Boy and snake are besssst of friends

KANDAL PROVINCE Sambath Uon, 7, plays with Chamreun (which means “lucky” in the Khmer language), a 4.8metre (16ft), 120kg (19st) female python, in his village of Sit Tbow in Cambodia.

Chamreun first arrived at Sambath’s home when the boy was 3 months old, and refused to leave despite the boy’s father carrying it back to the forest three times. Since then Sambath and Chamreun have been inseparable and even sleep together. Villagers believe that the snake has healing powers because of its human-like qualities. “I love the python like my sister,” Sambath said.