A huge python that was as thick as a tree trunk was caught in a family's bathroom in Thailand.

The 15ft-long beast had slithered into the home of Ruangthong Ruenkaew, 59, while she was watching TV in Nonthaburi province on October 4.

Ruangthong went to the toilet where she saw the colossal serpent rearing up at her 'like it was telling me to go away', she said.

The terrified housewife fled back to the living room and slammed the door behind her before calling the local wildlife rescue eam for help.

The specialists arrived and used snake tongs to drag the beast out of its hiding spot. It took 20 minutes to successfully catch the python, which was later released into the wild.

Ruangthong said: 'I was shocked that such a huge snake appeared in my house. I was just thinking recently that I should cut the grass in my garden.

'It looked at me like it was telling me to go away. It wanted to have my house for itself. It was so big.'

Local authorities urged residents to tidy up their surroundings, especially during the rainy season when snakes, poisonous animals, and reptiles may enter houses.

They also said to promptly report such incidents to volunteers and officials.

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.