This is the dramatic moment a powerful dust devil tornado destroyed market stalls on a hot day in northern Thailand.

Footage shows the 50ft high twister ripping through tents and parked cars in Nong Bua Lam Phu province on January 17.

The weather phenomenon then moved across the land while it carried clouds of dirt and paper trash.

Terrified vendors ran for cover amid fears they would be injured. The tornado dissipated after a minute but left a trail of destruction behind, including several damaged stalls and food blown across the ground.

Onlooker Nattawut Inthachai said: ‘One of the umbrellas was destroyed. It happened when everyone was setting up their stalls so it caused the maximum amount of damage.'

Dust devil tornadoes are types of whirlwinds that form when the sun heats a patch of land, and the air above becomes warmer and rises quickly.

Cooler air then moves into the low-pressure gap left by the rising warm air. The new drafts of cooler air also heat up and rise and the cycle continues, picking up dust and debris and making the spiral visible.

They are not as dangerous as supercell tornadoes, which can cause severe damage.