This is the dramatic moment a house was washed away by deadly floods which have hit southern Thailand this week.

The wooden property was seen being carried away by the muddy torrents which overflowed from a river in Phattalung province on Tuesday, December 1.

One frantic local tried to swim through the deluge and tie a rope to the single-storey home to prevent it from being destroyed. However, he gave up and the home was washed away before collapsing further downstream.

The dramatic scenes came at the start of torrential downpours which battered provinces in the south of Thailand close to the border with Malaysia. Rescue workers floated though the floods in boats as they tried to evacuate residents.

Officials said that at least five people have been killed following waist-deep floods and landslides. Rain is expected to last until December 4

In the neighbouring province of Nakhon Si Thammarat, at least 351 villages across 15 districts were flooded and that 16,709 households, or 47,939 people, had been affected.

Rescue teams in boats evacuated the stranded residents as they prepared for more rain.

Thailand's Southern Meteorological Center warned that the province was on "red alert" due to the continuous rain.

Governor Kraisorn Wisitwong said he had instructed the provincial disaster and mitigation office to monitor the situation and provide assistance to affected people.

Trains and aeroplanes into the province have also been cancelled due to the weather.