A terrifying giant king cobra shocked drivers when it appeared on the roadside in northern Thailand.

The wild snake was first spotted by a female motorist as it slithered across the road in front of her vehicle, prompting her to brake suddenly in Amphoe Pong, Phayao province.

Footage shows the massive reptile with its hood fully spread before it moved along the concrete path in the rural area on Wednesday, June 4.

The horrified driver said she nearly lost control of her car upon seeing the deadly serpent.

She added: 'The snake is so big! I've never seen such a big one before. I think if I hadn't braked in time, I would have crashed for sure. I don't know what would have happened next.'

The 9.8ft (3m) venomous snake eventually returned to the bushes, with the concerned driver urging locals to remain alert.

She said: 'This snake could come back, and we need to be cautious. I don't want anyone else to be caught off guard.'

Authorities noted that while king cobras are native to Thailand, they are more commonly found in the country's southern regions, making sightings in Phayao province extremely rare.

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.