Hundreds of half-naked sex workers fled in panic when a fire hit a sprawling strip club venue in Bangkok.

Flames emerged from the back of a gogo bar at the Nana Plaza sex Mecca, where three floors of sex bars are packed with young women being groped by holidaymakers.

Footage shows the chaos as those inside ran onto the street outside in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Security officers attempted to control the fire with an extinguisher but were unsuccessful. Firemen brought the inferno under control shortly after 1am.

Investigators believe the fire started in a pile of rubbish. The building was reportedly damaged, but no one was harmed in the incident.

One dancer said: ‘There was a fire above my office. Everyone was in panic. I thought the fire could spread. I'm thankful that nobody was hurt.'

Tourist Nick Richards, one of those who was inside a bar when the fire started, added: ‘The security guards were pretty efficient. They cleared everyone out into the street. It was a strange sight seeing all the frightened girls standing outside in their bikinis.'

The Nana Plaza is one of the best-known adult attractions in Asia. It is controlled by the Panthera Group, which includes several British expats.

Several hundred sex workers are available there each night, all crammed into small neon lap dancing bars.

Prices for their services can start from as little as 200 THB (4.78 GBP).