Police are searching for the parents of a newborn abandoned in front of a villager's house in southern Thailand.

The baby girl, believed to be just a day old, was discovered by a shocked resident who was taking out his rubbish in Pattani last Tuesday morning.

The child with her umbilical cord still attached was alive but weak as she was wrapped in an old sarong. She was left inside a paper bag on the roadside.

Emergency services rushed to the scene after receiving a report at around 7:40 am local time. They provided first aid before taking the child to Pattani Hospital, where doctors confirmed she was in stable condition but under close monitoring.

Police said they are now scouring CCTV from the surrounding area to trace the baby's mother who could face prosecution.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Sailamanakun, superintendent of Pattani City Police Station, said: 'We are reviewing security footage from the alley and surrounding areas, particularly the student dormitory located near Prince of Songkla University, Pattani Campus, to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

'If the child's guardian is not identified, someone has already volunteered to follow the legal procedure to adopt her.'

Resident Prateep Aunmongkol said he was throwing away his trash when he noticed the paper bag lying in front of his house.

He said: 'I was curious so I took a closer look, but I was shocked when I saw there was a live baby inside. The baby wasn't crying, but she was moving.

'I was so shocked since I've never experienced anything like this before. I immediately called the police to investigate.'

Under Thai Penal Code Section 306, the girl's parents may be prosecuted for abandonment which carries a penalty of up to three years in prison, a fine of up to 6,000 Baht (140 GBP), or both.

(1 GBP = 43.26 THB)