Two British tourists were arrested allegedly with cannabis in their suitcases at an airport in Thailand.

Shaun Eric Bainbridge, 36, from Middlesbrough, and Mark Searson-Smith, 23, from Liverpool, reportedly tried to slip the contraband through the Samui International Airport on the island of Koh Samui on March 13.

Hit series The White Lotus was recently filmed on the idyllic tropical island, where cannabis farms have sprung up since its legalization three years ago.

They were detained after routine inspections found vacuum-sealed cannabis buds packed inside their luggage.

A Romanian tourist, Marian Paul David, 48, and Dutch national Faesel Martires Modest, 57, were also detained for allegedly trying to smuggle marijuana out of the country.

Police said the illegal haul totalled 110 kilogrammes (around 240 lbs), adding the suspects had flights to London and Germany.

Footage shows Shaun ducking his head in embarrassment as police inspected the cannabis in front of the media.

A spokesman for the Bo Phut district station said: 'During interrogation, the suspects claimed they had been invited to Thailand with free travel, accommodation, and meals, under the condition that they transport suitcases filled with cannabis buds back to their home countries.

'They claimed that a Thai national delivered the bags to their hotel before departure, and all communications were conducted via Snapchat. They were promised payment upon successful delivery of the luggage.'

The tourists will be charged for violating the Customs Act, Traditional Thai Medicine Wisdom Protection and Promotion Act, and a public health regulation on controlled herbal substances.

They were detained at the Bo Phut Police Station for further legal proceedings.

Authorities said they believe the suspects were connected to a smuggling ring involving tourists.

Police have been tightening security at Thai airports amid a spate of cannabis smuggling attempts in recent weeks. With marijuana legal - and widely available - many addicts have attempted to stock up on the product before returning to their homelands.

Just a day earlier, four British tourists and a Malaysian man were arrested for alleged cannabis smuggling through the same airport.

The suspects - British passengers Mark Siemaszkiewicz, 46, Richard McMahon, 46, Oluwatosin Peace Adefila, 27, and Bose Esther Fakuade, 26, and Malaysian tourist Tick Chin Tan, 47 - reportedly stuffed seven suitcases with 144kg (320lbs) of marijuana buds.

On March 9, Daniel James Hallett, 38, from Hull, was detained by customs officials as he allegedly attempted to board a flight to London from the Krabi International Airport in the south of the country.

On March 4, British tourist Luziela Aaliyah Carvalho, 19, was reportedly caught with 35kg (80lbs) of marijuana while trying to board a plane at the Chiang Mai International Airport. She was scheduled to fly to Hong Kong before taking a second flight to London on Cathay Pacific flight CX 251 before officers allegedly detected the contraband in her luggage.

Her arrest came after three Malaysian nationals were blocked from trafficking marijuana through the same airport in the same week.

Thai authorities said they were discussing tighter security measures to intercept cannabis smugglers, who can achieve large profits from the arbitrage with their homelands.

Cannabis with under 0.2 per cent of THC was decriminalised in Thailand in June 2022, as a potential cash crop for impoverished farmers and ministers connected to the pharmaceutical industry. Cannabis smoking is allowed for personal use in private areas but remains prohibited in public spaces.

However, bungling officials are now seeking to outlaw recreational cannabis, blaming poorly regulated use for allegedly fuelling drug abuse and a rise in the the number of cases of tourists over-indulging in the drug.

Tourist destinations such as Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya have seen the negative consequences of legalising the drug, with tourists regularly arrested for misbehaving while under the influence of cannabis.