Python wraps itself around fireman’s head as safety demonstration goes wrong

A Bangkok fireman found himself in a tight squeeze when this five-metre long python wrapped itself around his head during a safety demonstration.

Khun Apichet, 40, was showing school children in the Thai capital on November 3 how to handle the deadly snakes if they coil around their bodies.

But Apichet needed a hand himself, when his boss giving the talk had to prize away the serpent which was following its natural instincts in strangling its prey.

Apichet is seen looking red-faced and strained as he struggles to hold back the vice-like grip of the python's body. The announcer is heard saying: ''The snake is trying to bite him, because this makes the snake feel good.

''When the snake wants to eat the people they will bite quickly and lock them in very quickly, but this one is older and has been tamed.''

The fireman then invites a young boy to try and put his hand between the snake and his colleague's head in order to demonstrate how powerful the python is.

He adds: ''The python is old and more friendly than animals in the wild but he is still very powerful.''

Fortunately, Apichet made it out unscathed, although he had a little bit of a headache for the next couple of hours.

Apichet said: ''My neck was a little bit sore and I had a headache. I don't think the snake meant to hurt me. My boss would have helped me if the snake was too aggressive.''

The snake used in the video is one that was caught from a home several years ago and has since been kept in captivity and is used in safety demonstrations.