Large Monitor lizards can be seen in many places around Bangkok. They can be seen mostly around water bodies including rivers, streams and ponds. There are many ponds and streams in the city parks of Bangkok where many of these huge lizards can be seen. The Thais have many names for these big creatures including "Toa Ng Toa Tong" (meaning silver and gold for its color), "Takuad", "Walanuch" and "Hea". Hea is also used by Thais as a derogatory word for someone or something you do not like much. This is probably due to this lizards attraction to eating dead things, making it smell badly when they are near. Further emphasizing the fact that Thai people do not like bad smells. 

The monitor lizards do climb trees as seen in this photo.  This lizard was happily resting in a tree in a rainy day,