A bungling British tourist has been arrested after allegedly climbing into an empty shop while high on cannabis, then smashing the window to escape.

Shaun James Padden, 30, was seen inside the empty laser shooting game building while he rammed the walls with the metal bar in Phuket, Thailand.

Shocked tourists watched as he climbed through the broken glass and casually walked away down the bustling Bangla Road strip of bars on April 16, around 3am.

Officers from the Patong district arrived and found Shaun outside a bar, where they arrested him and took him to the station.

Shaun now faces having to pay the owner 70,000 Baht (1,600 GBP) or be jailed for up to three years for criminal damage.

Shocked onlookers told cops that Shaun had been causing a nuisance by shouting and disrupting other tourists before damaging the building.

Building owner Veerasak said: ‘When I heard about the incident, I went to the scene to check.

‘He probably climbed in through a side fence into the basement. He might have been looking for a toilet or somewhere to urinate because the building was closed.

‘When he tried to leave, he forgot the way he came in and couldn't find the exit and didn't know what to do.

‘He found a metal object and smashed the glass to escape, but he didn't steal anything from the building.

‘The glass pane was very large, and he was lucky that he wasn't injured when he broke it.

‘As soon as I found out, I told my staff to block off the area because it was really dangerous.'

Police Colonel Chalermchai Hoernsawat, superintendent of Patong Police Station, said that Shaun was fined for the lesser offence of 'causing a nuisance in public while drunk'.

However, the officer explained that the owner is now negotiating with Shaun to cover the bill for the damage, in order to avoid further charges and prosecution for criminal damage.

Police Colonel Chalermchai added: ‘The tourist has been charged with being intoxicated from alcohol or other substances to the point of losing self-control, and causing a public disturbance.

‘The building owner has also filed a complaint regarding the property damage. The case is likely to be settled through negotiation as it's a compoundable offence.

‘If the parties fail to reach an agreement, legal proceedings will continue.'

Police Captain Phongsathorn Photong of Patong Police Station added: ‘Before the incident, the foreigner had visited a cannabis shop and was intoxicated from smoking.

‘The scene was a vacant property that will be rented out soon. It's unclear how he went in, but he couldn't find the way out, so he smashed a glass window to escape.

‘He is okay now and has apologised and reconciled with the property owner. He is expected to pay for the damages tomorrow, and the total cost is about 70,000 baht.'

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.

Combined with the legalisation of cannabis and proliferation of other drugs, it has caused a perfect storm, with visitors often suffering side effects from the strong substances.

Doctors believe that the effects on tourists of a sudden intake of alcohol or cannabis can be amplified by dehydration from the hot weather, fried food, jet lag, tiredness and feeling of freedom that comes with being in a culture less restrictive than their homeland.