This is the dramatic moment a wild monitor lizard stuck under a pickup truck was rescued in Thailand.

The chubby lizard wandered into a flea market on a grass field but it was later found stuck under a vehicle in Kanchanaburi province, Thailand on July 1.

Vendors noticed the creature struggling to crawl out from under the truck so they called the emergency animal rescue team for help.

Footage shows at least five rescue volunteers searching for the reptile and pulling it out of the tight space.

Rescuer Bank Pariwat said: 'It was one of the most challenging rescue missions we have done. We had to be very careful or the lizard could escape after we have pulled it out. It would then take hours searching for it in the vast market. We were relieved it was fine and saved.'

The lizard's limbs were tied before it was carried to a nearby pond where it was released unhurt.

Monitor lizards are a common sight across Thailand including in the capital city Bangkok where they lived on canals and rivers. These reptiles are a protected species in the country so their population thrived. They were usually shy among humans but have fangs that could pierce through the skin and cause injuries.