This baby boy bounced into the world on a 'wave and a prayer' after his mother gave birth on a speedboat.

Heavily pregnant Tuean Pramongkit went to see the doctor on the island of Koh Lipe, southern Thailand, last Thursday (May 30) after she felt a strong stomach pain for three days.

She was immediately transferred by speedboat to the hospital on the mainland as her body had started turning pale - a warning sign of anaemia caused by a possible miscarriage.

But the boat crew were forced to stop in the middle of the ocean when it became clear that they would not make it to the emergency ward in time.

Local doctor Ameenuddeen Hayeeyawa noticed the mother’s waters breaking and decided to deliver the tot on the ocean.

Footage shows how the doctor was cleaning the newborn baby before cutting his umbilical cord while the mother was lying at the end of the boat, looking exhausted after giving birth to her first child.

The delighted mother and her new son, named Nat, were taken to La Nguu hospital, where they are recovering.

Tuean said that she was very lucky to have the skilful doctor on the boat. She said: ''At that moment, it was very painful for me to make it to the hospital and the doctor also thought the same thing.

''I’m glad that he decided to do it on the boat otherwise we wouldn’t survive. I couldn’t thank him enough for saving me and my baby boy.''