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10 Species of Spider You Might Be Lucky Enough to Meet in Thailand

Thailand is home to a diverse wildlife that includes thousands of creepy crawlies – and that means spiders, too.

Though there are a wide variety of spiders in Thailand, chances are that you’re unlikely to encounter big species in major cities like Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai.

In fact, you probably won’t even see these types of arachnids by the beach or in the countryside, unless you’re trekking through the jungle or staying in remote and rural areas where your accommodation is near a patch of lush vegetation.

I've been to a variety of North and North Eastern provinces and never seen a big spider, only small ones occasionally like I see back home.

I've encountered just two spider “incidents” in 10 years.

The first was when I was staying in the Maya Buri in Koh Samui. The accommodation is bungalow style and there's quite a lot of trees and vegetation around.

I looked up from my bed, and there, on the wall, was a big spider.

Still to this day I have no idea what species it was. It looked black to the eye, but it wasn't a tarantula. Perhaps it was a Huntsman.

I tried to shoo it out but it just jumped to another spot. I've always been uncomfortable of spiders and had no choice but to sleep with it in the room that night; I hardly slept.

The next day it was on the opposite wall and I called a member of staff to remove it.

I'm not so much scared of spiders, but I don't like the way they move or look and can't bear the thought of being near them. It's the fact that they are just suddenly there, or living near you and crawling over you in the nighttime when you're unaware.

I'm going to leave my story of the second incident until the end of this post, after we've covered the list of common Thailand spiders below.

Those unnerved by these creepy-crawlers will be pleased to know that fatal spider bites are incredibly rare, numbering less than 3 worldwide per year. These fatalities are largely due to allergic reactions and slow medical response times.

To avoid unnecessary contact while hiking and camping in rural areas, be sure to shake out all clothes and shoes before puting them on – spiders like to be cozy, just like the rest of us!

If you are scared of spiders, don’t be spooked.

The presence of spiders in Thailand is no reason to cancel what’s sure to be a great holiday, and chances are you won't see one.

Here's a rundown of Thailand's 10 most common spiders: their appearance, habitat, and — in the extremely rare case you’re bitten — what you should do to alleviate the symptoms.

10 Most Common Spiders in Thailand

1. Black Widow

black widow spider thailand

Appearance

Black Widows are easily identifiable — they have shiny jet black coloring (though they can also be deep brown), a bulbous body, long and spindly legs, and a bright red splash on their backs, often in an hourglass shape.

Habitat

Black Widow Spiders have migrated to nearly every country on Earth, so they can be found pretty much anywhere in Thailand. They’ve been known to take up residence outside houses and in very rural areas. They gravitate to places where they can safely string their web, as they have very poor eyesight.

Bite

The bites of Black Widows are rarely fatal, but they may cause extreme discomfort to the victim. The female spiders’ venom contains a neurotoxin, latrotoxin, which can cause pain, vomiting, sweating, and muscle rigidity. If you are bitten, seek medical attention immediately to rule out the possibility of your bite worsening.

2. Black Tarantula

black tarantula thailand
Image Credit: tontantravel

Appearance

The Black Tarantula is large, fuzzy, fast and aggressive, and dark-colored – if you’re frightened of spiders, you definitely do not want to come in contact with one of these.

Habitat

Belonging to the spider subfamily Ornithoctoninae, which means ‘earth tiger,’ the Black Tarantula live in underground burrows that can reach deep into tropical forests. Fond of high humidity situations, the Black Tarantula is known to live in large numbers in Khao Sok National Park.

Bite

Tarantulas are nervous creatures and often bite suddenly when startled, so if you spot one on a trail, try to give it a wide berth.

Even though its bites are rarely serious, there’s always the possibility that you are unknowingly allergic to its venom. In the unlikely scenario that you are bitten, flush out the bite with water and soap and consider taking a pain reliever like ibuprofen.

3. Golden Orb Web Spider

golden orb weaver

Appearance

The Golden Orb Web Spider is quite beautiful. Named because their impressively intricate webs shimmer golden in the light, the modestly sized (15 cm) spiders have a long, thin, jet-black body, long, thin legs, and golden spots that dot their backs.

Habitat

Golden Orb Web spiders are shy, and like to build their enormous webs (2 meters across) on top of towering clusters of trees. Focused weavers, these spiders will construct mesh layer after mesh layer to protect their territory and ‘main web,’ where they can usually been seen resting.

Bite

While Golden Orb Web spiders bite their prey to immobilize it, this bite is of little consequence to most people and is largely ineffectual. You may experience some discomfort, but you’re likely not in any danger.

4. Huntsman

huntsman-spider-thailand

Appearance

If big spiders aren’t your cup of tea, we’re sorry to say that the Huntsman Spider is one of the largest in the world, growing as large as 30 cm!

In Thailand they’re often as large as a grown man’s hand. With long, strong legs, and a fuzzy body, these spiders are a mottled brown and tan color, making them difficult to spot against a forest floor.

Habitat

The Huntsman Spider’s natural camouflage serves it well in the woodland and forest areas that it calls home. Unfortunately, they also are curious enough to venture into houses and dwellings in rural areas, most likely because they do not spin webs, but hunt for insects and small invertebrates.

Bite

Fortunately, these spiders are shy and often scared of humans. Huntsman aren’t known to aggressively bite humans, but if you do get bitten, you’re likely in for a little discomfort and swelling that will subside in a day or two.

5. Harvestman Spider

harvestman spider thailand

Appearance

A common spider in Thailand, the Harvestman is also one of the Kingdom’s least threatening. Small bodied, neutral colored, and long-legged, the Harvestman is difficult to spot and unlikely to bother humans who come across it.

Habitat

Harvestman spiders are land and tree-dwellers and can be found all over Thailand. Female spiders lay eggs once annually in damp soil, and the adult spiders climb trees and scour the ground for their favorite snacks, including caterpillars, larvae and slugs.

Bite

These tiny spiders pose no threat to humans — they have no venom glands and don’t even possess fangs. The tiny claw-like shapes on their face are used for gripping bark and prey — and are nowhere near big enough to break human skin.

6. Wolf Spider

wolf-spider-thailand

Appearance

You’ll recognize a Wolf Spider from its distinctive striped legs and it’s large, double-barrelled body. Tawny and brown, these spiders often exhibit Zebra-like stripes on their thorax.

They range from 10 to 35 mm, and have eight eyes that are stacked in three levels. Natural hunters, they have extremely good eyesight and sense of touch.

Habitat

Wolf Spiders live in shallow burrows and congregate in leafy and grassy woodland areas. They are often masters of camouflage, and are excellent hunters.

At the advent of colder weather, these spiders may be tempted to move into your home, so keep an eye out if you live in a rural place.

Bite

Fortunately, Wolf Spiders are not aggressive creatures. They will only bite if continually provoked, so be forewarned!

If you are bitten by a Wolf Spider, expect serious discomfort, and likely only that. However, to prevent the situation from worsening, seek medical attention immediately after contact.

7. Yellow Sac Spider

yellow sac spider thailand

Appearance

This unique-looking spider is aptly named. A pale yellow, almost ‘blonde’ color, these spiders somewhat resemble tarantulas because they are similarly hairy. However, these spiders are easily identified by the massive yellow sac at the base of their body and by their prominent front fangs.

Habitat

This spider prefers hot, dry areas and builds a silken tube in which to rest before hunting in the cover of night.

Bite

The Yellow Sac Spider leaves a nasty bite — one that can be felt for up to ten days. Their venom inflicts sharp pain (reminiscent of a wasp sting), in addition to symptoms like nausea and even skin necrosis. It’s best to seek medical attention after a bite like this.

8. Jumping Spiders

jumping spider thailand

Appearance

One of the largest families of spiders, this genus includes nearly 6,000 separate species. They are often small, with four large eyes that provide excellent vision. They can jump nearly 20 times their body length and often have relatively thick legs.

Habitat

Jumping spiders live just about everywhere, though they tend to favor tropical forests. Found additionally in brush lands, temperate forests, mountainous regions, and intertidal areas.

Bite

While their bites are venom-laced, a Jumping spider is unlikely to cause a human fatality. Bite victims may experience red, swollen, painful wounds, and in more severe cases, fever, headache, and nausea. If you’re feeling poorly after a bite, consider visiting a doctor.

9. Lynx Spider

lynx spider thailand

Appearance

These funny little spiders have a distinct appearance — comparatively small, most have large, noticeable bristles on their legs that help the spiders hold onto struggling prey.

Often brown, golden colored, or green, they’re quite unobtrusive and even hard to spot. Alert, speedy, and sharp-eyed, they’re predators, as well.

Habitat

Lynx spiders can be found in most regions of Thailand, hiding in lush vegetation as they like to eat flower pollinators.

Bite

While it’s rare for Lynx spiders to bite humans, female spiders can be territorial regarding their egg sacs. Since these spiders are so small and non -threatening, symptoms are often short-lived and not particularly painful.

10. Sheet Weaver

sheet weaver spider thailand

Appearance

These tiny spiders are often less than 6 mm and hard to spot — good news for arachnophobes! Their tiny bodies are often intricately patterned, with neutral colors or bright ochre and black. Their legs are short and their abdomens stout.

Habitat

Found everywhere from the rolling hills of Chiang Mai to the ceilings of the apartments in Thailand’s busiest cities, Sheet Weavers (and their webs) are ubiquitous, but unobtrusive.

Bite

Because they are so small, they are of no risk to humans.

If this list didn’t do anything to assuage your fear of spiders, here's some quick travel advice for arachnophobes:

  • Choose hotels instead of rustic beach-style huts or rooms; forgo bungalow or tents.
  • Don’t go trekking. If you're going to see a spider, it'll most likely be in the jungle.
  • Keep it city-centric: stay in cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
  • Stick to medium-to-high-end beach resorts. These more luxurious places tend to spend money on keeping pests away from their guests. Wow, that rhymed.

My Spider-Banana Encounter

So, as promised, here's what happened in my second spider encounter…

I bought a bunch of bananas and other fruit from my local fruit lady. I came home with my bag and put it on the side in the kitchen.

Just before bed I remembered it was there, so as usual I proceeded to wash the fruit to get rid of any ants and dirt before putting it in my fruit bowl.

You know where this is going…

As I washed the bananas, I noticed a silky, oval-shaped patch straddled between two of the bananas. It took a few seconds to sink in, but it dawned on me that this could be a spider's web left over from being plucked from the tree.

I grabbed the bunch and went into the bathroom. I threw the bananas into the sink and turned the water on full blast thinking it would wash the webby thing away.

But to my horror, suddenly it burst open and a number of tiny white baby spiders ran out over the bananas.

Bear in mind that my 1-year-old daughter was asleep in the other room, and I became fearful that these spiders were dangerous and could harm her if they escaped into the rest of the apartment.

So I used the toilet water spray to blast them down the plughole…

…But then, mum emerged. All I remember seeing was legs coming over the top of the bananas. It was a nightmare, especially for someone who isn't comfortable with spiders, to say the least.

All I was thinking was that this spider as going to escape and bite my daughter. So I reached for the toilet cleaner and sprayed it.

It wouldn't die; it just kept coming!

Eventually it did and I was able to dispose of it.

Having researched spiders afterwards, I felt very guilty because I realised it probably wasn't harmful, and in hindsight I should have just ran out the apartment and thrown the bananas away; but it was 6 flights down or a wait for a lift and I just panicked.

I still regret killing the spider to this day.

Since these two incidents, I've actually become more comfortable with spiders and if I see one in the house (when back in the UK), as long as it isn't huge, I'll just let it be. The only others I get in the apartment in Thailand are the Harvestman type (see the list above), which have very tiny bodies and tend to stay in the same spot for ages.

If you are arachnophobic, don't let my story put you off. It was a rare incident, and if you buy your bananas in the supermarket you won't have a chance of running into a situation like that.

Got a Thailand spider story? Let me know below.

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  1. KenEzthex says

    Huntsman Spider, In Thailand we believe that when you see it in your house that means your house has cockroach. I once was met the huntsman spider fall down on my face when I was sleeping and it's the most horrible thing in my life and that's the beginning of the 'Arachnophobia' of mine.
    Reply

  2. Marc says

    Great article, thanks! Been here in Thailand for 6 months now, and haven’t seen a single spider, sadly. I personally don’t mind them and was happy to read that the ones you mentioned can’t really kill you!
    Reply

  3. Matt says

    Found myself here while trying to find the little species that helps me with my ant problem in Bangkok! Lived here for 10 years and have a few huntsman stories though they're all from Issan and the islands - never seen one in Bkk. First encounter was before I moved over here in 2008, enormous bugger straddling the door handle to my bungalow on Koh Tao. Black, shiny and looked like it had armour. I screamed and jumped off the small balcony to get away from it and that's even after a fair few drinks.

    Seen many, many since and the experience hasn't become any easier. I don't like to go into Issan much anymore because I see one every time I'm there.
    Reply

  4. DaveN says

    Have lived in rural NE Thailand for 15 years and during that time have seen many many Huntsmen spiders inside and outside the house. Although I feel uncomfortable mostly due their size I leave them be. But for as many I see alive I see a similar number dead. Perhaps they are victim to their own or another species?
    Reply

  5. James Fanning says

    Living in Chonburi province for the past 14 years with a large garden I enjoy tending encounter all kinds of creatures great and small. Regularly see Golden Orb Spiders which are fond of stringing their huge web between clumps of water cannas in a pond. Also see several Black Tarantula burrows when cutting the grass. Called "Bueng" in Thai , people in Issarn have a belief that the Black Tarantula can supply winning lotto numbers. You prepare ten small pieces of paper writing numbers from 0 to 9 on them, place them around the circular entrance to a "Bueng" burrow , then wait for the spider to appear , grab each piece and take it down into its hole (apparently likes to keep the entrance to its home clear and tidy). Note the first three numbers it takes down in sequence and there you have the last three digit number win of a lotto ticket !
    Reply

  6. Jeff Boyle says

    Was staying at a resor on Koh Samui as it was owned by company I worked for at the time. Entered room to a party of huntsman (3-4) in the bathroom. Like most tropical buildings there was agap between wall and roof and heavy plants right outside (and most likely a nest). The next night saw a very large spider on porch, must've been 2 hand widths wide, never saw one that big, i turned on light to get a better look and the thing jumped 8-10 meters to porch of bungalow across from me. shocked the hell out of me. Still no idea what it was, if a huntsman, largest I ever saw, but it looked nearly black and was much bulkier than a huntsman
    Reply

  7. Henry says

    When I was staying in an apartment in Phuket a few years back, my daughter almost stepped on a huntsman spider that was about 6 inch legspan! I am deathly afraid of spiders! We called the security guard who laugher at us until he saw the spider. He didn't speak English, but it seems like it was the biggest he'd ever seen.

    He killed it, which I felt bad about. But we would have had to move out if he didn't find it (I kept my eyes on it the whole time - it had run under the bed) and kill it.
    Reply

  9. Richard says

    On a one o'clock in the morning bathroom run and with a very dim night light in the bathroom, I saw a dark shadow under the rim of the toilet. I turned on the bathroom light to get a better look, under the rim was a big black spider, probably 4 to 5 inches in diameter. In my desire to not have that spider in my toilet, rather than get my phone and take a picture, I just flushed it down the toilet. Even with looking at the pictures, I am still not sure what the spider was.
    Reply

  10. David says

    I'm from Scotland and living in a rural old style thai house and I love all the exposure to nature I'm getting. It does mean I get giant spiders coming into the house (well it's a open house really). I had a beautiful Golden Orb Web Spider living here for a month at the side of the house. It doesn't bother anyone. It just sits there chilling the whole day and night.

    Now that it's winter, the big spiders appear at night, looking for warmth. I'm on your post trying to determine if they're wolf spiders or huntsman spiders. They're so damn fast. Very scared of humans too, luckily. Although one ran across my bare foot last night as I came into the main room.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Could be either, as both are very active at night. I'd bet it's huntsman though. Houses make perfect hunting ground for them, especially if your house is open, as you say. One good thing is that they will control the cockroaches.
      Reply

  11. David Jackson says

    1994 August Chiang Mai. Phase two of our honeymoon led us to The Fann Guesthouse. At 200 Baht we were not expecting much so, whilst checking in to the hotel our eyes casually glanced at the enormous huntsman just sitting there above the telephone waiting to pounce.
    No thank you - never again!
    Reply

  12. Yannick Gleichauf says

    ... ... I just found out huntsmen spiders lived in thailand. I'm here for another three weeks; I freak when I see any spider - I've had girls roll their eyes and kill them more often than I care to admit and I live in western europe where the biggest spider is about the size of a coin ...


    I don't think I'll survive this.
    Reply

      • Laurie McNab says

        While travelling around Thailand around 5/6 years ago me and my friends went to a waterfall in Koh Samui. After swimming and drying off we were waiting to get transport back to our beach bungalows. We were just standing around when I noticed this massive black spider fall out a tree and onto a mans back!! Me and my friends did the typical tourist thing of screaming while a wee Thai lady whacked it off the mans back with a stick. It was about the size of my hand! We also went tracking through the jungle (and a cave) in Khao Sok national park and in the cave the floor was covered in spiders, mostly the size of my hand. The Thai guide told us they were scorpion spiders although I have googled this since and can’t find that species. Maybe the language barrier was the issue. Anyway, my friend nearly stood right on top of one! Would still go back to Thailand! One of the best countries I’ve ever visited!!
        Reply

        • TheThailandLife says

          Oh man! Did the guy know it had landed on his back? The spiders you saw at Khao Sok were probably Huntsman, as they scuttle like crabs. So your guide may have referred to them as scorpion spiders instead.
          Reply

  13. Miska says

    Once i was sleeping in my room when I realised that I needed to go to the toilet. I open my lights and on the wall a meter away from me, an absolutely gigantic huntsman spider but to me just another spider since I live in the jungle so I encounter spiders pretty much everyday. Grabbed a book and killed it and it gave me the biggest chills because after it was dead I measured the thing and it was bigger than my hand. Afterwards I went to the toilet and went back to bed.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Oh. I'm surprised you killed it if you are used to spiders in the Jungle. I read that Huntsman usually run away instead of attack, unless a female is defending her eggs, in which case if you prod the spider it might bite.
      Reply

  15. L says

    I understand your regret over the banana spiders. A small, brown spider lives in our kitchen in Bangkok. I stumbled on this post while trying to figure out what kind he is. He lurks among the jars of spices and is usually sitting there when I go in in the morning and make breakfast. Aside from the fact that he hunts bugs, I like having Bertie there.
    Reply

  16. Ray Pearce says

    I have a spider story. I was sitting in the jungle with my camera waiting to film hooded pittas when something dropped out of a tree above me with a thump and started hopping around in front of me. It was actually a lizard called Emma Gray's forest lizard but the spider it had in its mouth was truly huge...bigger than the diameter of a coffee cup with a body as big as your thumb. The lizard after a minute or two made short work of it. Got some nice shots...still not sure what the spider was, it had orange and black furry legs.
    Reply

  17. Tim says

    I was once sitting on the entrance stairs of the Londoner Pub (now closed) on Sukhumvit rd, when my friend and I saw a huge huntsman run under a table which had some people sitting / standing around, with their shopping bags sitting on the floor under the table... This spider covered about 2 meters in under a second (at least it seemed that fast).. I shat myself, and I was 2-3 meters away, up some stairs. As any good human being should do, I let them know a big Huntsman had just found it's new home under their bags. I guy I told cynically looked at me said "you're just saying that so you can get our table..". I assured him I wasn't, but he didn't believe me!

    I really hope that guy got the shock of his life when unpacking his shopping later that evening!
    Reply

  18. Jacob says

    I lived in the north east of Thailand for 1 year and it was a pretty rural village. I was terrified of the possibility of ever seeing a huntsman and sure enough after just one month. The biggest spider id ever seen was perched in my small room. I completely froze, staring at it, it was easily as big as my hand. I called the owner to do something and he killed it (which I was hoping he wouldn’t do). I moved house a few months later and sure enough, I came out of my room to get some water, had my torch light on and right in the middle of the wall was another bloody huntsman spider. That one I killed my self but again I felt so guilty afterwards considering they’re not even dangerous. But the speed that they move genuinely terrifies me and I wouldn’t be able to sleep knowing it’s near me...
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Oh man, that's pretty scary especially if you don't like spiders. It is sad that both were killed. They probably wouldn't come near you when you slept because the slightest movement and they'd be off. But I know how you feel; I used to be the same with even the smallest spider, let alone a huntsman. Glad I don't live in Australia!
      Reply

  19. David says

    Number of years ago, rented a house about 12km outside of Udon. Mostly ex-pats around plus a prominent red shirt in our little enclave.

    Anyways, a Scotsman is hosting a party; goes to close the gate and then yells, was bitten by a spider, his hand swelled up like a young coconut :) His Thai wife's grandma goes out for a wonder, comes back with some leaves, rubs it on his hand and the swelling subsides within minutes. Local knowledge I guess. Not sure of the species that inflicted the bite.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Reminds me of being on holiday in Italy when I was a kid. My eye came up really swollen and pussy. At dinner, the waiter told my parents he and his siblings used to get that as a kid sometimes, presumably from playing on the sand, and that his mum's remedy could fix it. He whipped up some olive oil, salt and some other stuff I have no idea of and told my parents to bathe my eye in it.Like nutters they took his advice.By the next day it was back to normal!
      Reply

  21. James E says

    Forget spiders. Let's talk about LEECHES! Barely visible they sit waving their razor sharp mouth parts in the air sniffing for your approach. You get close, they lunge and sink their teeth into you. BUT their spit is both an insanely effective anesthetic AND a remarkably potent anti coagulant so that even AFTER the little beast is crushed to death beneath the strap of your flip-flop you continue to emit flood-warning-levels of sanguinity of which you are totally UNAWARE! Your only clue a scarlet squishing sound as you continue down the path.
    Reply

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