This is the dramatic moment a car crashed into a restaurant injuring the chef in Thailand.

Female driver Noolam Nawongsri had allegedly been day drinking before hopping into her Honda sedan and trying to drive out of a street in Loei province on May 30.

However, the car veered into a restaurant, destroying a concrete pillar and pushing food vendor Somphas Thammawong, 57, into a wall.

Footage shows villagers demolishing the wall to rescue Somphas, who was still pinned under the vehicle. They rushed her to the Loei Hospital where she was treated for fractured ribs.

Police Captain Tatsawat Charo of the Mueang Loei Police Station said the crash was reported at 5:19 pm.

He said: 'We have gathered evidence at the scene and interrogated the driver to prepare charges against her.'

Restaurant owner Sarit Prompeng, 50, said she was washing dishes inside the restaurant while Somphas was grilling meatballs next to the street when the incident occurred.

She said: 'Suddenly, a sedan crashed into the restaurant and ploughed through a concrete pillar in the middle. It hit Somphas and she was dragged and smashed against the wall.

'The neighbours tried to push the car off her, but they couldn't, so they had to use a hammer to break the wall and carry her outside. She was seriously injured.

'As for me, I had a bruise on my calf and an injury on my toe. I believe the driver had been drinking. I saw her drinking all day.'

Somphas's husband Sakhon Thammawong, 63, said she was kept at the hospital for treatment.

He said: 'The driver has neither offered assistance nor communicated with us following the incident. I intend to pursue legal action against her to the fullest extent possible. I want her to take responsibility for the damage she caused.'

Despite being one of the wealthiest countries in Asia, Thailand suffers from chronic underinvestment in its highways and education, contributing to its poor road safety levels. Only a handful of African countries are worse.

Thailand has one of the world's worst road safety records. Ministers have set the goal of reducing fatalities from 32.7 deaths per 100,000 people to 12 per 100,000 people by the year 2027.