm civet cat was visible. A bowl of water was in the enclosure, but no food was visible.
Photograph 15
This photograph was taken to provide the view of approximately twelve small enclosures, that can be seen in a row, at the bottom left-hand side of the plan of Thonburi Snake Farm. The photograph also helps the reader to gain some appreciation of the overall size of the Thonburi Snake Farm.
These individual enclosures were situated outside an open-fronted shelter (refer to the plan of Thonburi Snake Farm). The open-fronted shelter houses a few glass enclosures containing snakes and other reptiles. Many of the glass enclosures were however, empty.
The individual enclosures seen in Photograph 15 contained a variety of animals / birds.
All enclosures were generally barren and most had a concrete floor.
Photographs 16 & 17
These photographs provide a better view of one of the individual enclosures shown in Photograph 15. The reader can also see one of the glass enclosures in the background, within the open-fronted shelter mentioned earlier.
Photographs 16 and 17 show the enclosure of a Spotted Cat. The enclosure has a concrete base. A small bowl of water was at the back of the enclosure on the right-hand side. Faeces was visible on the floor of the enclosure. No food was in the enclosure.
A wooden box was resting on a few pieces of wood. These pieces of wood were criss-crossing the enclosure, some two to three feet off the floor of the enclosure.
A single spotted cat was lying in the wooden box, curled-up, sleeping.
Photographs 18 & 19
These photographs were taken of the Spectacled Caiman enclosure, close to the entrance to the Thonburi Snake Farm (the souvenir stalls at the entrance to the Thonburi Snake Farm can be seen to the rear/left of Photograph 19, whilst the green wall of the enclosure housing the false gavial can be seen at the rear/right of Photograph 19.
The barren concrete enclosure had a roof, providing some shade and water with a depth of approximately six to eight inches. Four spectacled caimans were within the enclosure. Two are visible at the far end of the enclosure in Photograph 19 and two are visible in the water just to the left of Photograph 19. No food was visible in the enclosure.
Photograph Album 2
Photograph 20
This photograph shows a series of four enclosures housing a number of different primates. The primates included Black Gibbon, Brown Capuchin, Capuchin (Black) and a Stump Tailed Monkey.
Each enclosure was approximately 2 metres by 2 metres and each enclosure had a pitched roof, affording the animals some shade. The floors of each enclosure were made from concrete and each enclosure had a combination of branches or man-made branches on which the primates were able to climb.
Water was readily available in each enclosure and there was a variety of food items (generally fruit) available in each enclosure.
Photograph 21
This photograph allows the reader a closer view of one of the enclosures seen in photograph 20. It is possible to see the man-made branches in this enclosure and a man-made tree-stump.
Photographs 22 & 23
Photograph 22 is a closer view of the enclosure of a solitary Black Gibbon. Man-made tree-stumps are visible in the enclosure as is a man-made tree trunk extending upward in the enclosure with branches higher up (out of view). Water was available to the black gibbon, in a vesicle (resembling a hollowed tree stump) to the right of the photograph. The floor of the enclosure was clean albeit stained (possibly from faeces or urine ?). Photograph 23 shows the stained area on the floor of this enclosure.
Photograph 24
This photograph provides a shot of the black gibbon sitting on the man-made branches within the enclosure . The black gibbon was resting, grooming itself and remained quiet throughout the period I was taking photographs in the vicinity of the enclosure. The black gibbon looked healthy.
Photographs 25 to 27
Photograph 25 captures the sign on the enclosure of the Brown Capuchins. Photographs 26 and 27 each show a brown capuchin within the enclosure. I believe that two or possibly three brown capuchins were within this single enclosure. Photograph 27 shows one of the brown capuchins with a piece of fruit in its mouth.
The enclosure was the same style / size as that of the black gibbon described above.
Photograph 28
Adjacent to the enclosure of the brown capuchin was the enclosure of the Capuchin (Black). Unfortunately I do not have a photograph of the animal(s) in this enclosure.
(Some photographs (as with Photograph 28) were taken during my visit, simply to record the animals or birds that were within the enclosure, thus avoiding any suspicion from the "zoo keepers", by having to write information on paper / in a book).
The enclosure was the same style / size as that of the black gibbon described earlier.
Photographs 29 & 30
Photograph 29 identifies the fourth enclosure (Stump Tailed Monkey) in the series of primate enclosures shown in Photograph 20. A solitary stump tailed monkey sitting on a man-made tree stump is visible in Photograph 30.
The stump tailed monkey was sitting quietly and occasionally groomed itself. As with the other enclosures, water was available (background) and the concrete floor of the enclosure was clean. The stump tailed monkey also looked healthy.
The enclosure was the same style / size as that of the black gibbon described earlier.
Photographs 31 & 32
At the far end of the Thonburi Snake Farm (on the left-hand side of the plan) could be found a solitary Cassowary. The bird was in an "open topped" enclosure with a brick wall separating it from the next enclosure (white tailed hog deer). I believe the enclosure contained a shrub / bush providing some shade. In addition, there was a supply of water and food available (the food is visible in Photograph 32). The enclosure had a natural (soil) floor.
Photographs 33 & 34
Adjacent to the cassowary enclosure was a wide enclosure containing two or more White Tailed Hog Deer. The enclosure contained natural vegetation (Photograph 33) as well as a man-made sheltered (with tiled roof) at the back of the enclosure.
Food and water were readily available in this enclosure.
Photographs 35 to 38
Photographs 35 to 38 help to provide the reader with a visual picture of this corner of the Thonburi Snake Farm and more specifically, provides the reader with the general appearance and condition of the enclosures in this part of the Thonburi Snake Farm.
Photograph 35 shows the Leopard enclosure. There are in fact two enclosures adjacent to each other and access from one enclosure to the next is made possible by a hole in the internal fencing between the two enclosures. The leopards were therefore able to move from one enclosure to the next.
Photograph 35 reveals a concrete structure within the enclosure. The concrete structure is a small "den" for the leopards to retreat into (also see Photograph 39). The entrance to the concrete den however, faces the visitors and cannot therefore, afford the leopards much privacy.
As can clearly be seen in Photograph 35, the roof is in need of significant repair work.
Photograph 36 shows the corner of the Thonburi Snake Farm where the leopard enclosure is found (to the right of the photograph).
Photograph 37 is taken from the same angle as Photograph 36, but from a greater distance away from this particular corner of the Thonburi Snake Farm.
Photograph 38 shows a close-up view of the damaged roof of the leopard enclosure.
Photographs 39 & 40
These photographs show the two leopards in the two different parts of the inter-linked enclosures.
Photograph 39 shows the two leopards resting on the top of the concrete / stone den. The leopards were very quiet. The leopard to the left of Photograph 39 spent approximately five minutes biting on the metal wire that was hanging down over the entrance to the den.
After a short while, both leopards moved off of the den and passed through the hole in the internal fencing and into the adjacent enclosure (Photograph 40). A large water vessel was in the front, right hand side, of this enclosure and the larger of the two leopards stopped to drink for a while. The smaller leopard lay on the floor of the enclosure whilst the larger of the two leopards sat on the floor of the enclosure. The floor of both enclosures is made from concrete.
The larger of the leopards was a male. Both leopards looked very well, although the male leopard appeared very fat on its under-side (At first I thought that this leopard was a pregnant female!).
Photograph 41
This photograph shows what appeared to be the carcass of a chicken / bird in the corner of the leopard enclosure.
Photograph 42
This photograph is taken in almost the opposite direction to Photograph 37 and provides the reader with a view of the enclosures of the clouded leopard, silver leaf monkey and the binturong. The roof of the clouded leopard enclosure was also damaged.
Photographs 43 to 46
Photographs 43 to 45 show the Clouded Leopard enclosures. Two clouded leopard enclosures exist adjacent to each other. A solitary clouded leopard was in each enclosure. As with the leopard enclosure described earlier, the clouded leopard enclosure also has a concrete base, and each enclosure also has a concrete / stone den with an entrance facing the visitors.
The clouded leopard in the second enclosure was sleeping in the concrete / stone den, whilst in the first enclosure, the clouded leopard was pacing up and down the length of the internal fencing between these two enclosures.
Photographs 44 and 45 show the clouded leopard turning around on each occasion, after pacing a short distance. Each enclosure was approximately 2.5 metres wide by 3 metres depth.
Photograph 46 shows the water vesicle in one of the clouded leopard enclosures. Algae can be seen floating on the top of the water
Photograph 47 & 48
Photograph 47 shows a view of the enclosure of the Silver Leaf Monkey. To the left of this enclosure was one of the clouded leopard enclosures. Within the silver leaf monkey enclosure, one can see a concrete / stone den with a twin entrance. Furthermore a number of tyres (hanging from the roof) and a few branches can be seen criss-crossing the enclosure. A rear section of the roof was missing from this enclosure too.
This enclosure housed at least three silver leaf monkeys. One is just visible sitting on a branch above the right hand entrance to the den. The other silver leaf monkeys were moving around the enclosure from branch to branch in a random fashion. Photograph 48 was just to capture the name plate of the silver leaf monkey enclosure.
Photographs 49 and 50
Photograph 49 was to capture the name plate of the Binturong enclosure. Just visible in Photograph 50 (due to poor lighting) is a binturong sitting on a branch.
The binturong enclosure was approximately 2 metres wide by 3 metres depth. The roof was intact (hence no light was available for the photograph). As with the other enclosures, the floor of the enclosure is concrete and the enclosure apart from the branches, is very barren.
I do not have a record of the next enclosure along, although I seem to recall that it was a primate (possibly a solitary black gibbon).
Photographs 51 to 55
These photographs show the enclosure of a pair of gibbons. Photograph 51 captures the name plate of the White Cheeked Gibbon enclosure. As with the other enclosures in this row, the enclosure was approximately 2 metres wide by 3 metres depth. The floor of the enclosure is concrete and there are some rocks at the back of the enclosure. It was not possible to see if these rocks could provide any shelter or privacy for the pair of gibbons.
Photographs 52 to 54 show that the roof is in need of repair in this enclosure. The gibbons were screaming loudly for some 15 minutes which attracted the attention of a group of about ten tourists. The gibbons were moving around the enclosure rapidly and were chasing each other. A man-made tree and tyres were in the enclosure although the gibbons were moving around the enclosure by hanging on to the fencing (as can be seen in these photographs).
Photograph 55 shows the floor of the right hand side of the enclosure. Water was leaking onto the floor of the enclosure from the rear, and algae is visible. A drinking water vesicle was in the enclosure .
Photograph 56
This photograph shows a solitary baby monkey in an enclosure almost opposite to the binturong enclosure. In fact, the enclosure housing the baby monkey is best seen, just to the left of Photograph 37.
The enclosure is approximately 1 metre by 1.5 metres with a pitched metal roof.
The floor of the enclosure is concrete and the enclosure contains only a post on which is perched a small piece of wood (as can be seen in Photograph 56). Food was available in the enclosure (fruit and nuts) but I could not recall seeing a water vesicle.
There was no name plate on this enclosure to identify the species of the baby monkey.
Photograph Album 3
Photographs 57 to 67
Photograph 57 captures the name-plate of the Asiatic Black Bear enclosure.
Photograph 58 shows the asiatic black bear enclosure from a distance. The enclosure was made entirely from concrete and a few items of wood / branches were dotted around the enclosure. A large water vesicle was to the left of the enclosure. The enclosure was approximately 6 metres long by 4 metres depth.
Photograph 59 shows a closer view of the enclosure than shown in Photograph 58.
Photographs 60 to 66 show the solitary asiatic black bear waking up. (When I arrived the asiatic bear was sleeping on the concrete floor).
Photograph 67 shows a a close up picture of the asiatic black bear’s sad face.
Photographs 68 to 72
Photograph 68 captures the name-plate of the Pig Tailed Monkey enclosure.
Adjacent to the asiatic black bear enclosure (which is to the left of Photograph 69), the pig tailed monkey enclosure is approximately 2 metres square. The enclosure is surrounded on three sides with concrete, and the visitors view the enclosure through the front fencing. The enclosure is partially roofed but would appear to be in some need of repair. As with the other enclosures previously described, the floor of the enclosure is concrete.
A number of concrete tree-stumps are visible on the floor of the enclosure ( best seen in Photograph 70) and a bar on which two tyres are suspended is visible in Photograph 69. A female pig-tailed monkey and her young infant can be seen sitting on the bar in the top left hand corner of the enclosure.
A fresh supply of water was not visible, but may have been at the back of the enclosure. Some fruit and vegetables were on the floor of the enclosure as seen in Photograph 71.
Photograph 71 also shows two of the three pig tailed monkeys in this enclosure. There is a very small infant clinging to the under-side of its mother in this photograph.
Photograph 72 shows the male pig tailed monkey looking through the fencing with a piece of corn discarded on the floor of the enclosure.
Photograph 73 & 74
Photograph 73 captures the name-plate to the Peacock enclosure which is separated from the pig tailed monkey enclosure by an enclosure containing a further two white tailed hog deer (for which no photographs are available).
Photograph 74 provides an insight into a dark and dirty enclosure containing a male and female peacock. A number of eggs are visible on the sandy floor of this enclosure.
Next to the peacock enclosure, in this corner of the snake farm, was a small gateway. The gate was open. The gate presumably was a rear entrance and is perhaps an entrance for staff who perhaps can walk to the Thonburi Snake Farm via footpaths rather than having to arrive by long-tailed boats / taxis.
Photograph 75
This photograph shows three enclosures housing a variety of exotic birds (however, the names were not recorded).
Photographs 76 to 79
This series of photographs shows an enclosure (similar in size to those shown in Photograph 75) containing some 3 to 4 Parakeets.
Food and water were available in the enclosure.
However, one of the parakeets (seen in Photographs 76, 77 and 79) had lost most of its feathers. During the time in which I was photographing this enclosure, this particular parakeet appeared to be attempting to pull out the few remaining feathers from his/her body.
The other parakeets within this enclosure were healthy and had not lost any feathers (As can be seen in Photographs 77, 78 and 79).
Photographs 80 & 81
These photographs were taken to provide the reader with a view of this particular area of the Thonburi Snake Farm which contains a number of bird enclosures. These two photographs also help to put into perspective the overall depth of the snake farm (i.e., from the front boundary to the rear boundary).
Photograph 82
This photograph shows the enclosure of the Pelican .
Photographs 83 to 85
These photographs show the enclosure of the White Billed Sea Eagle. This enclosure had two sea eagles, one standing on the floor of the enclosure (Photograph 84) and one perched in the branches (Photograph 85).
Photograph 86
This photograph shows the name-plate of a Blue Crowned Pigeon.
Photograph 87
This photograph shows an enclosure containing a number of Grey Parrots. A nesting box is visible in this enclosure as is a supply of fruit. All of the parrots looked healthy with no signs of self-mutilation (loss of feathers).
Photograph 88
This photograph shows the name-plate of a Cockatiel.
Photograph 89
This photograph shows the name-plate of a Brahminy Kite.
Photograph 90
This photograph shows an enclosure containing a number of Blue & Yellow Macaws.
Unlike the grey parrot enclosure, no nesting boxes were visible. However all of the macaws (three to four) looked healthy with no signs of self-mutilation (loss of feathers).
Photograph 91
This photograph shows a quite large enclosure containing two chicken (one is a cock-bird, which can be seen on the perch).
Photograph Album 4
Photograph 92
This photograph is a reverse view of Photograph 20. The four primate cages containing the black gibbon, brown capuchin, capuchin (black) and stump tailed monkey are on the right of this photograph. At the far end of the photograph can be seen the open shelter and a few of the small enclosures seen in Photograph 15.
On the left hand side of this photograph, the pink coloured wall is the boundary of a crocodile enclosure (see Photograph 93).
Photograph 93 to 95
No name-plate was visible on this enclosure. From photograph 94 it is assumed that the reptile in this enclosure is a crocodile.
These photographs provide a glimpse of one of the crocodile enclosures. Photograph 93 shows the moat in the foreground. In the background is an area of land that covers about 75% of the total area of the enclosure. As can be seen in the photograph there is a significant amount of vegetation in this enclosure. The moat does not circle the entire enclosure, only two sides of the enclosure (represented by a dotted line on the plan). At the end of the enclosure (where the numbers 94 and 95 are shown on the plan, the moat widens, as can be seen in Photograph 94).
The water in the enclosure was very murky (as can be seen in Photograph 94). Only one crocodile was visible in the enclosure. The water was not only murky, but there were numerous items floating in the water. A discarded beer can, can be seen in Photograph 94. Photograph 95 reveals another can floating in the water (right hand side of the photograph) and what appeared to be the decaying carcass of a bird / duck (left hand side of the photograph).
Photographs 96 to 98
This selection of photographs shows a large "crocodile" enclosure that extends almost the entire length of the right hand side of the Thonburi Snake Farm (refer to the enclosed plan). There is a significant volume of water in the enclosure, best visible in Photograph 97. The rear of this enclosure forms the boundary of the Thonburi Snake Farm. Along the length of the enclosure there are pens in to which the crocodiles can crawl, and which is best shown in Photograph 98.
There is a small bridge over the central part of this enclosure, but it is not accessible to the visitors. This area of the Thonburi Snake Farm also has a significant amount of vegetation. It was difficult to assess how many crocodiles were in this enclosure as it was not possible to see into all of the different pens, within the enclosure. The water within this enclosure was not as murky as the water in the enclosure of Photograph 94.
Photograph 99
No name plate was on this enclosure.
This photograph reveals a small enclosure containing a solitary crocodile (alligator ?).
The enclosure was approximately 6 metres by 2 metres. The central part of the enclosure was filled with water (approximately 8 to 10 inches in depth). The water was clear, as can be seen from the photograph.
At each end of the enclosure was a small area (mainly concrete) with some vegetation, providing some shade for the crocodile.
Photograph 100
No name plate was on this enclosure.
The reptile in this enclosure had a much narrower mouth than the one in Photograph 99, suggesting that this was perhaps an alligator ?
This enclosure was slightly smaller than the enclosure in Photograph 99. The enclosure was approximately 5 metres by 2 metres. One end of the enclosure had a pool of water to a depth of approximately 10 inches. The water was relatively clean. The other end of the enclosure had an area of land with some vegetation that could provide shade for the reptile.
Photograph 101 & 102
Photograph 101 shows the name-plate for the False Gavial. This enclosure was near to the entrance to the snake farm.
The enclosure was approximately 6 metres in length by 3 metres wide. The enclosure backed onto the public toilets, which are part of the open fronted shelter, described earlier.
Two false gavials were in the enclosure. Only one false gavial can be seen in Photograph 102. The water was very clear but very shallow (less than 6 inches).
I believe that a small area of land was within the enclosure onto which the reptiles could crawl if they wished to get out of the water.
Photographs 103 & 104
Photograph 103 shows the name-plate for the White Handed Gibbon. A "Dangerous" sign was also hanging next to the name-plate. This enclosure was near to the snake show arena and can be seen in the background of Photographs 3 and 9.
Photograph 9 actually shows the best view of the overall size of this enclosure. The enclosure is approximately 2 metres by 2 metres by 3 metres (high). The base of the enclosure is bare concrete (visible in Photographs 3 and 9) and the only items in the enclosure were two tyres and some metal railings. The enclosure as can be seen in Photograph 9 has a pitched roof, providing the white handed gibbon with some shelter / shade.
There was no food or water in the enclosure.
The white handed gibbon looked healthy and remained quiet throughout the time that I was visiting the Thonburi Snake Farm. In Photograph 3 the white handed gibbon can be seen sitting in one of the tyres, whilst in Photograph 9 the white handed gibbon can just be seen, looking through the wire fencing of the enclosure at the bottom left hand corner of the enclosure (presumably watching the snake handlers wash out the holding enclosures). Photograph 104 shows the white handed gibbon sitting quietly on the railings.
Photographs 105 to 111
Photograph 105 shows the name plate for the Bengal Tiger.
Two enclosures adjacent to each other represent the extent of the Bengal tigers territory. The two enclosures are linked by a metal-bar gate, through which the Bengal tigers could pass.
Photograph 106 shows the right hand enclosure (the name plate being the extent of this enclosure) whilst the left hand enclosure is best seen in Photograph 107. As can be seen from this series of photographs only the right hand enclosure had any roofing, which was confined to the right hand side of this enclosure. Both enclosures had concrete floors and both enclosures also contained their own concrete dens. One of the Bengal tigers was lying in the concrete den of the left hand enclosure (Photograph 111) whilst the other Bengal tiger was simply pacing from one enclosure to the next (Photograph 107), on each occasion walking through the concrete den (Photographs 108 to 110) of the right hand enclosure.
A few rocks and tree branches were scattered around the enclosures. A large water vessel was present, but no food.
The Bengal tigers looked healthy. However, Photographs 109 and 110 show a rather "fat" Bengal tiger (lack of exercise ? naturally fat on the under-side ?).
Photograph 112
This photograph was taken of an enclosure that backs onto the souvenir shop and opposite the Bengal tiger enclosure.
The enclosure was sub-divided into a number of sections and included a large black squirrel and a number of different birds.
Each enclosure is no more than 2 metres by 1.5 metres and has a concrete floor. Food and water were available in each enclosure. However, the enclosures apart from having a few small branches were very barren.
Photograph 113
This photograph was taken to help the reader get another view of the snake show arena and also the near-by, white handed gibbon enclosure. The bridge over the crocodile enclosure, described earlier, is visible to the left hand side of this photograph.
Photographs 114 & 115
These photographs were taken at the end of my visit. The purpose of these photographs were to show that the Thonburi Snake Farm was generally kept very clean and tidy and that the process of keeping the snake farm in this condition would appear to be a daily/ongoing task.