Dozens of homes were damaged after powerful hailstorm hit northern Thailand. 

The thunderstorm with strong winds and heavy rains battered Bueng Kan province in the northeastern region of the country.

It was followed by a hailstorm which continued to relentlessly hit the area for several hours, damaging houses and public facilities.

Footage from Monday (March 23) afternoon shows several utility poles blown over and houses were also damaged by the hails.

The provincial department of disaster prevention and mitigation surveyed the destruction and found 82 houses damaged across eight districts.

The department's chief officer Vijan Laothammatiang said normally there are many tourists but the number has ceased after the spreading of the coronavirus.

He said: "Some areas that were hit by the hailstorm are popular among tourists but due to the spreading of coronavirus there were fewer people here, otherwise there could have been injuries."