A curved landspout tornado sparked panic when it touched down near a village in northeast Thailand.

Footage shows the terrifying funnel snaking towards the ground in an s shape as concerned residents watched in Buriram province on June 30.

Lightning flashed from the dark storm clouds followed by rolling thunder.

According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, landspout tornadoes are a type of tornado that form from the ground up, unlike supercell tornadoes that form within thunderstorms and are general stronger.

The NSSL said: 'A landspout is a tornado with a narrow, rope-like condensation funnel that forms while the thunderstorm cloud is still growing and there is no rotating updraft - the spinning motion originates near the ground.'

Thailand and neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia are approaching their annual monsoon rainy season which sees soaring temperatures followed by powerful rain storms in the afternoon leading to widespread flash floods.