A British tourist has been arrested over an alleged fight with tuk-tuk drivers in Thailand.

Jack Mark Paul Hoban from Manchester was riding his rented scooter with friends when one of them allegedly crashed into a tuk-tuk on the island of Phuket on Tuesday evening.

But while the group of foreigners and the local man, Armin Longklang, began arguing, hotheaded Paul allegedly leapt up from his bike and threw a punch at the man.

Footage shows Paul, wearing a black shirt, grappling with the local. He quickly returned to his hired moped with his friends while reportedly rushing to leave the scene.

An investigating officer said: ‘We tracked down the tourist and identified him as Jack Mark Paul Hoban. We went to his hotel address and took him into custody.'

Tuk-tuk-driver Armin complained to the police about the alleged attack. He was joined by another local and taxi driver Khun Adisak, who also filed a complaint with the police that the British rider harassed them during a road rage incident on the same night.

Speaking with police, he said: ‘I was waiting for a passenger outside a nightclub. He parked his motorcycle right in front of my taxi so I honked in response.

‘But he was enraged and gestured with the middle finger on me.'

The taxi driver allegedly answered the British man with the middle finger before the furious foreigner banged on his door and fled.

After reviewing footage and CCTV around the area, Paul was later identified and caught by police in front of a hotel on Wednesday, where he allegedly attempted to escape but to no avail.

Officers asked to check his passport but tried to walk away, but the police followed and arrested him.

The British tourist was taken to Patong Police Station where the drivers positively identified him, and pointed at him in the police pictures.

Paul was held in custody while investigations on the incident are ongoing.