Locals were outraged by a BBC documentary claiming to expose the dark side of Thailand.

The British broadcaster sparked backlash among Thais after releasing the feature titled 'Thailand: The Dark Side of Paradise' on September 8.

Hosted by reality TV star Zara McDermott, the documentary tackled the underbelly of popular nightlife districts such as Pattaya, which has been dubbed the Thai 'Sin City' for frequent crimes and its bustling sex trade.

Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, president of the Association of the Chonburi Tourism Federation, said Thai authorities were trying to rebrand the depraved resort town as a more family-friendly destination.

He said: 'We won't deny some facts presented in the documentary, but we are also promoting alternative tourism products to tackle those images.'

He also proposed segregating red-light establishments and regulating cannabis shops in the city.

The official added: 'Even though Pattaya is still known for its nightlife, it now offers a range of family-friendly attractions, including botanical gardens, water parks, and golf courses.'

Chiravadee Khunsub, deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas at the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said she believed the documentary would not deter British tourists from visiting Thailand.

She added that many British visitors, who account for around one million arrivals each year, were repeat travellers.

She said: 'The TAT continues to promote the country, including recent campaigns involving Thai-British Formula 1 driver Alex Albon. Thailand also welcomed over 708,000 British tourists in the first eight months of the year.'

Tiwa Shintadapong, president of the Thai Investors Association, said he was 'stunned and shocked' after watching the documentary.

He said: 'As a Thai, I understand that our country has both bright and dark sides. Crime and grey areas are real problems, and talking about them is something that should be done to lead to solutions.

'But from what I saw in the video, it seems like they intended to present the worst picture possible to make it interesting and shocking for viewers, as if they almost forgot this is the Thailand that we know and love. I think that it was too harsh.'

The BBC reportedly approached several foreign YouTubers in Thailand, saying they planned to showcase the creators' lifestyles in the country, but made no mention of the country's 'dark side'.

Mike Yu, a British YouTuber who appeared in the documentary, said: ‘At that time, I didn't feel they were filming a strange series, I thought this is just a normal series.

‘I didn't know they wanted to film something bad because I didn't know which parts of Thailand are dangerous.

‘Actually, I mostly just went to markets, gyms, meeting friends. I didn't know anything about the dark side of Thailand.'