A giant waterspout tornado tore across the evening horizon as tourists camped on a beach.

Footage shows the long thread-like weather phenomenon stretching from the dark sky into the ocean below in Phuket, Thailand.

The swirling twister appeared faint but churned the sea below while beachgoers tried to relax after a day of swimming.

The group remained near the shore, watching the tornado stir up mist and waves in the water.

Visitor Rock Kovanich said: 'The storm god played in the water. It was gone as fast as it formed.'

Two types of tornadoes form at sea - tornadic waterspouts and fair-weather waterspouts. Tornadic waterspouts form from thunderstorms, just like land tornadoes, while fair-weather waterspouts are typically smaller and less powerful without the need for storms.

Both types of waterspout tornadoes are created when there is a strong difference in air pressure between the surface of the water and the air above it. This difference in pressure creates an updraft, which draws air from the surface of the water into the atmosphere. As the air rises, it cools and condenses, forming a cloud. The cloud can then rotate, forming a waterspout.

It is rare for waterspouts to cause severe damage. However, in August 2023 two tourists were killed and six injured when a waterspout tornado hit their boat on an estuary river in Phetchaburi, southern Thailand.