A prisoner was caught on CCTV picking the lock of his jail cell to escape.

Pandee Gata, 34, was arrested for allegedly selling amphetamine tablets before he was detained at the Bannang Sata police station in Yala province, Thailand on September 8.

CCTV footage shows the man taking something out of his pants before quickly unlocking the cell door within only a minute.

The prisoner then fled the station on a stolen motorcycle he found across the street and hid in a friend’s house where officers did a search.

Police Major General Tinakorn Rangmat said: ‘Pandee has a history of drug-related cases. While we searched for him, we also investigated how he could have picked the cell doors.

‘We questioned the officers who were on duty the night Pandee escaped. Police have been instructed to be strict with such matters.’

Authorities in the neighbouring provinces were also alerted of the fugitive but the officers later found him 3km away from the police station, at his friend’s house.

He was returned to the station to process his charges and possible additional violations for escaping the officers while investigations are ongoing.