Family: Elapidae (Elapids)
Subfamily: Bungarinae
Genus: Naja (Cobra)

Picture: J. Bulian

Naja kaouthia (Monocled Cobra)
Thai: (ngu how mo, ngu hao hom)

Length: Up to 150 cm

Occurrence:
The monocled cobra is found relatively frequently throughout Thailand. Naja kauthia , which is also found in India, Nepal, south China and Indochina, is called „Keautiah” in Calcutta. This led to the name „kauthia “.

Habitat/behaviour:
Naja kaouthia is a ground dwelling snake in the flat country, which can however climb and swim very well. The monocled cobra is equally at home in a wide variety of places: forest and shrub areas, as well as plantations, rice fields, pastures, villages and cities. The monocled cobra is active at night and day, but more often at night. These snakes eat rodents, frogs, toads, ducks and chicks. When threatened they straighten up, spread the neck flat, and hiss. If you react calmly, they usually take flight. The monocled cobra mates in Thailand in the months of December and January. After about two months of mating, the females lay between 10 and 30 eggs. The eggs are laid in moderately damp soil, under heaps of leaves or stones, in the spaces of hollow trees, in rat holes, and in spaces under houses. Depending on the temperature, the eggs incubate from between 50 and 60 days. The young animals are long, between 25 and 30 centimetres, and identical in colouring and appearance to the adults. From my own observations in southern Thailand, I concluded that the females remained at least some days on the clutch of eggs and stayed in the proximity of the clutch of eggs later.

Note: These snakes can vary in colour from light beige to dark brown and grey.

Danger: This snake has a very powerful life threatening poison.

Picture: J. Bulian

Naja siamensis (Indochinese Spitting Cobra)
Thai: (ngu how pleuk, ngu how daeng pon pit)

Length: Up to 160 cm

Occurrence: Whole of Thailand, apart from south of Chonburi.

Behaviour/habitat:
Naja siamensis is found in wooded areas, on agricultural land and in human settlements. This snake is active at dusk and at night and can spit its poison up to a distance of 3 meters directly into the eyes of its attacker. They are much more likely and quicker to bite than the Naja kaouthia. This animal can be black, black/white, yellow or brown.

Danger:
Naja siamensis possesses a deadly poison. In addition, the spitting of poison can lead to damage to the corneas.

Naja sumatrana (Sumatran Cobra, Equatorial Spitting Cobra)
Thai: (ngu how tong pon pit)

Length: Up to 1 m

Occurrence: Mainly in southern Thailand, relatively rare

Behaviour:
Active at night and at dawn. The snake is aggressive. It straightens up when threatened, spits and squirts poison up to a distance of 3m into the eyes of the attacker. There is also the danger of a poisonous bite.

Note: The colouring of the animals varies greatly.