13-year-old boy attacked by giant snakehead fish 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 subdistrict, where water levels were more than 1 meter deep. Residents have been using a wooden footbridge to travel in and out of the community.

Under the bridge, a school of giant snakehead fish fry was seen swimming together, while a large adult snakehead fish was swimming nearby and guarding the young fish.

The injured boy had already been taken to Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Hospital by Ruam Katanyu Foundation rescuers for treatment.

Phanupong, 47, a neighbour, said the boy had been sitting and playing near the wooden bridge before the incident. He saw the giant snakehead fry swimming near the edge of the bridge and used his hand to play with them, unaware that an adult fish was nearby.

The adult giant snakehead then lunged at the boy 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 the emergency medical service at 1669 for help.

Chonthicha Santipatanan, fisheries chief of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, said giant snakehead fish are carnivorous and have a strong instinct to protect their young, particularly when caring for newly hatched fry.

Parent fish closely guard their young and may attack when people approach, she said.

Residents were advised to keep away from giant snakehead fry and avoid touching or playing with them, as doing so could provoke the adult fish and result in an attack.