A hapless stray dog with a plastic tub on its head and stuck in the river was rescued by locals.

The pooch was spotted by Krittiyaporn Tumnita and her husband whimpering on the edge of the steep banks while the couple was heading to their fish cages in Bangkok, Thailand on August 7.

Footage shows the exhausted brown animal partially soaked in the water before the kind passersby pulled him to safety.

Mud seeped into the container that enclosed around its head which slowly suffocated the dog so it was immediately removed by the good Samaritans before they helped it return to the village.

Thailand faces a serious plastic pollution problem as it generates around 2 million tonnes of waste every year while only retrieving and recycling a quarter of it.

The remaining plastic waste ends up in landfills, rivers, and oceans, where it can pollute the environment and harm wildlife including stray animals.