This is the shocking moment a female Middle Eastern tourist was attacked by Thai men on a busy street in Phuket.

Footage shows the woman, in a black top and grey sweatpants, being chased by a male crossdresser. They were then seen brawling along the notorious Soi Bangla nightlife strip in the early hours of the morning on June 3.

They pulled each others' hair and traded blows as they wrestled on the ground, with concerned onlookers trying to calm them both down.

Other tourists were seen recording the chaotic clash.

The two eventually went their separate ways after tiring themselves out. Locals said the cause of the fight was unclear.

A nearby vendor said: 'It's getting scarier every day. Where are all the police? Are they not on duty? These incidents have become commonplace here, and it's ruining our reputation among tourists.'

The incident is the latest of Thai ladyboys, or men who dress as women, involved in violence.

Thai ladyboys, known locally as 'kathoey', are transgender women or crossdressing effeminate men often visible in Thailand's tourism and entertainment industries.

Many of them are employed in red-light districts, often offering sex services to curious tourists.