More than 2,000 live snakes worth an estimated 600,000 baht by officials have been seized at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Benja Louichareon, director-general of the Customs Department, held a press briefing on Thursday to reveal the confiscation of the snakes.
Mrs Benja said on Tuesday authorities received a tip-off that a wildlife smuggling gang had smuggled a large quantity of the protected animals from Thailand to Hong Kong.
The Customs Department and Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation then contacted Hong Kong customs officials to transport the animals back to Thai authorities. The snakes, which were kept in 203 boxes and were exported by a company identified as AK International Co, arrived on a Hong Kong Airlines flight on Thursday.
The company made a false declaration to customs officials, claiming the boxes contained fruit, Mrs Benja said.
Authorities found each box contained a bag carrying 10 snakes of different species. It was believed the creatures were destined to China where eating snake is thought to increase sexual performance.
An investigation is underway to find the people behind it.
Photos by Surapol Promsaka Na Sakolnakorn