A gunman sparked panic when he opened fire in a neighbourhood in Bangkok.

Nattawat, 31, reportedly stormed into the community screaming as he searched for his girlfriend at 10 am local time on May 15.

The drunk local, who has been a resident in the area since childhood, was allegedly trying to trespass into a neighbour's home.

Patrolmen reportedly found him 'acting strangely' in the middle of an alley. They called for backup when he barged into the house carrying a firearm.

Footage shows armoured officers with rifles and riot shields surrounding the home.

Nattawat then fired six shots into the sky before taking aim at the cops.

A police spokesman said: 'Initial reports indicate that there were four people living in the house. They fled to the second floor and locked the room while the suspect is downstairs.'

Police General Sayam Boonsom, national police chief, said he was travelling to the scene to negotiate with Nattawat, who was described by locals as a 'quiet person who didn't socialise with others and wasn't aggressive'.

Other residents have been evacuated and the area has been cordoned off.

Thailand has one of the highest gun ownership and gun homicide rates among Southeast Asian nations. Many of the firearms are believed to be sold by government and police officers, who can buy and sell them at a discounted rate under the government's 'gun welfare programme'.

The persistent gun culture is said to stem from a distrust of crime control policies, especially in rural areas.

Former Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had previously vowed to tighten gun control laws.