This is the shocking moment terrified locals attempted to catch a huge monitor lizard hiding under a car.

Kanchana Sophasit and his friends discovered the reptile resting beneath the white Toyota sedan in a parking area in Chai Nat, Thailand.

Footage shows a man cautiously poking the predator with a stick to shoo it away while keeping a safe distance.

Moments later, the lizard sauntered out and ambled into a nearby alley.

No one was harmed during the encounter.

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.