Rescue teams battled a deadly cobra hiding under a car engine in Thailand.

Siwakorn Jantapha, 21, called rescuers when he saw the venomous snake slithering into his white Toyota car while he was eating at home in Udon Thani province on May 12.

The snake wranglers arrived and tried to ferret out the reptile by knocking on the car, shining flashlights through its gaps, and spraying it with mosquito repellent. However, the cobra, remained hidden.

Finally, they took a coat hanger and probed around under the vehicle's fenders, disturbing the snake which quickly reared its head next to the right front wheel. The rescuers held it with snake tongs and a noose before capturing it and placing it inside a sack.

The reptile measured four feet in length and was caught after 30 minutes. It was released into nature, far away from the village.

Siwakorn said: 'While I was having a meal in the house, I saw a cobra entering my car so I quickly called my parents to come home before notifying the rescuers. I believe the cobra came to give me good luck.'

He added that he has decided to use his car registration plate as lucky numbers to enter in the lottery.