Thai King Cobra

This photo was taken at the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute and Snake Farm in Bangkok, Thailand in Febuary of 2008 as the snake was on display during the snake show. In 2005 some snakes were stolen from this same snake farm. Here is the story from The Nation Thailand News:

Snakes end up in restaurants after theft from Bangkok snake farm Thailand, Bangkok

82 King Cobra snakes that were enjoying a privileged life at the Red Cross Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute and snake farm, also known as the Pasteur institute, where the cobra snakes were daily milked for their venom while being watched by crowds of fascinated tourists, have been stolen. Most likely, the 82 King Cobras have been sold to Bangkok restaurants, where the reptiles have been served to wealthy Korean and Japanese customers, who regard eating Cobra snake meat as an aphrodisiac. Bangkok police believes that the whole operation was an inside job. According to Police Colonel Wichien Wochitrasaengphairot, 30 of the dangerous King Cobra snakes were removed from their snake pit at the Red Cross Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute in Thailand on 13 January, with a further 32 Cobras removed on 21 January and another 20 snakes taken on 2 February. It is presumed that whoever removed the snakes must have been very familiar both with both the handling of King Cobra snakes as with the Bangkok snake farm itself, as the snakes at the Thailand institute were kept tightly locked and there is no way the reptiles could have climbed out of the pits by themselves. But Police Colonel Wichien admits that investigative officers are at loss over the theft, as all the staff at the Bangkok snake farm, which daily milks hundreds of snakes for their venom in order to manufacture anti-snake serum, denies any involvement in the removal of the cobras. It is now suggested that all the staff of the Red Cross Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute should be subjected to lie detector tests in order to help determine their guilt. But police in Thailand admit that it will certainly be impossible to secure the return of the cobra snakes, which police said had most likely disappeared in the stomachs of wealthy restaurant customers.

More about the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute and Snake Farm

Also, on the snake venom page, more about first aid for snake bites