A whopping 15ft long king cobra was captured after taking refuge behind a washing machine.

The beast had slithered into the house when owner Chainarong Manakaew, 38, noticed his dog barking 'abnormally', prompting him to check outside in Phatthalung, Thailand, on March 4.

As he looked for the cause of the racket, he saw the huge serpent slithering across his yard near a rambutan tree with its head reared and poised to strike.

He frantically called a rescue team for help. The wildlife handlers later arrived and tracked down the cobra coiled up behind Chainarong's washing machine.

They prodded at the creature using snake poles to drive it from its hiding spot, before looping a noose around its neck. They then carried it to the lawn and took its measurements.

The king cobra weighed a hefty seven kilograms and was 15 feet long. It was captured and released far away from the residential area.

The king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake and is endemic to Asia. It has a wide distribution across South and Southeast Asia.

King cobras are generally not aggressive, and will usually avoid humans. However, it will fiercely defend its from potential intruders.