This is the terrifying moment a gunman fired a shot and robbed a gold shop in Thailand.

The intruder had a black balaclava covering his face when he stormed into the store at the Central Plaza shopping mall in Khon Kaen on Saturday evening.

He fired one shot in the air sparking panic as the staff and customers screamed while diving for cover.

CCTV shows how the man then leapt over the glass counter and grabbed several gold chains before fleeing. The haul was worth an estimated 300,000 Thai baht, or 6,800 GBP.

Police are now studying cameras from the building to try and trace the armed robber.

Police Colonel Preecha Kengsarikij said: ‘The robbery happened at approximately 7:20pm. It caused panic and fear inside the shopping mall.

‘Police immediately arrived at the scene and began searching for the robber. We are checking every CCTV camera in the area to trace where he came from and where he went to.’

The police chief said more than 50 officers were involved in the hunt for the robber. He said that shop staff were traumatised by the robbery but nobody was injured.

Police Colonel Preecha added: ‘We have interviewed witnesses and one person said they saw a man running away next to a railway line. We are checking the whole area to find him.’