A pensioner was found alive after being lost in a Thai forest for six days.

Inpan Wongkhamnuan, 70, became lost while looking for his favourite ripe mango fruits in their village in Lampang province, northern Thailand, on May 26.

But instead of walking towards the orchard, the senior started mistakenly following a trail that led him deeper into the jungle.

Worried relatives sought help from authorities who launched a search and rescue operation. Inpan was finally found six days later, starving in a hut which was about 5km away from the village.

Relieved pensioner Inpan said: 'I do not have a mobile phone and I could not find the way back. So I just waited and prayed that people would find me.'

The old man's sister Sawat Techa, 52, said: ‘My brother told me that he was craving for mangoes so he went to pick them but he did not return that night. I asked our village chief for help.'

Local officer Bandit Charoen then organised a rescue team of more than 100 people and began their search the next morning.

Residents later mentioned a remote cave deep in the forest. The team went to search around the area but the old man was not found in the cave. However, he was found not far from it in a hut.

Volunteers immediately checked the senior's health and put him on a stretcher before the team descended the mountain in a two-hour trek.

They then transferred Inpan to a hospital for a more comprehensive health check. He was in stable condition, and relieved relatives thanked the rescuers for their help.

Rescue leader Bandit Charoen said: 'There was no supplies of food or water in the jungle so the old man had to survive on what he could forage. A few more days and he would have not had enough energy to carry on.'