A dog discovered some 220km (135 miles) off the coast of Thailand has been rescued by a team of oil rig workers after the exhausted pooch was spotted paddling near a drilling platform.

The brown aspin swam towards the workers when they called out to him last Friday afternoon. He was then pulled to safety.

It is not clear how the dog became stranded so far out at sea. Some reports suggest he may have fallen from a fishing trawler.

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The rig workers named the dog Boonrod, a Thai word that roughly translates as "the saved one" or "survivor".

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Boonrod was said to have been exhausted and in need of fresh drinking water and food.

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He was nursed back to health on the rig while staff radioed for help, requesting the assistance of a tanker that was heading back to shore.

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Boonrod had to have a proper wash to cleanse his fur of salt from the seawater. Afterwards, he had a nap.

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The conditions were said to have been calm during the rescue, which workers said made it easier to spot Boonrod among the rusty metal bars of the rig.

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Boonrod was lifted by crane on to an oil vessel that was passing through the area on Sunday to be transported to a veterinary practice in southern Thailand.

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The dog was said to have been in good spirits when he arrived on land to be taken to the vet.

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