This is the dramatic moment a boy was rescued while drowning in a swimming pool in Thailand.

The youngster, 4, was playing at the Nakhon Water Park & Resort in Roi Et province on April 6 when he jumped into the pool - but immediately found himself in trouble because he could not touch the bottom.

Harrowing footage shows the child struggling to stay afloat, gasping for air as he flailed before sinking to the bottom of the pool as he ran out of energy.

Almost three minutes had passed with other tourists - seemingly ignoring his plight - paddling right beside him, before one man finally noticed and hauled his limp body out of the water.

The boy, whose mum referred to him only by his nickname Captain, was given first aid before being rushed to the Atsamat Hospital where he is recovering from the ordeal.

His mum Suparada Wattana, 21, said she had been taking care of her eight-month-old baby at the time, and had called for the child as they were about to leave the resort.

She said: 'I admit to being careless, but there were also no lifeguards stationed at the pool. The water park should take responsibility as well.

'I'm very grateful to the man who noticed him and saved his life. Without that man, my son would be dead.'

Chantana Champanuan, the owner of the water park, visited the boy's family at the hospital later that night and agreed to take responsibility for the incident.

She claimed: 'We have four lifeguards at the park in total, but unfortunately, they were in the restrooms when the incident happened.'

The boy is recovering at the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the Roi Et Hospital for further treatment.