This is the shocking moment schoolchildren were seen swinging from a level-crossing barrier as a trained thundered past them.

The youngsters in their green and blue school uniforms were playing on the railway lines at Soi Ekkamai 23 in Bangkok, Thailand on January 18.

Warning lights appeared and the metal pole was lowered. However, the kids saw this as an opportunity for fun and began holding onto the bar.

They carried on hanging from the barrier as a locomotive carrying passengers roared by on its way to the northeast of the country shortly before 6 pm local time.

CCTV captured the incident followed by an elderly man shouting at the children and taking a picture 'to show your teachers'.

Locals called for the railway operators to prevent children from playing on the level crossing barriers. However, officials said that teachers or parents should teach their children not to play on the crossings.