A British tourist has died after a suffering a severe reaction to magic mushrooms while on holiday in Thailand.

Raj Vader, 25, was enjoying a Christmas break with his girlfriend when he bought the hallucinogenic drug from a shop in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand.

The holidaymaker from Basildon, Essex, had a horrific instant reaction to the mushrooms - foaming at the mouth as he rolled around on the floor shaking in pain.

Medics arrived at the luxury resort where he was staying and questioned his partner, who admitted they had bought the items over the counter from a nearby cannabis shop called The Glory Days.

Officers today, December 24, raided the shop and arrested the owner on suspicion of selling category 5 narcotics. Police allegedly found sacks containing 7kg of magic mushrooms in the store room.

Police Major General Worapong Khamluea, Commander of the Investigation Division, said: ‘The tourist had been taking pictures at the Tha Pae Gate, a famous landmark, with his girlfriend then they went to a shop and bought magic mushrooms.

‘He took them back to their hotel room and consumed them. But 40 minutes later he foamed at the mouth and collapsed from the reaction to the substance.

'Officers initially checked the store but found no mushrooms on the premises but discovered them in a storage room used by the owner.

'Four suspects were arrested, including the owner and three employees.'

Police said the death happened on December 20. They sent an undercover officer posing as a customer into the store today and they bought a small bag of mushrooms for 500 Baht (11.68 GBP).

The drugs squad then stormed into the building to arrest the owner, Khun Ploy, who admitted she had sold the mushrooms to the victim.

She was taken to the station and remanded in custody to be charged with ‘selling and possessing Category 5 narcotics without permission'.

The jail term is a minimum of two years and a maximum of 10 years behind bars, along with a fine of between 40,000 and 200,000 Baht.

Police Major General Worapong Khamluea added: ‘The suspect will be interrogated further to find her supplier of the drugs and they will also be arrested.

‘Possessing magic mushrooms is illegal and tourists should not buy them or use them in the country. The effects are similar to LSD and can be very dangerous.'

Police Colonel Sitha Kamlerd, Superintendent of the Mae Rim district station, said Raj's girlfriend told officers that the shopkeeper offered the magic mushrooms.

She told cops: 'Raj began feeling unwell after 20 minutes. He was being sick after 40 minutes and passed out.

'We had been sightseeing a few hours before it happened.'

Police said the British Embassy in Bangkok has already informed the family of the victim.

Thailand legalised cannabis in 2022 causing an explosion in gaudy neon-lit dispensaries around the country. But the poorly thought of legislation has seen a surge in mental illness, crime and the sale of other drugs through the stores.