A Buddhist monk was rescued after he survived falling down a 164ft-deep cave in Thailand.

Phra Thada, 29, hiked a mountain to reach an old meditation hall built inside a pit cave in Kanchanaburi province, on March 5.

However, the rope bridge's cable snapped while the monk was walking halfway through to reach the prayer hall inside the cave.

He plunged towards the bottom and was caught in a cavern when he was about 60ft-below the ground before frantic locals rushed to call the rescue team.

Atiwat, one of the locals who helped, said: 'The monk was from Bangkok and hired some guides to help him reach the cave's entrance. Monks and nuns from various temples come here to meditate.

'The cave is quiet and cool which made it a suitable place to sit and meditate but the trail was a bit unkempt which could have caused the accident.'

More than 20 people, including locals and officers from a rescue team foundation, rushed to reach the cave which was a 3-kilometre trek up the mountain.

Upon reaching the site, rescuers installed a climbing rope down the pit before volunteers descended the cave to help the monk.

After more than 10 hours which was about 3 a.m. in the morning, the monk was successfully taken out of the cave.

Monk Phra had a broken hip and leg bone. He was given first aid treatment at an ambulance waiting at the foot of the mountain before being rushed to Nong Prue Hospital where he was still recovering.

No one else was hurt from the incident aside from the monk.