He is nine years old and keeps a 5 meter long python snake as his pet. Oun Sambath from Cambodia and his snake Cham Roeun have been together since they both were babies.
The family lives in Kandal province in Cambodia, just an hour south of the capital city of Phnom Penh. The father tells me that three months after Sambath was born they saw something moving under his matress. It was a small python snake, about a meter in length.
Sambath’s father carefully put the snake baby back into the forest. But during the night it found its way back to their house.
That made Koun Samang think about whether the snake was in fact meant to be with them. He started praying to the gods and came to the conclusion that the snake would bring them happiness.
Since then the snake and the boy always played and slept together. Only when Sambath was 8 years old the parents decided it was time that the snake slept somewhere else than with the boy. Now the 5 meter long snake has its own room in the house.
In the snake room is also an altar. The family strongly believe that the presence of the snake has made life easier for them.
- Before we were always sick. After we got the snake, nobody has been sick in the family, claims Koun Samang.
He tells me many people show up every weekend to pray to the spirit of the snake. Allegedly many of them have recovered from health problems after visiting the snake.
A fortune teller even told Sambath’s mother that the boy and the snake had been husband and wife in a previous life. This is a story the boy himself strongly believes.
- I will never get married as long as I have the snake, he says.
According to the family the snake has never shown any sign of being dangerous. The boy himself crawls and sit on the snake without taking any precautions.
But it does get hungry, though. The snake is fed about 10 chicken every week, which is rather costly for a poor farmer family. Fortunately weekend visitors frequently give donations to help feed the snake.
- I can even talk to the snake. But only at night, I am to shy to do it during daytime, says Sambath.
- And what do you tell the snake?
- That I cannot tell you. It is my private secret.
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
Hjelp, det er det skumleste jeg har sett, John Einar! Imponerende! Håper du koser deg i Kambodsja.
poeple please help donate to the family so the boy and the snake and their family can live happly ever after =)
can anyone give out the adress of this family…..? i d like to visit them from Phnom Pen.
THIS IS UTTER SHIT A SNAKE IS NOT A HEALER ITS A SPIRIT FROM BELLOW AND THE BIBLE TELLS ME THAT GOD WILL GIVE ME THE POWER TO WALK ON SNAKES AND SCORPIONS IF THIS SNAKE IS SO WONDERFULL LET IT DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST MY SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST
I think you should just SHUT THE HELL UP. You obsessive christians are so insensitive! That’s his culture and his way of life. Who are you to say wha is wrong and what is right? His family s probably saying the same thing to him! respect your surrounding cultures.
GOD IS NOT REAL!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with Kati, you have no respect for the religions and cultures of other people, I'm a Christian too, but I have great respect for the beliefs of others, and I find Oun Sambath a fascinating boy.
If you have nothing but disrespect, insults and nothing good to say, then in the words of Kati, "just SHUT THE HELL UP."
You can be religious, but keep it to yourself. That snake looks friendly enough to me…
While i agree to that statement you should know that no matter how friendly that snake may look it can and will kill and eat whatever it wants. That's the animal's nature.
atleast i can see the snake thats real enough to me i cant see no god never have dumb ass you pray to some thing you cant see the boys snake is holy in my books
hey Phillip Buitendag, keep on prying to your Jesus okay? But keep your VENUM to yourself!
Look how dangerous is it!! But let them happy…
omg arme slang dat kind zit gewoon op hem wel schattig en cuteeeeee xxx joyce
The boy and the snake's relationship is possibly due to the fact that snakes have a rather impressive memory, therefore the snake knows not to eat the boy. This is only a theory, of course.
This story is really fascinating, I read this article last year, so anything new from Oun Sambath and Cham Roeun?
It's already 2011, so their both 11-year-old by now, anything new?
Let's be clear. God does not exist because God is Dog backwards. Nobody workships a backwards dog, so there is no God. God is only what we make him to be.
I am a Hindu and I believe that there is a spiritual connection with this boy and the Phython. Before these morans judge, they need to read their Bible again. God's message to man, is, not to judge, for he is the judge. I am so tired of all of the bullshit.
Religion is man made. It is there for the lost souls that needs something to hold on to. If you are a true Christian, you would know that a person's actions determines whether they are a Christian or not.
I am so tired of the people that shows up at my door with the Bible to tell me about God.
I have one question for the "Christian prosecutors" out there. What makes the Bible better than the other religious books. . . Kuran, Bhagavad Gita, the Torah etc?
In the meantime, not because you do not understand something, gives you the right to spill filth about it.
I’m tired of all christians .. The bible hides a lot of real truth, in fact, for me god is not real .
I seriuosly belive the spiritual bonds between the snake and the boy, is wonderful
;3
Good real happening I hope to see them both someday
think the snake realli love the boy so they love each other so much guys
everyone should be happy for them b/c it is wonderful
Wonderful!