A cheeky wild monitor lizard pushed open an unlocked door and scampered through a home.

The giant reptile emerged from the depths of a nearby canal before being drawn to the smell of food inside the home in Chonburi, eastern Thailand, on August 7.

A pet dog barked at the 5ft long beast before the concerned owner heard the noise and called the emergency services for help. The creature was eventually driven out of the property and ushed towards nearby undergrowth.

Asian water monitor lizards normally live in canals, swamps, sewers and ponds in cities in Thailand. They feed on fish, snakes, frogs and scraps of food left by humans.

The reptiles are aggressive when threatened and have a mildly venomous bite which sometimes carries harmful bacteria. The Godzilla-like reptiles are also a protected species in the country so their population thrives.