A Belgian man with his hand stabbed by a metal wire was rescued in Thailand.

Tourist Philippe Leoncuan Damme, 61, had stumbled on the pavement and pierced his hand on the firm steel wire used to bundle up electric cables on the sidewalk in Pattaya, Chonburi, on November 29.

Rescue volunteers and medics arrived at the scene and found the visitor 'pale and weakened' from his injury. The wire had skewered his palm and left him unable to move from the spot.

Responders used pliers to cut off the piece of metal before rushing him to the Bangkok Hospital Pattaya for treatment.

Locals said the sidewalk was frequently used by tourists in the area.

Prawit Boonmachai, head of the rescue team, said: 'The man looked like he was about to faint, so we had to help him stand while cutting the whire. It took about five minutes.

'As for the cause, he might have tripped on the sidewalk, but was stabbed when he reached out his hand to find support.'