A feisty Russian female tourist was seen fighting with a security guard after allegedly dodging an entrance fee to a landmark on a Thai island.

Ekaterina Kuzmenko, 33, and her boyfriend went to visit a giant rock on top of a hill called ‘Overlap Stone Viewpoint’ on Koh Samui on January 1 when the incident happened.

The couple was taking selfies when caretaker and guard Mangkorn Hinmai, 57, approached them angrily after they allegedly failed to pay the 50 baht (1.10 GBP) per person entrance fee.

He pointed out a handwritten sign at the entrance which reads ‘Please pay before entering… thank you very much’.

Mangkorn then allegedly hit the woman’s face during the argument which the tourist claimed injured her cheek, nose, and rib. She was then seen picking up part of a broken fence and hurling it at the Thai man before walking away.

Ekaterina was later checked for injuries at a nearby hospital while officers arrested the security guard.

Thai man Mangkorn told police that he reacted instinctively after the woman tried to slap him first.

He said: ‘They provoked me because they didn’t pay. They were angry when I asked them for money.’

After the scuffle, Ekaterina filed a complaint to the local tourist police station showing her medical report which cost her 5,920 baht (131 GBP) and claimed that the man had damaged her necklace and sunglasses worth 30,000 baht (663 GBP).

Ekaterina said that the local had become aggressive to her and she was defending herself.

Mangkorn was later arrested on suspicion of assault while the investigations continued. The tourist attraction’s private owner also apologised to Ekaterina for the incident and brought her a hamper.

Inspector Colonel Athiwat from the island’s Tourist Police division said: ‘The woman and her boyfriend had travelled to Thailand since December 18, 2021.

‘They had travelled to many places, including Phuket, Krabi and Koh Samui. We are seeing these kinds of incidents again because of the return of tourism.’