A king cobra was caught hiding under a driver's motorcycle seat in Thailand.

The deadly reptile slithered under the leather seat to take shelter from the scorching heat in Kamphaeng Phet on April 18.

Motorcycle rider Naree Kareuan, 32, was placing her helmet in the compartment but was shocked to find the venomous creature staring at her with its hood flared.

The terrified woman quickly slammed the compartment shut and called snake catchers for help.

Footage shows volunteers lifting the motorcycle seat with a broom. They prodded the compartment until they found the snake coiled under Naree's helmet.

The rescue team said it took two hours to catch the snake as it fled into the engine compartment and chain guard.

Naree said: 'It was the first time I have ever experienced something like this. I didn't even notice the cobra when I was about to put the helmet inside. I touched it first before I was able to see it.

'The cobra immediately tried to bite me but I managed to yank my hand away just in time. I could have died if I hadn't reacted in time.'

Officers said the snake was later released into the wilderness.

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.