Up, up and away: A rocket is fired into the sky at an international Bang Fai festival in northeastern Yasothon province, where entries from six nations including Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia and Japan were competing. Firing Bang Fai is a traditional rain-see

The rocket, billed as the world's biggest home-made one, damaged property but caused no injuries. Onlookers said that if it were not for the mango tree the rocket would have ended up in someone's house.

It was launched by Pongsak Ruktapongpisal, Thai Rak Thai Party deputy secretary-general and caretaker transport minister, who was chairman of the festival.

With thousands of startled villagers looking on, the rocket veered off course and zoomed towards a village about four kilometres away. It sliced the mango tree in two before exploding and sending shrapnel over a wide area, damaging a van and windows of nearby houses.

"I heard a sound like a storm, which then turned into the sound of thunder," said Kanchit Chantarasarn, 32, whose garage was slightly damaged.

Thanawut Paktaranikorn, chairman of the Yasothon Municipal Council, said the council would be responsible for damage caused by the rocket.

The rocket worth Bt600,000 was financed by Thalerng Wutthijamnong, a rich man from the area.

After the rocket mishap at about 1.30pm, an obviously upset Pongsak cancelled the rest of his itinerary and left to board a flight to Ubon Ratchathani.

Pongsak is one of a number of senior Thai Rak Thai figures accused by an Election Commission panel of being involved in a scheme to hire small parties to provide "fake" competition for his party in the April 2 general election.

Pongsak has denied the charges.