This is the incredible moment a fearless snake catcher wades through an underground pipe to catch a huge king cobra. <br /><br />Terrified neighbours noticed the 13ft long reptile in the drainage ditch next to the housing estate in Krabi, southern Thailand, last Sunday (October 13) morning.<br /><br />But when the local rescue team arrived, the elusive serpent had disappeared back inside its hiding place. <br /><br />The brave snake catcher ventured into the dark pipe and waded through the ankle-deep muddy water - risking being bitten in a surprise attack by the highly venomous snake which can kill with a single strike.<br /><br />The team spent more than an hour searching for the chunky snake before it appeared - then made a get-away for a second time.<br /><br />He eventually managed to 'charm' the king cobra and gently usher it out into the open before grabbing it and lifting it out of the water onto dry ground. <br /><br />Speaking today, the snake catcher said the cobra weighed around 15kg and was one of biggest the team from the Krabi Pitak Pracha foundation had caught this year.<br /><br />Panya said: ''This was quite a difficult mission because of the small space and the water. I couldn't see where the cobra was but I just had to trust my instincts to find it. <br /><br />''It's true that if the snake had been more aggressive, there would be nowhere for me to run to in such a small space. <br /><br />''However, I was confident in my experience and knew that I would catch the snake successfully in the end.''<br /><br />Residents cheered when the snake emerged. It was put into a sack and driven away to be released into the jungle far away from homes.
