This is the heart-stopping moment an out-of-control car rammed into a hot pot restaurant as tourists were having dinner.

The red MG sedan surged uncontrollably while pulling out of a car park in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, on Friday.

Dramatic CCTV footage shows how the vehicle hurtled through hedges before mowing down a couple dining al fresco at a nearby restaurant.

The pair narrowly avoided being run over as the car hurtled through chairs and tables and smashed into a metal pillar, sending customers and staff fleeing in panic.

The injured diners were taken to a hospital for check-ups.

Authorities said the car driver, whose name was not disclosed, was detained for questioning.

A spokesman at the Chang Phueak district station said: 'We are investigating the cause of the crash. The driver will be prosecuted if they were driving recklessly.'

Despite being one of the wealthiest countries in Asia, Thailand suffers from chronic underinvestment in its highways and education, contributing to its poor road safety levels. Only a handful of African countries are worse.

Thailand has one of the world's worst road safety records. Ministers have set the goal of reducing fatalities from 32.7 deaths per 100,000 people to 12 per 100,000 people by the year 2027.