A real-life Hachiko dog became a royal pet after she was adopted by a princess in Thailand.

Devoted canine Moo Dang had been staying on the steps of a 7-Eleven store since her master died in Nakhon Ratchasima province, in November last year.

She was dubbed the Hachiko of the country as she continued waiting for her dead owner - a homeless man who used to take naps with her in front of the convenience store - as market vendors and store staff fed and gave her shelter.

Moo Dang's heartwarming display of unwavering loyalty touched the hearts of the locals - including Princess Siribha Chudabhorn, the eldest daughter of Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Walailak.

The princess arranged for Moo Dang to be picked up from the convenience store on January 22. She will now live a life served with the finest cuts of Wagyu for dinner, along with receiving daily massages and baths with shampoo imported from Japan.

Footage shows emotional residents who had grown fond of Moo Dang taking selfies with her as they bid her farewell.

Street food vendor Somneuk Wisetnok, who sells banana fritters, said he always saw Moo Dang walking with her master at the market.

He said: 'For four years, I always saw Moo Dang with the homeless man until late last year when the owner passed away. But Moo Dang refused to leave and slept in front of the convenience store all the time as if she was waiting for her owner.

'Moo Dang is docile and friendly. She is loved and adored by the vendors in the market, who always bring her snacks, rice, and water. The owner of the convenience store and the staff also take good care of her and even take her to the vet.'

Somneuk said it was a bitter-sweet moment saying goodbye to the pooch but he is happy she will have a luxury home.

He added: 'Moo Dang is a lucky. She will have a life that everybody dreams of.'

Moo Dang will undergo rehabilitation at a health centre in the province before she is moved to Princess Siribha's home in Chiang Mai province.

Hachiko was an Akita dog in Japan known for his remarkable loyalty to his owner, Hidesaburo Ueno, a professor at the University of Tokyo.

Even after Ueno's death in 1925, Hachiko continued to wait for him daily at Shibuya Station for nearly ten years, becoming a symbol of enduring devotion.