Locals in Thailand were furious after more than 4,000 illegally smuggled chickens were thrown into a pit and buried alive.

The birds were impounded at an animal quarantine centre after they were smuggled from Malaysia into Songkhla, southern Thailand on November 19.

Footage taken a couple of days later shows the moment handfuls of doomed chickens were tossed into a pit full of water.

Hundreds more chickens were then piled on top to be buried alive. The scenes sparked anger anger among the locals who thought it was too cruel.

The director of department of livestock development, Sorawit Raneeto, insisted that it was a proper way to get rid of the chickens because they were diagnosed with contagious diseases.

He also claimed that the birds had been stunned before they were thrown into the pit.

He said: "The officers had to quickly pull the chickens neck to paralyse them first before they throw them into the pit but it appeared to be alive because some of them did not die instantly.

"The chickens were diagnosed with contagious disease which we had to eliminate them as soon as possible and this is the proper way according to the chicken euthanasia."