This is the scary moment a snake popped up on a driver's car windscreen.

Footage shows the confused serpent trying to find a way through the glass in Surin province, Thailand on June 29. The girls could be heard screaming in the background during the snake encounter.

The snake slithered towards the back of the car so driver Mai Krongkratok, 41, headed to the local rescue office to ask for help.

After an hour, the rescuers found the snake, which turned out to be a harmless rat snake and released it into the wild.

Mai said: ‘We were so scared. The snake looked like it wanted to enter the car. We closed all the windows and went to the rescuers so they could help us.'

No one was hurt in the incident and the people in the car proceeded on their way while the rescuers released the creature to its habitat.

Rat snakes are relatively harmless to humans but they are notoriously fierce. They prey on small rodents such as rats and mice as well as frogs and lizards.