VENOM AND ANTIDOTES

Bangkok (Thailand) - April, 2025

The Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, part of the Thai Red Cross Society and located in Bangkok, is the largest center in Asia and the second-largest in the world specializing in snake venom extraction for the production of antivenoms.

It provides emergency medical services and offers specialized training courses in snake handling for police officers, firefighters, and volunteers. The facility also includes a public-facing Snake Farm, featuring a museum with multimedia exhibits that explain the reptile life cycle, anatomy, toxicology, and mythology.

To this day, venom extraction is carried out exclusively by hand: the snake is made to bite into a special membrane, and the dripping venom is collected in a sterile vial.

In the second phase of antivenom production, the blood of large animals is used—animals that develop specific antibodies against the injected venom. Small quantities of venom are gradually injected into a horse at five-day intervals.

Once the animal’s immune system has developed the necessary antibodies, blood samples are collected. The plasma - separated from the rest of the blood - is the only part used in the production of the antivenom. Only after a series of safety and efficacy tests is the serum distributed to hospitals.

The center was founded in 1929 by Prince Paribatra Sukhumbhand with the aim of developing effective treatments for venomous snake bites, which are widespread across Southeast Asia.

For more information or to purchase the photos, please contact: [email protected]