Sompop Jeungcharoen went to eat at rice and curry with his family at a restaurant on Luang Por Sam Rd, as he usually does. But this time, upon returning to his car, he noticed something shiny on the bottom of his car. Closer examination revealed that it was a snake, but not any kind of snake that anyone could identify, so Sompop called for help.
"In all my 40 years I've never seen a snake. This is the first one!" an excited Sompop reported to Kusoldham Rescue Workers, who were also surprised to see the snake.
"We catch snakes every day, mostly non-venomous pythons, reticulated and Burmese, as well as green snakes, and the odd cobra here and there," said Wachara Srikacha, Phuket Kusoldham chief.
"But this is the first time we've ever had to catch a Ngoo Bplong Thong งูปล้องทอง [gold-ringed cat snake]"
Rescue workers were particularly nervous and careful in freeing the poisonous snake, knowing that any wrong move could result in a bite for which antivenom might not be in local stocks.
Mr Wachara explained that the gold-ringed cat snake, also known as the mangrove snake (Boiga dendrophila), is more common on the Gulf of Thailand coast, especially in Nakhon Si Thammarat.
"We're aware of a story of one of these types of snake being caught in Phuket more than 10 years ago. One had escaped from a snake collector's house in the area of Ket Ho, and it had to be caught. Other than that this is a first for me," said Mr Wachara, 51.
The snake, which measured just over a metre long, was eventually freed from its entanglement, and taken away by rescue workers, who plan to release it at an undisclosed sight.