This is the dramatic moment a British man escaped a burning building in Thailand on New Year’s Day.

John Christopher Culling, 50, was on the balcony of his apartment unit when he noticed smoke coming out of the windows while talking on the phone in Pattaya province on January 1 afternoon.

The fire engulfed the sixth-floor rooms quickly so the man had no choice but to climb down through the balconies of lower floors.

Footage shows the British expat scrambling down the balcony of the Park Lane Jomtien Resort building.

Terrified onlookers screamed in panic as they watched the Brit climb down before rescuers were able to reach him.

John said: “I was talking on the phone when I noticed smoke coming out and fire rapidly spreading, so I escaped through the window and climbed down the balcony.”

Firefighters arrived to put out the fire while tourists and guests were being helped out of the burning building.

The fire was declared out after half an hour which did not spread through the other levels of the eight-floor condominium.

Paramedics checked on the man who suffered minor scratches before he was taken to the Banglamung Hospital.

Officers are still investigating the cause of the fire but no one was reported seriously injured or died aside from the British man.