Police are hunting a tourist who reportedly drilled through a wall to raid a cannabis shop in Thailand.

The holidaymaker was said to have bored a hole through the gypsum wall of the Sansuk Smokeweed dispensary on tourist island Phuket in the early hours of March 22.

CCTV footage shows the masked suspect entering the premises at around 4 am. He then covered the security camera with a cloth before looting the store of cannabis and cash.

Shop owner Jomkwan, 24, discovered the break-in later that morning, when she arrived and found the gaping hole in the wall, and the shop shelves stripped of her products.

Police Major Rapeephan Chumtham said the theft was reported at around 11:53 am. He said: 'The suspect managed to steal 5.3 ounces (150 grammes) of dried cannabis worth around 30,000 Baht, 2,000 baht from the cash register, and a large speaker. We will conduct an investigation into this case.'

Authorities said they were reviewing CCTV footage in the area to track down the robber who is believed to be a holidaymaker on the island.

Cannabis with under 0.2 per cent of THC was decriminalised in Thailand in June 2022, as a potential cash crop for impoverished farmers. 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.

The once-pristine island of Phuket has been marred by over-tourism as the Thai government implements a visa-free scheme to boost revenue following the barren pandemic years.

The island saw 800,000 foreign visitors last year alone.

However, angry locals claim the push for tourist dollars has attracted crowds of 'low-quality' visitors from Russia, India and Australia. There are also fears that the island has become an enclave of criminal activity, with police unable to control street fights and more organised ruffians setting up rackets among local businesses.

Phuket officials said they are implementing tighter immigration controls and screening processes amid a wave of drug-related crimes and illegal activities on the island.