A sick dolphin was rescued when it washed up on a beach near Thailand's border with Malaysia.

The short-finned pilot whale was pushed back to the sea when it was found stranded on Naratat beach in Narathiwat province on December 5.

However, the creature resurfaced on the shore about 500 metres away from where it was first spotted two hours later.

A veterinarian was called to the area to check on the animal before it was taken with them to the Marine and Coastal Resources Centre for treatment.

Local animal rescue worker Piriporn Rotlapakul said: ‘Villagers, police, and our team helped send the dolphin back to the sea, but it returned. It looked very weak.'

The vet that handled the creature believed the dolphin was too weak to swim through the strong waves.

After being treated at the facility, the vet said it would be released back into the sea.

The 5 km-long Naratat beach stretches along the Gulf of Thailand and borders Malaysia.