Hailstorms hammered homes in northeast Thailand.

Residents were battered by pea-sized hailstones accompanied by strong gusts of wind and heavy rainfall as they were having lunch in Lom Sak District, Phetchabun, on the afternoon of March 2.

Footage shows small ice balls pelting down onto the open-air porch where the family was seated.

The hailstones can be seen falling directly into their food and scattering on the floor.

The filmer said: 'It was so sudden. We were having a good time enjoying our lunch, then it started raining small ice balls. It was painful, so we had to stand up and move the food inside.'

Hailstones form when raindrops are carried by thunderstorm updrafts into freezing areas of the atmosphere. As they rise, they freeze and grow by colliding with other raindrops that freeze onto them. This can also occur during spring and summer thunderstorms.