A Swedish tourist who wrestled a ladyboy to the ground suffered severe head wounds when he was then beaten by dozens of her friends.

The 36-year-old holidaymaker allegedly attacked a transgender sex worker in a drunken rampage when they accosted him in Bangkok, Thailand.

Footage shows him thrashing the crossdresser by the hair as onlookers were heard screaming on September 23. He then violently hurled the sex worker onto the pavement, whose head narrowly missed a set of steps, before fleeing the scene.

More than 20 transgender onlookers who were friends with the ladyboy were then seen chasing the tourist through traffic along Soi Sukhumvit 7/1. They beat him when they caught up, then dragged him to the police station to be questioned.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Pairat Kamlee of the Lumphini Police Station said today: ‘Someone reported the incident to the police, and he was taken to our station.

‘When he arrived, he was still intoxicated. After sobering up, we showed him video evidence filmed by witnesses at the scene, which clearly showed him assaulting the victims.

‘He said he was very sorry, saying he could not remember his actions and felt guilty about the incident.

‘Some Thai people had beaten him during the rampage, likely in an attempt to protect the two women, who had sustained serious injuries, including split lips and bleeding mouths.

‘We are unsure which bar he had been at or if he had met the victims there beforehand, but he was heavily intoxicated.

‘The case has now been resolved, with both the victims and the suspect having entered a mediation process under the Mediation Act.

‘There is no longer any conflict between the parties. The victims requested compensation, which the foreigner agreed to pay.'

Officials did not disclose the identities of those involved or the exact cause of the Swedish man's rampage.

Thailand's transgender women, often called 'ladyboys', are visible in the country's entertainment and sex industry.

But the group sometimes faces discrimination, prejudice and violence, often due to disputes or misunderstandings with foreign tourists.