A pensioner was seriously injured after being mauled by four crazed pit bulls in Thailand.

Thongpoon Sassanasupin, 76, was visiting relatives when the savage beasts pounced on her in Nakhon Phanom province on January 17.

CCTV security footage shows the moment the bloodthirsty hounds charged through a resident's open gate and knocked the hapless woman down before tearing into her.

Hearing Thongpoon's cries, neighbour Yuthaya Penglun, 54, grabbed a piece of wood and swung it at the pit bulls to drive them away.

Thongpoon was rushed to the hospital with deep wounds, with the worst of the cuts near her right ear. She managed to shield her face with a rice steamer she had been carrying, but still needed to get 20 stitches.

Yuthaya said: 'The dogs' owners probably forgot to close the gate properly after washing their car. The pit bulls were also not leashed or caged.'

Thongpoon's family has filed a complaint with the police and demanded compensation from the owner, who agreed to shoulder the expenses. No further action was taken against the owner.

Residents said the pit bulls were repeat offenders, with this latest attack being the fourth since they arrived in the neighbourhood.

Thongpoon's son Chalermpol Sassanasupin said he has not yet talked with the owner as he is still waiting for his mum to be discharged from the hospital.

Frightened locals are now calling for the pit bulls to be relocated or destroyed.

Yuthaya added: 'It's not safe having them in the neighbourhood. They will attack someone again.'

On October 23, a man was mauled to death by his family's pit bulls in Nakhon Ratchasima province.

A woman had also been severely wounded by her own pet pit bull in the same province last September while she had been feeding a stray dog.

In yet another incident, a pack of the ferocious beasts escaped from their house and pounced on their neighbour in Samut Songkhram last November.