Villagers rescued a newborn baby left for dead near a pond in Thailand.

Naphat Srichamnan, 42, was collecting his eel traps from the water when he heard the child crying in Nakhon Ratchasima, on April 20.

Baffled by the sound, he walked around until he found the hapless baby boy lying face down in the tall grass. The blood-covered child was completely unclothed, with his umbilical cord and placenta still intact.

A rescue team arrived at the scene and rushed the newborn to the Chokchai Hospital.

Police Colonel Chatchawarn Wongrod, superintendent of the Chokchai Police Station, said: ‘We are gathering evidence and footage from villagers' security cameras to track down the suspect who left the baby.

‘The location where he was found was secluded, without any government security cameras, so we need to rely on villagers' CCTV.

‘We believe the baby was born around 4 to 5 am because the amniotic fluid has not yet dried.

‘The doctor also speculated that the mother had given birth to another baby before, because this baby was delivered normally. He weighed over three kilogrammes and was healthy.

‘We are co-ordinating with nearby hospitals to check recent antenatal care and pregnancy-related visits to narrow down potential suspects and bring them to legal action.'

Village headman Raywin Priamkrathok said the area was located a kilometre away from the village road.

He said: 'Based on the baby's condition when found, I believe he was just dumped to die in the grass. The parents did not even bother to clothe him or arrange his sleeping position. The boy must have been born just a few hours earlier because the blood on his body was still wet. The hospital has updated us and said that the baby is healthy.'

Fisherman Naphat said he was grateful that he had found the child on time. He said: 'If I had seen him later, the baby would have definitely died from either the weather or the animals here. I don't understand the parents. If they knew they were having a baby, they should have gotten rid of it from the beginning. They shouldn't have waited until the baby was born and then do this. It's cruel.'

Police said investigations were ongoing to track down the boy's parents.