This is the terrifying moment a massive king cobra was caught in a family's toilet in Thailand.

The homeowner was about to take a shower when he saw the deadly 11ft reptile coiled in his bathtub in Nakhon Ratchasima province on February 4.

He ran outside and closed the door behind him before calling the local animal control officers to remove the venomous snake.

Footage shows snake wranglers squaring up against the beast that was nestled in a gap next to the bathtub. They prodded it out of its nook using snake tongs before grabbing its head barehanded.

Terrified villagers watched as the team dragged the king cobra outside to take its measurements. They sealed it inside a sack to be released away from the neighbourhood.

A rescue officer said the cobra may have been seeking shelter from the cold spell in the country. He said: 'We urge the residents to keep their homes tidy and to be cautious of reptiles, including snakes and other poisonous animals, which may hide in their houses to escape from the cold.'

Researchers found that 7,000 people are treated for snake bites each year in Thailand. Suchai Suteparuk from the Division of Toxicology at Chulalongkorn University reported that 30 of those die, with cobras being the biggest killer.