This is the heart-stopping moment a homemade rocket made from TNT and PVC pipes narrowly missed a plane in Thailand.

The projectile was launched by villagers in Roi Et province during the country's annual 'Rocket Festival' to mark the rainy season in the country on May 16.

Spectators were horrified when the rocket shot through the air and arced across the sky - only to approach an oncoming aircraft destined for Bangkok. Luckily, the rocket missed and no damage was caused.

Worried travellers aboard the Boeing 737 operated by low-cost carrier Nok Air said they watched anxiously as the rocket flew through the air leaving a trail of smoke at around 3 pm local time. They estimated the plane was at around 20,000ft.

A passenger aboard flight DD325, who recorded the rocket from his plane window in a separate video, said the device could have had devastating consequences if it had struck the fuselage or the engines.

He said: 'I suddenly felt quite unsafe. I was worried another rocket could be launched and hit the plane. This one was much too close.'

The homemade rocket made out of PVC pipes and TNT had been launched from Roi Et province as part of an annual festival marking Buddhist Lent and the coming rainy season.

However, the explosive soared thousands of feet into the sky, high above the cloud cover, leaving behind a thin trail of smoke.

Thai aviation officials had previously raised concerns about the rockets disrupting flights during the festival. They have urged organisers to inform them of launch schedules ahead of time so pilots and flight planners can be warned early.

President Sarinee Sangprasit of the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (Aerothai) said they have lobbied officials for stricter measures to limit the height of rockets, which can reach as high as 20,000ft.

Thailand's Rocket Festival, also known as Bun Bang Fai, is held annually to honour Phaya Thaen, the Buddhist deity of rainmaking, as farmers and villagers pray for rain for a bountiful harvest.

The festival has also been the inspiration for the trending Netflix hit 'The Rocket Angels'.

Locals believe the rockets will reach the clouds and help to stimulate impending monsoon downpours, which last until October or November.

Authorities also hope to pass down the decades-long tradition by organising spectacular shows that will fire the imaginations of younger residents.