A gang of armed robbers chose the wrong gold shop to raid - when the owner retaliated with a pump-action shotgun.

CCTV footage captured the movie-like confrontation that happened at the Yaowarat gold shop in front of a school in Tak province, western Thailand, on Thursday afternoon.

Four masked men arrived on two motorcycles and broke into the establishment by firing at its glass walls as frightened onlookers raised their hands and crouched down in terror.

Two of the suspected burglars then whipped out power saws from their backpacks and began cutting through the metal bars while the others stood guard.

Seconds later, the fearless shop owner Phisit Raphitphan, 46, arrived wielding what appeared to be a shotgun and peppered the alleged thieves with several gunshots.

The barrage sent them fleeing for their motorcycles, with Phisit gravely injuring one assailant. He also wounded another who tried to escape on foot but was quickly caught by police.

Cops and emergency responders found one of the suspects dead at the scene, lying in a pool of his blood. They are currently tracking down the remaining two men.

Phisit said: 'The four men came on two motorcycles with no license plates. They were all wearing face masks and caps and destroyed the shop's glass door.

'I told my wife to hurry inside and then I began shooting at them in self-defence.'

Officers said Thursday's robbery attempt was the second case in the province's Mueang district. The suspects in the previous case, which happened last May, have not yet been caught.

Major General Bundit Tungkaserani, Deputy Commissioner of Police in the region, travelled to the crime scene on Thursday afternoon.

He said: 'Two of the suspects escaped on a motorcycle and we are tracking them. Border security agencies have been instructured to watch out for illegal escape across the border to neighboring countries, particularly along the western border of Tak Province into Myanmar.

'One of the robbers remains in a coma and another was killed at the scene, so we cannot interrogate them.'