This is the moment an apprentice mechanic learned a painful lesson about car repairs - as an over-inflated tire exploded in his face.

CCTV footage shows the young worker Supachai Chutiyaranon, 19, pumping the wheel full of air in Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeast Thailand on October 31.

Suddenly, the tire burst, with the blast of pressurised air knocking him to the ground while an onlooker ran to help him.

Local media reported that Supachai filled the tire with too much air and was not using a pressure gauge, which led to the accident.

Supachai said: 'I was inflating the tow truck's tire at the time when it exploded and flew right at me. Luckily, I was able to stay calm.'

The garage owner took him to a clinic for a checkup. He did not not suffer any serious injuries.