A massive king cobra looking for a mate was caught hiding under a resident's dining table.

The 13ft-long serpent reportedly slithered from a nearby farm and sheltered at the property for the breeding season in Trang province, Thailand on March 25.

But the creature sparked panic and had to be evacuated after being discovered in the kitchen.

Footage shows the king cobra hissing in attack mode as it poked out from under the table. It kept retreating to hide as the rescuers tried to secure it.

Shocked resident Boonyong Eadpitak said: ‘I saw the snake when I arrived home from work and was about to eat. We live near a rubber tree plantation where it might have come from.'

Three rescue officers responded to the property and caught the creature using a pole with a hook. They removed most clutters first as the snake kept hiding behind them.

Animal rescue worker Go Ae said: ‘It took us 30 minutes to catch the snake. It is a male and it might be looking for a mate.'

The king cobra was released back into nature away from the village.

Researchers found that 7,000 people are treated for snake bites each year in Thailand. Suchai Suteparuk from the Division of Toxicology at Chulalongkorn University reported that 30 of those die, with cobras being the biggest killer.