Heavy rain floods homes and markets in northern Thailand

Homes and markets were flooded amid heavy rain along Thailand's northern border.

Footage shows brown floodwaters swamping vendor's stalls at the Sailom Joy Market in the Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai province on August 14.

The area is located near the Sai River and a weir in the neighbouring Burmese district of Tachileik, which is notorious for overflowing during the rainy season.

Locals said they were able to move their belongings quickly as the flooding was a perennial problem for them. It was the third time during the rainy season that the market was waterlogged.

District officials said they have installed sandbags at key locations to help ease the flooding, which was worse in Myanmar's low-lying Tachileik district.

Thailand and neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia are in their annual monsoon rainy season which sees soaring temperatures followed by powerful rain storms in the afternoon leading to widespread flash floods.