A thunderstorm battered the outskirts of Bangkok as Thailand enters its monsoon season.

CCTV footage shows powerful gusts blowing away rubbish bins and potted plants in Samut Prakan, on May 10.

The roaring winds and torrential rain pummelled homes, shops, and a polling centre, triggering a power outage as zinc roof sheets flew onto electric cables.

A local, Nong, 56, said: 'The whirlwind came quickly. It was so strong it blew the roof off my house. It lasted for two minutes before calming down.'

Another resident, Suthida Sanghirun, 23, added: 'I had just finished taking a shower and was about to go into my room when the storm started rattling the house.

'The ceiling began to collapse so I decided to run out of the house. Once the storm passed, I went back inside and found the ceiling and roof had completely caved in. Some of my belongings were destroyed as well.'

Village council chief Sitpakorn Julkaew said at least 20 houses were damaged, most of them located in the Sap Rung Ruang City housing estate.

He said: 'From the initial survey, we found that at least 20 houses were damaged, and more than 10 were unlivable because their roofs were completely torn off, letting rain pour inside.

'Several cars and motorcycles were also hit by flying debris and damaged. The assessment is still ongoing.'

He said the affected families were temporarily sheltered at the Bang Pu Municipality.

The Thai Meteorological Department said a moderate high-pressure system from China was extending towards Vietnam and the South China Sea, bringing moisture to northern Thailand.

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.