A Hong Kong tourist was arrested for crashing into an electric pole while allegedly high on cannabis.

Jason Oscar Egbe, 27, reportedly smoked marijuana with his friends before crashing his black Suzuki Ciaz into a power pole in Soi Bun Samphan 9 in Chonburi, Thailand, on May 23.

Police responded to the accident and found Jason nonchalantly napping on a reclined seat inside the vehicle with the airbags deployed.

When officers tried to speak with him, he merely hugged a friend's pet cat and dog which were in the car with him at the time of the accident.

Police eventually dragged Jason out of the car when he refused to wake up after 20 minutes.

The allegedly drug-addled driver is seen on the video flashing a sleepy smile as he was loaded onto the police truck.

Jason's friend, Patiphan Pongruea, 23, said he had been smoking cannabis before trying to drive back to his hotel.

However, as he began to feel drowsy, he was said to have parked his car on the side of the road, blocking someone's house. 

Patiphan said: 'I told him to just drive away because I was worried he would disturb the residents. He told me to get out of the car. He crashed into the pole after that.'

Captain Somsak Nangthai from the local police station, said: 'We have apprehended the driver and checked his alcohol levels. We have also removed the car obstructing the scene. Traffic in the area has returned to normal.'

The officer said that as cannabis was no longer considered a drug, they were not sure how to handle the incident.

Captain Somsak added: 'The driver will have to pay for the damage and pay compensation to the people affected.'

Cannabis was de-listed as a banned narcotic in Thailand in June 2022.

Bungling Thai authorities are now scrambling to regulate its use as officials report a rising number of marijuana addictions per month and an eruption of tens of thousands of gaudy neon-lit shops selling marijuana.

Officials now plan to outlaw recreational cannabis, blaming poorly regulated use for allegedly fuelling drug abuse.