Police were searching for two tourists who went missing while kayaking in Thailand on Monday (December 9).

Mateusz Juszkiewicz, 27, from Poland and a Thai woman Veerakan Sirivipakorn, 23, rented the plastic kayaks from Yanui beach on the island of Phuket, last Saturday (December 7) afternoon.

They were among a group of holidaymakers who had planned to row out to a nearby island before returning to the beach.

Three of the kayaks, carrying two people each, successfully returned later that afternoon at 6:30pm while the young Polish holidaymaker and his friend did not appear.

Mateusz called one of the tourists in the group and said his kayak had been blown away by strong winds and the current and they could not row back. The people on the shore then lost contact with Mateusz and called police.

Vice provincial governor Nikorn Praphakityosphat said that rescue teams and local residents had mobilised as soon as they were told that the tourist had not returned.

He said: "Locals living and working near the beach were worried about the missing tourists. They sailed out in their boats looking for them but there have been no results yet.''

Police Major Gener Kritsak Songmunnak said on Monday (December 9) he believes that the missing pair are still alive.

He said that police and rescue workers were searching by air, sea and land.

The police chief said: "We believe that their kayak was wrecked and they are stranded in the sea or on an island.

"I have expanded the number of search teams by adding air search and ordering the helicopter to fly around the area. They will check every island in the area to increase the chance of finding them.

"The search will be continued even after two days have already past. We will re-check every area again and we will not stop until we find them."

Police were today (09/12) searching for a tourist and his female friend who went missing while kayaking in Thailand.

Mateusz Juszkiewicz, 27, from Poland and Thai woman Veerakan Sirivipakorn, 23, rented the plastic kayaks from Yanui beach on the island of Phuket, on Saturday (07/12) afternoon.

They were among a group of holidaymakers who had planned to row out to a nearby island before returning to the beach.

Three of the kayaks, carrying two people each, successfully returned later that afternoon at 6:30pm while the young Polish holidaymaker and his friend did not appear.

Mateusz called one of the tourists in the group and said his kayak had been blown away by strong winds and the current and they could not row back. The people on the shore then lost contact with Mateusz and called police.

Vice provincial governor Nikorn Praphakityosphat said that rescue teams and local residents had mobilised as soon as they were told that the tourist had not returned.

He said: "Locals living and working near the beach were worried about the missing tourists. They sailed out in their boats looking for the them but there have been no results yet.''

Police Major Gener Kritsak Songmunnak said today (09/12) he believes that the missing pair are still alive.

He said that police and rescue workers were searching by air, sea and land.

The police chief said: "We believe that their kayak was wrecked and they are stranded in the sea or on a island.

"I have expanded the number of search teams by adding air search and ordering the helicopter to fly around the area. They will check every island in the area to increase the chance of finding them.

"The search will be continued even after two days have already past. We will re-check every area again and we will not stop until we find them."