Boy Bitten by Giant Snakehead While Playing With Fry
AYUTTHAYA — 8 October 2026, A 13-year-old boy was injured after a giant snakehead fish attacked his arm when he used his hand to play with a school of snakehead fry in a flooded community in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district, officials said. The incident occurred in a flooded area in Moo 12, Pak Kran […]
On 8 October 2026, a 13-year-old boy was injured after a giant snakehead fish bit his arm while he was playing with a school of snakehead fry in a flooded area of Moo 12, Pak Kran subdistrict, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. Water levels were over one metre deep, and residents used a wooden footbridge to move around. Under the bridge, a school of fry swam together while a large adult snakehead guarded them nearby. The boy had been sitting near the bridge when he noticed the fry and reached out to play with them, not seeing the adult fish. The adult snakehead lunged and bit his arm, causing him to scream for his mother. He suffered deep wounds around his hand and significant bleeding before his father called emergency services at 1669. Rescuers from the Ruam Katanyu Foundation took him to Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Hospital for treatment. Phanupong, a 47-year-old neighbour, recounted the scene. Fisheries chief Chonthicha Santipatanan explained that giant snakehead fish are carnivorous and fiercely protect their young, often attacking when people approach. Authorities advised residents to stay clear of the fry and avoid touching or playing with them to prevent provoking the adult fish.
