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Payalaw wrote that the dog did not make a noise while he cling to the pole and that the workers raced to tie a rope around his neck so he wouldn't be swept away by waves, according to the Bangkok Post. He looked \"exhausted\" but the workers gave him water and fed him some mineral supplements, Payalaw wrote.

The workers don't know how the dog ended up in the water so far from the coast, speculating that he may have fallen from a boat, Payalaw said. They named him Boonrod, which means “the dog rescued by merit.\"

\"PHOTO:
Vitisak Payalaw
PHOTO: The oil rig workers named the dog Boonrod, which translates to "the dog rescued by merit."
>

Had the winds and waves not been calm that day, the workers may not have seen the dog, Payalaw said.

Boonroad was brought back to shore Monday morning, Payalaw told ABC News. His condition has been improving since he was plucked from the Gulf.

\"PHOTO:Workers
Vitisak Payalaw
PHOTO:Workers from the Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production Ltd. oil rig rescued a dog swimming 137 miles offshore in the Gulf of Thailand, April 12, 2019.
>

Payalaw plans to adopt the dog when he returns to shore later this month.

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