A British bodybuilder was arrested for allegedly hitting his friend on the head with a pistol on the Thai island Phuket on New Year's Day.

Tourist Jamie Ian Bryant, 38, and his friend Dwayne Francis Geoffrey were riding a tuk-tuk cab to have dinner at a restaurant when they began arguing on January 1 evening.

While they were pulling into an alley, Jamie allegedly flew into a rage and pulled out a pistol before striking Dwayne on the head with the hard metal butt, leaving him bloodied in the taxi as he fled the scene.

Shocked tuk-tuk driver Charnchai Petchin reported the attack to the Kamala Police Station and called medics for help. Jamie, from Darlington, County Durham, was arrested with a Thai woman the next day.

He said: 'I heard one of the passengers say he wanted to return to their hotel to charge his phone. They started arguing, and suddenly one of the men produced a gun and hit his friend with it several times until the magazine fell out.

'I couldn't stop him because he was big and muscular. When he left, I parked the tuktuk and called the police.'

Police Colonel Somsak Thongkliang, superintendent of the Kamala Police Station, said: 'The suspect is a man with a muscular appearance, a muscular body, about 30 years old, and about 165 cm tall. He was reported to have used a gun to hit his foreigner friend in the head. He is believed to have escaped into the Soi Kamala area.'

Dwayne was taken to a hospital and treated for his injuries.

Meanwhile, police and immigration officials launched a search for the missing Jamie. They checked CCTV footage and found he had fled to his accommodation at the Believe Villas in Kamala on January 2.

Officers raided Jamie's room and found a pair of blood-spattered shoes and his passport.

They then questioned the landlord, who told them the fugitive Brit was staying with his Thai girlfriend Chanidapha Wanichayapatharapol at the Central Gear Hotel.

Officers converged at the hotel and were greeted by Chanidapha at the door while Jamie was in the shower. He was summoned out of the bathroom and reportedly surrendered without resistance.

Jamie allegedly confessed to attacking Dwayne and to owning the firearm used in the assault. He has not clarified the cause of his argument with Dwayne.

Jamie led the cops to a spot along Chaofa Mine Road, where he had disposed of the bloody firearm wrapped in a white shirt. There was also a box of ammunition labelled 'SHELL SHOCK NAS' with 36 9mm bullets.

Authorities said he was facing charges for assault, possession of a firearm, and causing bodily harm. He was detained at the police station pending legal proceedings.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Panthasak Chaithong said: 'The British suspect is a tourist, according to his passport. He has been detained and will be prosecuted according to the law.

'The tuk-tuk driver was the person who made the emergency call. They were frightened by the attack in their vehicle.

'Phuket is a safe place for tourists and families, so we will not tolerare any kind of violence here.'