Exasperated police have given up trying to control brawls on once-pristine Phuket - as yet another group of drunken tourists were recorded fighting outside bars.

The drunk holidaymakers sparked alarm as they exchanged blows along the Soi Bangla red-light district lined with cannabis dispensaries and bars on Phuket island, at 12:32 am on January 16.

Footage shows several male tourists squaring up to each other, while others try to calm them down. One bargoer was seen lying unconscious on the road after taking a nasty blow to the head.

Security guards scrambled to quell the raucous but avoided calling the police, who have now admitted that they have 'given up' trying to stop fights between tourists.

Speaking by phone in a recorded call, an officer from the Patong distinct station said: 'There were no reports filed with police about the fight in Soi Bangla at that time.

'Incidents like this are common now in Phuket and happen daily with tourists of various nationalities. It is typical for them to get drunk and argue, and sometimes even fight.

'We no longer investigate these kinds of fights. There is not much we can do and they will go home soon. We won't be opening a case into this and there have been no complaints.

'My advice is not to pay attention to these incidents. We don't worry about them.'

The disturbing incident is the latest involving tourists on Phuket island, which now resembles Spain's Costa del Sol region - another holiday destination popular among British tourists and expats.

Frustrated authorities in coastal Malaga City have installed billboards urging British tourists to 'dress completely' and 'keep the city clean'.

Phuket was marred by violence as the Thai government implemented a visa-free scheme to boost tourism revenue. But the policy has sparked outrage among locals claiming it has attracted crowds of 'low-quality' visitors to Thailand.

The rapid development and influx of millions of tourists also meant an ever-increasing amount of rubbish. The once sandy white beaches and crystal clear waters are now littered with growing piles of waste, with a staggering 1,000 tonnes of garbage hauled daily to a sprawling landfill on the island.

Locals have resorted to using air purifiers to battle the 'overpowering stench' permeating the former tropical paradise.

Suppachoke Laongphet, the Deputy Mayor of Phuket Municipality, said Phuket could be seeing a whopping 1,400 tonnes of trash per day by the end of the year.

Authorities were planning to expand the landfill and build new incinerators in efforts to make Phuket a sustainable tourist destination.