This is the shocking moment a fierce cobra spat venom at resident trying to catch it in Thailand.

The aggressive 4ft-long reptile slithered into a coffee shop but was spotted by two guard dogs who alerted the owner in Saraburi province on June 3.

It tried to hide behind the shelves, the shop owner called her relative to help her catch the snake before it disappeared inside their storage room.

Wirat Tupong, 60, tried to pin the serpent down with a stick but the creature suddenly spat venom which landed onto the old man’s right eye.

Animal rescuers were called to the scene while Wirat was taken by a ambulance to the hospital to have his eye treated.

Wirat said: ‘Doctors cleaned my eyes with water before being injected with medicines. I was discharged afterwards but I will have to monitor my health for a week.

‘I would like to warn people that they should avoid catching snakes on their own if they are not professionals. It was dangerous.’

The rescue team used a pool with a noose to secure the snake’s head and was captured after almost an hour. The volunteers took the animal with them to release into the wild.

The shop owner Somboon Phanthaso, 53, thanked the rescuers. He said: ‘I asked my brother-in-law for help in catching the snake. I was relieved he was fine and not blinded by the venom.’