A hero French tourist saved a woman from drowning at a waterfall in Thailand.

Holidaymaker Joel Joffre, 62, was taking pictures with his family at the Nam Phra Waterfall in Bueng Kan province when a woman cried for help on July 14.

The foreigner quickly jumped to the water and scooped up the frantic tourist before dragging her to the bank.

Footage shows how the woman was being swept by the heavy rapids before the French tourist and another local swam to pull her to safety. Joel then unblocked her airways and performed CPR to rouse her as she had swallowed water.

Joel said: ‘We had just arrived when it happened. I was taking pictures with my family when we heard her screaming. I was relieved she was not hurt.'

Another clip showed the grateful woman's friends and family thanking the Frenchman following the ordeal.

They said the woman was paddling in the shallow pool but panicked when strong currents swept her to the deeper part of the river at the foot of the waterfall. She could not swim back to the shore and was dragged further downstream.

Joel added: 'I am strong enough to get through the water. I was just following my instinct to save her.'