A cobra was caught after slithering into a supermarket sparking panic among the customers and staff.

The 5ft long snake terrified everyone when it was seen in the shopping centre in Roi Et province, Thailand on Wednesday afternoon (August 19).

One of the workers, Panupong, said he had no idea how the serpent entered the lot but heard the wild animal hissing through the cupboard space.

Panupong added: "At first, I heard strange sounds coming from one of the cupboards so I tried to look for it. I then found there was a snake hissing at me. All of us were running away and called rescuers for help."

Reptile handlers arrived with equipment to catch the monocled cobra, which had become aggressive due to the stress of the situation.

The rescuers found that its tail was caught in a mouse trap that is why it was hissing fiercely when the people saw it.

They were able to pull it out from the cupboard under the cashier counter after 20 minutes before they put it into a sack.

Nobody one was harmed by the wild animal and volunteers later released it back into the deep woods.

Corbas, one of the world's deadliest snakes, are responsible for thousands of deaths each year across Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent when they come into contact with humans. A single bite can kill people within a few hours.