A loose cement carrier hit a bridge pier while drifting along a fast-flowing river in Thailand.

The vessel broke loose from a construction site near the Bang Pakong River, and floated toward the Chachoengsao Chaloem Phrakiat 72 Phansa Bridge in Chachoengsao province on November 15 morning.

Onlookers from a nearby restaurant hopped onto a boat to try securing the carrier, but failed as it was too heavy. They called the Marine Department and local police for assistance when the barge slammed into the bridge pier and made its way toward a residential area with more than 50 riverside homes.

Tosapon Nakphasi, 36, a boat repairman at the restaurant, said he used the boat to push the carrier toward a forested area while waiting for authorities.

He said: 'I saw that if I let the carrier flow with the current, it could crash into people's homes in that area. Villagers might be hurt from the force of the impact because the foundations of their homes could collapse, so we decided to use the boat to try to push the vessel against the currents.'

Marine officials later arrived to stabilise and tow the barge back to the construction site.