This is the shocking moment tourists rinsed their kitchenware in the sea on a beach in Thailand.

The pair ignored red flag weather warnings to wash their belongings in the shallows of Patong Beach in Phuket on Thursday.

Footage shows a male tourist dipping the box of dirty dishes and utensils into the water as large waves surge onto the shore.

His female companion filmed him on her phone before they carried the items back to their motorcycle and fled without being seen by lifeguards.

Onlooker Bung Wai said: 'They were a tourist couple who arrived at the beach on a motorcycle. They brought kitchenware such as dishes, bowls, pots, and a basin. At first, I thought they wanted to have a seaside picnic, but I was shocked to see them rinsing the dishes in the sea.'

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.