A 55-year-old man was killed in front of his horrified sister while wrestling with a 3-metre python in Sukothai on Monday evening. He had been keeping the snake captive underneath their house in Kong Krailat district.
Sawaeng Thapkhlai, 63, rushed downstairs to see what was going on after she heard her younger brother, Sawan Thapkhlai, cry out for help.
She was horrified to find her brother being held in the powerful grip of a huge snake. Sawaeng bravely took hold of the animal's tail, hoping to pull it from her brother. But the snake was too strong.
She called out for help but unfortunately, no one arrived in time to save her brother. Eventually, they were able to recapture the snake and put it in a sack.
Sawan had been keeping the python captive in a big earthen jar sitting underneath the house for about three days.
It was believed he tried to get the python out of the jar with one hand, while holding a knife in the other. As Sawan wrestled with the snake, it wrapped itself tightly about his body and neck, suffocating him to death.
It was not clear what the villagers later did with the python.
