This is the dramatic moment a rescue team saved a toddler who was locked in a van in northeastern Thailand.

Volunteers rushed to the scene in Buriram province, where they found the two-year-old youngster, Andrew, trapped in the vehicle on the evening of December 22.

The boy had accidentally pressed the lock button while his grandfather was outside the vehicle, prompting panicked relatives to call for help.

Footage shows the team battling to pry open the Volkswagen's door as Andrew's grandmother comforted him through the tinted windows. The child was seen inside, drenched in sweat as he was left with no ventilation.

Officers spent 30 minutes prying the door open, with Andrew bursting into tears upon being reunited with his family.

A rescue volunteer said: 'Fortunately, the incident occurred in the evening, not during the day, and because it was a large van, there was still enough air inside the cabin.'

Andrew's grandfather, Chokchai Khammee, 40, said the family had picked him up from school before visiting the boy's great-grandmother in the evening.

He added: 'I placed him in his seat before walking to the driver's seat. But he accidentally pressed the button and locked me out with the keys still inside the vehicle.

'I tried to tell him to unlock the ,door but he was too young to understand me. We had to call the rescuers for help.

'This incident is an important lesson and a serious warning for parents with young children, especially those with electric car systems, because the doors can be very difficult to unlock without proper expertise. I admit this was a mistake, and I will learn from it to make sure it never happens again. I want to urge all parents to also be extra careful.'