Thai traditional dancers held a spiritual ceremony believing it would cure a toddler's birthmark.

Wearing colourful traditional clothing and metallic fingernails, the performers carried out the healing rites called 'Manorah Rongkru' to try and rid the youngster of the red patch on his skin in Trang province.

His grandmother Pimjai Rodtian, 55, brought the six-month-old to participate in the ceremony hoping it would permanently erase the discolouration. The boy had reportedly been undergoing laser treatment, but the effects wore off.

Manora Song Faeng Silp troupe head Adisorn Duanruo, 29, said: 'This ritual has been carried out since the time of our ancestors.'

He added that the ceremony must be performed by a dancer who has undergone a special ceremony for it to work.

Footage shows the villagers burning a bundle of incense sticks before praying over a bizarre jumble of gold rings, betel nuts, flowers, razor blades, silver coins, and ears of rice in a water-filled bowl.

The drenched rice and coins are then rubbed on the birthmark before the dancer presses his big toe onto the child's arm, thus completing the ceremony.

Grandmother Pimjai added: 'I believe that this ceremony will cure my grandson, who has a birthmark on his left wrist. I don't want him to have a lifelong birthmark that could cause him to have an inferiority complex.'

The Manora or Menora is a traditional dance that originated in Thailand's southern regions. The performance is meant to promote cultural and social bonds within the community.