This cheeky monitor lizard caused panic when it raided a family's kitchen in search of a snack.

The 4ft long reptile ran inside the home in Hat Yai, southern Thailand, on May 17. It scampered straight the kitchen - rummaging around for remnants before hiding behind a gas cannister.

Resident Pratip Tangphodharm, 54, said it was only him and daughter, Ja, in the house at the time.

He locked the kitchen door and called rescuers who tied up the lizard's legs and dragged it into the street,

Pratip said: ''We were cleaning the house as the time and the lizard came inside. It scared us and it climbed onto a chair.

I think the lizard was looking for food because it ran into the kitchen.

''There were just two of us here so we couldn't catch it. I shut him in the room and called the rescue service.''