A young boy in Thailand is believed by some to have mystical powers, after he was seen doing a bizarre rain dance just days before mass floods hit the area.

Eight-year-old Nong Benten was filmed praying at a divine "spirit house" shrine while dancing to a "rain song" in Buriram, northeastern Thailand on August 18.

The youngster had taken it upon himself to pray for rain after the region was crippled by severe droughts pushing up the cost of rice and devastating crops.

Footage of the dance touched locals when it emerged online.

However, when mass floods caused by Tropical Storm Podul hit the northeast of Thailand on August 30 with some hailing the youngster with divine powers after the freakish coincidence.

The boy's uncle Tossapon Meephon, 25, said that he asked his nephew to pray to the weather god and spirits for rain by using his dance moves at the shrine, as their village was facing drought and humid weather.

Tossapon added: ''Benten loves to dance. He always dances at home and our family also loves to watch his amusing performance.

''It hadn't been raining around here for a long time and the crops were dying. So I jokingly told him to dance and pray for the rain and he really did.

''The video was popular but now he's famous again because because the rain did actually come.

''Everybody in the village is saying that he has special powers to bring the rain. Next time there's a drought we will ask him to dance.''

Locals believe this young Thai boy has mystical powers after he was seen doing a bizarre rain dance just days before mass floods.

Eight-year-old Nong Benten, eight, was filmed praying to a divine 'spirit house' shrine while dancing to a 'rain song' in Buriram, northeastern Thailand on Sunday (18/08).

The youngster had taken it upon himself to ask the gods for rain after the region was crippled by severe droughts pushing up the cost of rice and devastating crops.

Footage of the dance touched locals when it emerged online.

However, when mass floods caused by Tropical Storm Podul hit the northeast of Thailand last Friday (30/08) Thai people went into a frenzy after connecting the lad's dance to the wet weather.

Nong Benten has now been hailed as a youngster with divine powers after the freakish coincidence.

Locals said he seemed to have spiritual powers that had brought the much-needed rain to replenish reservoirs and the youngster was featured on national news broadcasts.

Presenters on the nation Channel 7 news said: ''The last time the video of him dancing was viral and the rain came.

''Every time we need rain we can ask him to do this again. He's very, very cute and people now think that it is because of him that the rain came. Now he's dancing again but softer, so the rain is not too strong next time.''

The boy's uncle Tossapon Meephon, 25, said in the original video before the storms that he asked his nephew to pray to the weather god and spirits for rain.

He asked the boy to use his dance moves at the shrine, as the village was facing drought and humid weather.

Tossapon said: ''Benten loves to dance. He always dances at home and our family also loves to watch his amusing performance.

''It hadn't been raining around here for a long time and the crops were dying. So I jokingly told him to dance and pray for the rain and he really did.

''The video was popular but now he's famous again because because the rain did actually come.

''Everybody in the village is saying that he has special powers to bring the rain. Next time there's a drought we will ask him to dance.''