A pensioner was shocked after he heard a hissing sound and found a king cobra hiding behind his washing machine.

Sakorn Sayan, 60, was taking a bath when he heard the noise - which he thought was a a water leak - from behind the device in Trang, southern Thailand last Sunday (December 29) afternoon.

He stared at the washing machine In the corner of his bathroom and saw the snake's tail poking out from under it.

The terrified old man said he grabbed a towel and ran out of the house before calling for help.

Rescue volunteers arrived at the single-store house in a rural area where they spent 15 minutes catching the 4ft long cobra.

The pensioner said he recognised the cobra, one of the world's most venomous reptiles, from its distinctive coloured scales.

He said: "I was taking a bath after coming back from outside when I heard the hiss.

"I looked at my washing machine and saw a snake's tail but I was quite sure that it was a cobra so I ran out as quickly as I could then called the rescue team."

Snake handler Wutthichai Pornpermpoonsuk warned locals to prepare for more snakes slithering into their homes to find shade and water during the hot, dry weather.

He said: "When the forest is arid the snakes will usually look for a place where it is damp, so bathrooms become a target for them.''

The snake was taken to the rescue team's office for examinations and will be released back to the wild.

A pensioner was shocked after he heard a hissing sound and found a king cobra hiding behind his washing machine.

Sakorn Sayan, 60, was taking a bath when he heard the noise - which he thought was a a water leak - from behind the device in Trang, southern Thailand last Sunday (29/12) afternoon.

He stared at the washing machine In the corner of his bathroom and saw the snake's tail poking out from under it.

The terrified old man said he grabbed a towel and ran out of the house before calling for help.

Rescue volunteers arrived at the single-store house in a rural area where they spent 15 minutes catching the 4ft long cobra.

The pensioner said he recognised the cobra, one of the world's most venomous reptiles, from its distinctive coloured scales.

He said: "I was taking a bath after coming back from outside when I heard the hiss.

"I looked at my washing machine and saw a snake's tail but I was quite sure that it was a cobra so I ran out as quickly as I could then called the rescue team."

Snake handler Wutthichai Pornpermpoonsuk warned locals to prepare for more snakes slithering into their homes to find shade and water during the hot, dry weather.

He said: "When the forest is arid the snakes will usually look for a place where it is damp, so bathrooms become a target for them.''

The snake was taken to the rescue team's office for examinations and will be released back to the wild.