5-foot monitor lizard surprises beach visitors in Thailand

Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Astonished visitors to a Thailand beach captured video of an unexpected visitor that joined them on the sand -- a 5-foot monitor lizard.

The video shows sunbathers quickly giving the large reptile some space when it swam out of the ocean at a beach in Krabi.

He video shows a crowd of beach-goers assembling to snap photos and selfies with the monitor.

Witnesses said the lizard was calm during the encounter and eventually wandered off into the Than Bok Khorani National Park.

Park ranger Weerasuk Srisudjung said about 10 water monitor lizards known to live in the national park. He said they are sometimes spotted near tourists, but despite being venomous, no negative encounters have been reported.

"These water lizards had been here for many years. This national park is a reserved place, so nobody comes to ruin their habitats," he said. ''They like to show up on a sunny day to keep themselves cool in the water. They never hurt tourists or any officers in the national park.''