A Thai snake farm makes venom to save lives

SHOTLIST Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, Bangkok, Thailand, December 8th, 2008 1. Various of snake handlers and king cobras 2. CU snake 3. Various of snake handler inching his hand on top of a Thai cobra while another snake hisses at him. 4. Mid rear view of veterinarian Dr. Taksay Vasaruchapong walking into a glass room where Burmese python is held. 5. Various of Dr. Taksay Vasaruchapong holding Burmese python. 6. Close of scar on Dr. Taksay Vasaruchapong's arm from the medical procedure he had after being bitten by a venomous snake. 7. Close of scars on Dr. Taksay Vasaruchapong's hand where he was bitten by a venomous snake and had medical procedure. 8. SOUNDBITE: (Thai) Dr. Taksay Vasaruchapong, Veterinarian, Snake Farm, Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute: "I needed to be treated at the intensive care unit and I was starting to have difficulty breathing and showing signs of paralysis. So I had to have an emergency operation to remove the dead cells in my hand and I spent at least one month in hospital." 9. Mid Snake handler holding yellow and black snake in the air. 10. Another snake handler holding another black and yellow snake in his hands. 11. Close of black and yellow snake in trainer's hand. 12. Visitors touching black and yellow snake in trainer's hands. 13. More visitors touching black and yellow snake in trainer's hands. 14. Snake handler holding non-venomous copperhead snake in his hands as the snake lurches toward his face. 15. Close of copperhead snake lurching toward snake handler's face. 16. Trainer holding copperhead snake in his hands as it untangles itself. 17. Young boy holding Burmese python around his neck. 18. Young boy holding Burmese python around his neck and pan down to snake's head. 19. Couple with Burmese python around their necks. 20. Man with Burmese python around his neck. 21. Two young female students with Burmese python around their necks. 22. Scientists in holding snake inside snake anti-venom laboratory. 23. Scientist holding snake and placing its head on a cup to produce venom used to make anti-venom. 24. Close of snake's head as it produces venom. 25. Scientist removes beaker holding snake venom. 26. Photograph of a person's foot after bitten by venomous snake. 27. Photograph of two feet after bitten by venomous snakes. 28. Photograph of a person's hand after bitten by venomous snake. 29. Photograph of a person's finger after bitten by venomous snake. 30. Dr. Montri Chiobam, head of the Snake Farm at Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, uses dummy to demonstrate how to perform first aid on a person who has been bitten by a venomous snake. 31. Dr. Montri Chiobam, head of the Snake Farm at Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute, uses dummy to demonstrate how to perform first aid on a person who has been bitten by a venomous snake. 32. Pan up of snakes preserved in glass containers. 33. Close of snake preserved in glass container. 34. SOUNDBITE: (Thai): Ataree Rungrog, Veterinary Technologist, Snake Farm, Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute: "Snakes are animals that usually attack first. That's not true. I want everyone to know that snakes are one of few truly kind animals, so let's give them justice. When we see snakes, we don't need to kill them right away." 35. Pan down of snakes preserved in glass containers. 36. Man looking at snakes preserved in glass containers. 37. Close of snake preserved in glass container. 38. Snake skeleton. 39. Close of snake's skull and fangs. 40. Snake skeleton. 41. Close of snake's skull and fangs. LEAD IN: About two and a half million people are bitten by venomous snakes each year according to the World Health Organisation and 125- thousand of the victims result in death. STORY LINE: You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/494c3a12f965d58d13da3d0282b91b04 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork