This is the dramatic moment an escaped buffalo charged into a snooker hall in Thailand.

The rampaging male bovine was awaiting transport to a slaughterhouse when it broke free from its pen in Chiang Mai province on January 11.

It then went on a rampage, sending residents screaming as it barreled down the street.

CCTV footage shows the bull storming into the snooker hall, smashing through the glass entrance as terrified locals fled towards the exit at the other end.

The beast was seen wandering through the premises before ambling back onto the street.

Police and animal rescuers later arrived to subdue the farm animal using tranquilisers and hauled it away from the residential area.

A shocked snooker player said: 'I was in the middle of a game when I heard a commotion outside. I checked what was happening and saw the buffalo charging straight at the club. We managed to escape just seconds before it broke through the door.'

Despite the damage to his property, the compassionate snooker hall owner and a local nun purchased the buffalo to spare it from being slaughtered.