Shocked tourists fled in terror as a huge python slithered into a swimming pool in Thailand.

The holidaymakers were cooling off at the Emerald Pool in Krabi province on May 9 when they noticed the killer serpent emerging from the surrounding trees and approaching the edge of the pool.

Brave visitors tried to drive the creature away by splashing it with water, but to their horror, the snake was undeterred and plunged into the busy pool.

Video shows the screaming backpackers running in panic and clambering up the pool's rim as the python glided menacingly through the water toward them. With the serpent apparently disappearing under the surface, the tourists were forced to stay ashore in fear of being attacked.

One shocked onlooker, who recorded the video, said: 'The snake must have been hot so it took a swim in the pool. Nobody wanted to go back into the water after.'

Local wildlife handlers arrived and caught the python hiding in nearby shrubs. It was carried away unharmed to be released several miles into the surrounding forest.

The Emerald Pool is a popular tourist attraction in Krabi province known for its clear, turquoise waters. It sits in the middle of a lush forest and can be reached through a short hike through the woods.

The reticulated python is found throughout Southeast Asia, where they live in forests, swamps, canals and even in cities, causing them to come into conflict with humans. The species is one of the world's largest snakes and can eat humans, cats, dogs, birds, rats and other snakes.