This is the terrifying moment a giant Buddha statue that was being built for good luck collapsed and killed a monk in Thailand.

Footage shows the 29ft (9m) structure toppling over amid strong winds at the Kaeng Khan Sung Monastery in Amnat Charoen province on November 29. A monk ran away with seconds to spare as the 'Walking Buddha' sculpture crashed down in front of him.

Authorities said one monk, Phra Patiphan Udomlap, 37, was killed while five others were wounded and taken to the Amnat Charoen Hospital. They were named by officers as Phra Paiwan Wantaphong, 33, Kanthee Khamkerd, 33, Sathaporn Dangtawin, 18, Nattawut Udomlap, 16, and Witsarut Karnbanjong, 15.

Temple abbott Phra Khru Wirachet Chinwangso said the construction was overseen by a monk from another temple. He claimed the statue moulds had been removed just one night after concrete casting.

He said: 'The monk in charge said the concrete had already dried and was stable. I objected but he insisted it was already safe. I couldn't argue with him because I don't have knowledge about construction.'

He added that the construction may have been rushed as the moulds were urgently needed by another temple.

Police Colonel Chotinarin Supawarat, superintendent of the Chanuman District Police Station, said: ‘The monks who worked on the statue have experience building statues of similar size. No one has been charged because we need to look into the cause of the incident first. We will continue the investigation and consult with public works and forensics officers to inspect the site.'

Ananchai Chaiyadate, a prominent lawyer and president of the Dhamma Lawyer Army Foundation, urged government officials to enforce stricter regulations for temple construction projects. He said many temples in the northeastern Isaan region fail to secure permits or hire qualified professionals.

In September, a Buddha statue was decapitated during a storm, sparking apocalypse fears among locals in Chiang Mai province. The head of the 200ft reclining Buddha statue broke off amid heavy rain at the Wat Phra That Doi Saket temple on September 13.

Authorities cordoned off the area and initially tried to hide the broken statue by covering it with canvas, fearing villagers would see it as an ill portent.

Monks said they held a ceremony to enshrine a Buddha heart into the statue on September 12 but its head fell early morning the very next day.