A pensioner was shocked when he found a massive monitor lizard lounging in his kitchen in Thailand.

Suwan Kathinhom, 84, and his wife were taking an afternoon nap when the gargantuan reptile stormed their home near a canal in Nonthaburi, on July 30.

The wife woke up to use the toilet but screamed upon seeing the beast perched on the sink next to pots of curry the couple had been saving for dinner.

Suwan grabbed a stick and cautiously tried to drive the creature away by prodding it. However, he later called his neighbours and an animal rescue team due to its monstrous size.

Footage shows personnel snaring the Godzilla-like animal as it hissed menacingly at them. They managed to catch it by the neck and bound its legs before hauling it to their pickup truck.

It took four men to carry the 180lb (80kg) beast.

Reptile catcher Kowit said: 'We were told the monitor lizard was enormous, around three metres long and 70 to 80 kilos. It took us roughly 30 minutes to capture it, and four people had to carry it because of its size.

'It damaged kitchen utensils and shattered a glass pantry. The lizard has now been transferred to the Bang Phut Fire Station. It's too large to be released back into the wild, as it could pose a danger to the public.'

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.