Police are searching for a British bar owner who allegedly attacked the female Thai manager over the lack of customers at his shop.

Nigel Anthony Brown, 59, reportedly beat Samorn Laksamee, 49, as he accused her of mismanaging his pub in Thai 'Sin City' Pattaya, eastern Thailand.

Samorn had just finished a bank transaction for her boss when he began insulting and shouting at her in the early hours of Monday, September 29.

Speaking at the police Pattaya City Police Station today, she said: ‘I did not know the cause, but we argued because the bar did not have any customers.

'He told me that I was not good for his bar and fired me at around 2 to 3 am. I asked him if he could wait for me to leave until morning, but he said no and threw all of my clothes away.'

The furious Brit, from Pinner in Harrow, northwest London, allegedly slapped and kicked Samorn, dragged her by the hair down a flight of stairs, then kicked her out onto the pavement before a bystander called police.

When a patrol officer intervened, Nigel reportedly tried to settle the dispute with Samorn but later changed his mind and re-hired her.

However, Samorn claimed she continued to suffer regular beatings, prompting her to lodge a complaint today, October 3.

The battered manager showed the large dark bruises blooming on her arms and thighs. She urged police to arrest her boss, saying: ‘Two weeks ago was the first time he physically assaulted me. He has now assaulted me three times, but September 28 to 29 was the worst.

'Before that, it wasn't as severe, but he was slapping, choking, pushing me down from the third floor to the second, and throwing me out onto the street. Normally, he doesn't drink and has no aggressive behaviour, and is usually cheerful and ordinary.

'We asked him why he was hurting me. He said it was because of poor management that kept customers away from the store. But in reality, he wanted to bring in his new girlfriend to manage the business instead of me.

'He sold everything in England to come live in Pattaya. When I first met him, he was with his ex-wife at the bar she ran with him, which was also their residence upstairs. We stayed in the same place, so we became friends.

'Later, he separated from his wife. The bar was under her name so he had to move out. Then he asked me to help him find a bar, because he couldn't return to England. He had sold everything to live here and open a bar. Once he had what he wanted, I quit my job to help him run the store.

'But then he kicked me out and wanted another woman to replace me.'

Officers said they are searching for the Brit in order to interview him and get his version of events.

Police Captain Tanongsak Inphadung, the investigating officer, said: 'Right now we need to question the accused first, because the incident happened on the September 29, but the victim only filed the complaint the next day. Since this is a retroactive case, we must obtain details from both sides first.

'The complainant wants the most serious charges, but there were no witnesses or CCTV footage to be used as evidence. The police will have a meeting with the woman and the man to discuss the situation first.'

The bar called Sweets Lounge, where patrons can drink with scantily clad Thai women, has been open for less than a week and is reportedly struggling against dozens of rival clubs across the seedy tourist town.

Tourists are caught up in crime, leading Pattaya to be dubbed 'Sin City'.

Embarrassed officials in the central government have launched tourism initiatives to attract families and rebrand Pattaya as a safe destination.

Authorities have also introduced safety measures, such as improved lighting and CCTV.

Despite some success in cleaning up the town's image, alcohol and sex remain its biggest draws, often leading to a high rate of crime and accidents.