A bungling driver and his two passengers had to be rescued after they followed a GPS app into a fast-moving canal.

Three people, including the driver, were travelling to a friend's house in Phrae province, northern Thailand on September 26, when they became lost.

They followed their navigation app and mistakenly turned into a filthy canal, which was suggested as "the fastest route."

The blunder came during a heavy rainstorm and torrents of muddy water suddenly filled the ditch, leaving them submerged in a few minutes as the water rose.

Luckily, they were able to call the emergency rescuers who arrived immediately at the scene.

The frantic friends - one woman and two men - battled to escape from the sinking car and clung onto the roof until the rescuers arrived.

Footage shows how the team carefully crossed the fast-flowing water and tied a rope to the car, which was then connected to a truck to secure them from being washed away.

They then extended portable wooden stairs from the banks to the car so the could climb to safety.

Head rescuer Natthawut Phongsachaowalit said the team spend almost five hours rescuing the people in the car.

He said: "We spent more than four hours bringing the water-damaged car up from the flood. Luckily all of the people inside the car survived."

Mayor Kasorn Plamas from Cho Hae district said this is not the first time this mistake happened in the area.

She said: "Drivers who are not from here don't know the road so they usually drive past the canal."

The local government will put up large signs in the area to warn the drivers and prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.