Houses were swept away as a swollen river flooded villages in central Thailand.

Dramatic footage shows a house on stilts being washed away by the deluge in Sukhothai province on September 27. Another clip shows a wooden house being dismantled by strong currents after it fell into the raging floodwaters.

The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency said the Yom River had burst its banks and submerged some 54,413 acres of residential and farmland in the province. It added that around 39,000 residents were affected.

Sukhothai governor Suchat Teekasuk said disaster response officers were dispatched to provide aid to flood-stricken locals.

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