This is the dramatic moment a family and their three pet dogs were rescued by helicopter after spending six days lost in a forest. <br /><br />Wiroj Chaichana, 45, and his wife Dang, 45, along with Thongrat Kanyaprasit, 46, and her Panya Noi-in, 13, were foraging for wild mushrooms through the dense woodland in Phitsanulok, central Thailand last Wednesday morning (May 12).<br /><br />However, their relatives alerted the police when they failed to return home with their three Aspin pooches and they were declared missing on Thursday (May 14).<br /><br />The National Park officers began searching the following morning but spent two days without any sign on them. <br /><br />However, on Sunday (May 17) an army helicopter spotted smoke from a small signal fire next to a stream, around 10km from the family's village.<br /><br />The officers sent soldiers with food supplies to stay overnight with them while they were planning the rescue which took place this morning (May 18).<br /><br />The whole group including the pooches were all exhausted and were rushed to the hospital for check ups - but they were all found to be healthy.<br /><br />Dang, one of those rescued, said they had become lost after sheltering from a sudden downpour which caused them to lose track of the path they had taken.<br /><br />She said: "While we were on our way out there was a storm that caused us to run for shelter.<br /><br />"After the rain we realised that we had left our original track and we had no idea where we were, so we started wandering to find a stream and we ate wild fruit.<br /><br />"Luckily my husband had a lighter with him so we were able to light a fire to warm ourselves. That was what saved us, because the officers saw the smoke from our bonfire."<br /><br />Dr Jakrit Somboonchan, director of W a n g Thong Hospital, said the four people would be kept in hospital for a day or two for observation.
