This is the terrifying moment a crazed Italian man threatened to set alight a driver's van in Thailand.

CCTV footage shows the foreigner, identified only as 'Sam', brandishing a machete as he screamed at a shocked Thai man resting in the back of a van in Chonburi province on May 29.

The furious expat then took out a bottle of fuel and doused the van floor before raising a lighter, threatening to ignite the puddle of flammable liquid.

Onlookers rushed over to stop the rampaging Italian, who later drove away on his motorcycle.

The Thai man's wife, Sudarat, said the man was their acquaintance of five years, who had previously borrowed car parts from them.

When their van broke down on May 28, the couple asked for the parts back, but had a row with Sam which escalated into a physical altercation.

Sudarat said: 'My husband went to ask for the parts from the man, and they argued. The foreigner physically assaulted him so we filed a police report, which made the foreigner unhappy. He came back the next day to threaten us as seen in the clip.

'I only know his nickname, Sam, and he is Italian. The police are currently in the process of issuing a summons for the perpetrator to come and give a statement.'

Saen Suk Police said they were investigating the case.