A quick-thinking American tourist rescued a woman trying to jump off a bridge in Thailand.

Hero backpacker Jo, 38, noticed Thai native Waraporn Saiying, 23, climbing over the railings of a footbridge in Pattaya on January 11.

Waraporn was sobbing and saying she 'did not want to live anymore' as she ignored the cries of passers-by trying to stop her from jumping.

While she was distracted, Jo then wrestled her away from the edge and dragged her to safety. He then called police for help.

Footage shows officers from the Pattaya City Police Stationcomforting Waraporn as they walked her back to the kerb.

Jo, seen in the video wearing a black cap and pink shirt, said he had tried talking to Waraporn but she was distraught and unresponsive.

He said: 'I was like, 'I need help'. And maybe she took her eyes off me for a second, I just grabbed her, ran into the fence, grabbed her and pulled her over. It's the scariest thing I've done, maybe ever.'

A disconsolate Waraporn curled into herself and continued crying as police called her family to pick her up.

Authorities said it was not the first time Waraporn had tried to harm herself. Just days earlier on January 7, she had tried to leap from a five-storey building in Central Pattaya before she was rescued by officials.

A police spokesman said: 'We have contacted her relatives to take care of her closely. We are afraid that she might try to hurt herself again. She might not be as lucky as this time.'