A wild monitor lizard scurried into a grocery shop while the storekeeper was busy scrolling on her phone in Thailand.

CCTV footage shows the 5ft-long reptile scampering through the entrance and hiding behind one of the shelves in Samut Sakhon province on March 28.

The terrified employee stood on her chair while calling for help.

A concerned local and an animal rescuer later arrived and dragged the lizard out of the shop before being released to its habitat.

Asian water monitor lizards normally live in canals, swamps, sewers and ponds in cities in Thailand. They feed on fish, snakes, frogs and scraps of food left by humans.

The reptiles are aggressive when threatened and have a mildly venomous bite which sometimes carries harmful bacteria. The Godzilla-like reptiles are also a protected species in the country so their population thrives.