A British tourist was arrested for doing wheelies on a rented motorcycle in Thailand.

Ronnie Stanley Gillette, 22, reportedly violated traffic safety rules as he performed the stunt along a busy road in Krabi province, on January 21.

Footage shows the holidaymaker - who was also not wearing a helmet - speeding along the narrow road with one wheel of the hired bike in the air. He then spun around to do the same thing on the adjacent lane.

He was arrested by police after a video emerged of his stunts on social media.

Rescue volunteer Pornthep Bunsong said he filmed the Brit's 'inappropriate behaviour' during his lunch break.

He said: 'I was taking a break from work and walking near the beach when I noticed the man driving dangerously. What he did could have hurt the locals and other tourists, so I took out my phone to record him. I posted it on social media to warn other drivers not to behave the same way.'

Police Colonel Jetsada Saengsuree, superintendent of the local police station, said: 'The results of the investigation revealed that it was a video clip recorded on January 21 at around 12 noon. The driver of the motorcycle was Mr Ronnie Stanley Gillette, a British national. He was taken to the police station to face charges of reckless driving, according to the Land Traffic Act of 1979.

'The case has been forwarded to the court. The exact fine has not yet been determined.'

Under Thai law, reckless driving may be punished with a fine of up to 20,000 baht, up to one year in prison, or both.

Thailand has one of the world's worst road safety records. Ministers have set the goal of reducing fatalities from 32.7 deaths per 100,000 people to 12 per 100,000 people by the year 2027.

However, a lack of road safety education in schools along with notoriously easy driving tests, police failures to enforce road laws, and chronic under-investment in infrastructure, all appear to hamper the efforts.

On January 2, American tourist Philip Edward MC Morrow, 37, reportedly killed a pedestrian while speeding on his dirt bike in Chiang Mai province.

He was said to have been racing across the road when he struck villager Kia Sae-wang, 67, as she was about to buy dinner. Police detained the 'deeply remorseful' driver at the police station to face legal action.