A lost fisherman was rescued after holding onto a tree to escape floods in southern Thailand.

The villager was reportedly separated from his friends as the river swelled while they were fishing in Phang Nga province on August 16.

Unable to make his way back, he clung onto a tree amid rising floods.

Park rangers later found him stranded during a routine patrol of the Ao Phang Nga National Park at 3:40 pm local time.

Footage shows officers helping the soaked resident board a rubber boat.

Paphawin Yanglang, chief of Ao Phang Nga National Park, said: 'The man is believed to have been searching for prawns or clams before the water rose suddenly, cutting him off and leaving him trapped. He was returned safely to the Tha Dan Pier.'

Thailand and neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia are in their annual monsoon rainy season which sees soaring temperatures followed by powerful rain storms in the afternoon leading to widespread flash floods.