Monitoring the situation ...

I have spotted many monitor lizards from Jomtiem, Pattaya to Bangkok and Kanchanaburi. Yet, when I visited an upland and exposed river in Khao Yai (Khorat) to hunt for dragonflies, another kind of dragon was lying in waiting. Away from the campers, there were a number of specimens living amongst the small wooden homes erected there. Their size ranged between 2-6 ft, but they were extremely cautious and somewhat timid. They always seemed to move before I had a chance to get really good photos, but these will do until my next visit.

Order: Squamata

Family: Unknown

Vernacular name: Monitor Lizard

Scientific name: Unknown

This one was around 4 ft long and was extremely weary of my presence.

This was a 'baby' 2 footer, that virtually ran into the water with a big splash.

Now he's swimming away ...

Here's the big mamma of them all. This one was about 6 ft in length, but quickly swam to the other side of the river to reach safety (and annoyingly become partly obscured by foliage).