Hundreds of shoppers queued to buy the new iPhone 17 on the first day of its release in Thailand.

Lines of customers formed outside the Apple store at the CentralWorld shopping mall in Bangkok on September 19.

Some desperate fans even spent the night outside the building in hopes of being among the first to purchase the latest handset.

To manage the crowd, staff began distributing wristbands from 4 am, ahead of the official sales launch at 8 am.

Many of those waiting in line had travelled from neighbouring countries. Vietnam also rolled out the iPhone 17 on the same day.

Pre-orders in Thailand were reportedly higher than during the previous iPhone launch, alongside an increase in the number of imported units.

However, authorities noted that Apple Thailand faced initial supply shortages due to the simultaneous global release. Additional stock is expected to arrive in the coming weeks.

Among the most in-demand models were the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Max, particularly in the newly introduced Cosmic Orange colour.

On Apple Thailand's official website, the iPhone 17 starts at 29,900 baht (690 GBP) for the 256GB model.

The device is available in five colours, including Lavender, Sage, Mist Blue, White, and Black.

The iPhone 17 is Apple's latest entry-level flagship, equipped with the new A19 chip, a 6.3-inch Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion, and a 48MP Dual Fusion camera system.

Other upgrades include enhanced durability with Ceramic Shield 2, faster charging, and an 18MP front-facing camera featuring Centre Stage for improved group selfies.

Bagging the current iPhone on its first day of release has become an annual ritual around the world, with consumers in rapidly developing economies joining the procession.