A British tourist survived crashing his motorcycle into a canal on Thai holiday island Phuket.

The male rider, 21, reportedly ploughed through a guardrail and plunged into the dirty channel near Patong Hospital on June 10.

His rented Honda 125cc slid down the muddy embankment, leaving him stranded in the filthy water.

Passers-by who heard the Brit shouting for help called a rescue team.

Footage shows officers winching the rented motorcycle back onto the road using a rescue sling.

They also pulled the holidaymaker, seen in photos wearing a white sando, shorts, and sneakers, to safety.

A volunteer said: 'The man was found with only minor injuries as he was not driving too fast. He was probably unfamiliar with the road.'

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.

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.