This is the shocking moment tourists attacked a lifeguard when he tried to warn against swimming in rough seas in Thailand.

Natthakit blew his whistle as the holidaymakers from Yemen ignored the red flags planted at Nai Han Beach in Phuket.

The lifeguard asked them to stay on the shore, but they allegedly insisted on swimming despite dangerous conditions on Monday.

A row erupted as he was set upon by the gang of beachgoers.

Footage shows Natthakit and his fellow lifeguards grappling with the tourists in the sand. Onlookers later intervened to stop the fighting.

Natthakit said he suffered a lip injury and has since filed a complaint at the Chalong district police station.

He said: 'At this beach, we work hard to ensure everyone strictly obeys the rules and regulations. This year, the number of casualties is still zero, and this gives us the encouragement we need to continue our duties.'

Beach drownings are a recurring safety concern in Thailand, especially in tourist hotspots like Phuket, Pattaya, and Krabi. The deaths are often attributed to strong rip currents, lack of swimming skills, and disregard for warning signage.

The waters are most dangerous during the country's rainy monsoon season, when red flags are placed in beaches to warn of dangerous sea conditions.

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.