This is the moment a hapless street vendor was divebombed by a swarm of angry bees in Thailand.

The grilled pork skewer seller, 42, was hawking food at his usual spot along the sidewalk in Chiang Mai province on April 24 when the cloud of hostile insects descended on him.

CCTV footage shows the man running across the pavement while trying in vain to bat away the bees with a cloth. He stumbled in front of a restaurant, flailing on the floor before store owner Wanachporn Boontawee, 27, finally noticed him.

She then threw a white tablecloth towards him to use as cover and later opened the doors of her store to shelter the vendor.

Wanachporn said: 'I was just opening my shop at the time when I heard the vendor screaming from outside. He was running back and forth in front of my shop while brushing away something from his arms and legs. When he fell in front of the store, I finally realised he was being attacked by bees.

'I threw a tablecloth for him to use, and when the bees left, I opened the doors and gave him first aid before calling the rescuers for help. I was shocked to see a grown man fighting so helplessly against the small bees.'

The stung vendor, who declined to be identified, has since returned to his shop despite still being sore from his wounds. He said he has been selling at his stall some 150 feet away from Wanachporn's restaurant for around six months and had never been attacked by bees until the incident.

He said: 'At first, there were only two bees stinging me. Before I realised it, an entire swarm was suddenly chasing me. My wife was also stung by two bees.

'I didn't know there was a hive nearby. I was lucky that I'm not allergic, otherwise, I could have died since so many had stung me. I had at least 10 wounds on my head.'

Wanachporn has reported the bee attack to Suthep Subdistrict Municipality officials, who scoured the area to find the bee nest.

They located the 15-inch hive in a dorm some 600 feet away from the restaurant and have relocated it away from the community.

As the insects pose a danger to children and allergic individuals, authorities also searched public areas, including the local temple, to remove any other remaining hives.

Giant honey bees typically inhabit forests, but during the hot season, they may seek refuge in trees or houses to avoid drought and forest fires. They usually return to their natural habitats after the hot season has passed.