Boy, 13, critically injured from cobra bite during his afternoon nap

A teenage Thai boy was critically injured by a venomous cobra that entered his bedroom while he had an afternoon nap.

Tan, 13, was sleeping on a mattress on the floor when the serpent sank its fangs into his foot at the family home in Maha Sarakham, Thailand, on September 28.

The youngster woke up from the pain and found the deadly reptile - which carries some o the world's deadliest venom - slithering on the floor. He ran outside and locked it inside the room.

The tearful teenager was rushed to the Kosumphisai Hospital and was later transferred to the ICU of the Maha Sarakham Hospital. He was said to have been in extreme pain as his left foot ballooned from the cobra venom.

Tan's aunt Mayura Jantakoon, 44, said she was outside the house when the boy's grandmother, 90, told her he had been bitten by the snake.

She told her husband to take Tan to the hospital before calling snake catchers for help.

Footage shows the wranglers pinning down the aggressive cobra that had been hiding under Tan's mosquito tent. They quickly caught it with snake poles and bagged it.

Mayura said: 'Everyone was shocked that it was such a large cobra. The cobra raised its neck and spread its hood, ready to strike at any time. At times, the snake saw its own reflection on the tile and struck it. It didn't take long for the officers to catch the snake.'

Tan's mother, Korakot Thueanmoonla, 46, said she often left the bedroom door open for ventilation as she would turn off the family's airconditioner every morning. She had been letting her cows graze when she was informed about the cobra attack.

She said: 'I don't know where the cobra came from since there aren't many trees or grassy areas near our home. It may have entered through the back door.

'I was shocked when I heard about what happened. My son is in the ICU to be observed for 48 hours. He was given antibiotics and saline, but no antivenom because the doctor was worried about side effects.'

Korakot said Tan was recovering. She planned to take him to a Buddhist temple to offer thanksgiving prayers.

Cobras are one of the world's deadliest snakes - with enough venom in a single bite to kill an adult in under an hour.

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.

Despite the larger cobras being more intimidating, younger beasts are actually more dangerous as they have not yet learned how to regulate the amount of toxins released when they bite - often resulting in more fatal liquid being injected than is needed.