An oil tanker ran aground on a beach during storms that sank a navy warship and left 31 sailors missing in southern Thailand on Sunday.

The vessel named Pattarapan was battered by inclement weather in the Gulf of Thailand off the coast of Songkhla province on December 18.

Local media reported it was moored near the Laem Samila beach when the rough seas 'tore off' its anchor, causing it to float away.

The vessel was said to be empty, and there were also no punctures on its hull. Its crew was reported safe, but attempts at retrieving the 2,037-ton tanker have been complicated by the storm.

Authorities have requested a tug boat to tow the ship away once the storm has abated.

Thailand's Meteorological Department warned of 'four metre high waves' battering regions along the eastern-facing coastline.

Officials said the storms and heavy rain would continue until December 20 in Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat along the border with Malaysia.

Storms at sea over the weekend have caused chaos for several vessels. The navy warship HTMS Sukhothai sank in the Gulf of Thailand off the coast of Prachuap Khiri Khan province leaving 31 people missing at sea on Sunday while an oil tanker was beached in Songkhla province.