A British tourist was arrested for allegedly attacking a taxi driver who refused to accept his credit card.

Joseph Stephen Sweeney, 35, from Nottingham, use the ride-hailing app Bolt to book a trip back to his hotel from a night out in party hotspot of Pattaya in eastern Thailand.

But he reportedly flew into a rage in the early hours of December 31, when Phumin Phrommanok, 26, arrived to collect him and said he had no way of accepting card payments.

The shirtless holidaymaker was said to have struck the terrified local in the face despite the man's repeated apologies, leaving him bleeding on the pavement.

Joseph then ran through the crowded Walking Street area but was caught and restrained by several bystanders who witnessed the alleged assault.

Footage shows cops frogmarching the chiselled Brit through the bustling nightlife strip illuminated with neon signs and flashing billboards. He was hauled in handcuffs onto a police truck to be questioned at the local station.

Police Lieutenant Arnan Mahakitausawakul said: 'The British man said he did not start the fight and claims he was pushed first.

'We will review CCTV footage to determine the cause of the incident fairly for all parties involved, in order to proceed with legal action.'

Joseph told police during an initial interview at the station that 'he pushed me over'. He showed wounds on his knees from where he claims he fell.

'I didn't punch him, no,' he told police.

The injured motorcycle rider, Phumin said, he was using the ride-hailing app Bolt - a competitor to Uber in London and Grab in Southeast Asia, to collect the brit.

Phumin said: 'He told me he wouldn't go and ordered me to call a new taxi. Then he started yelling at me, asking why I wasn't going and asking if I could call a new taxi.

'I told him I couldn't accept his card and apologised. I kept apologising and saying 'sorry, sorry', and then after he punched me, he ran away.

'I called my friends and they chased after him and helped catch him. I want to bring up the issue with the relevant agencies dealing with foreigners who commit assaults like this, because in my case, I wasn't the one at fault. I was just punched for no reason.

'Then he ran and punched me again, and we chased after him and managed to restrain him. He didn't fight back.'

Phumin was treated at a hospital and received five stitches for a cut on his chin and lip.

Although card and digital payments are accepted by ride-hailing apps, they require the user to have bank accounts pre-registered. Cash can be used as an alternative method of payment.

Pattaya has become the country's flagship tourist destination, fuelled by the allure of bars, massage parlours, and cheap sex. It has been dubbed 'the sex capital of the world', with Western men able to find relationships and experiences not easily available in their homeland.

However, the region is now often seen as tarnishing the wider image of Thailand as a family-friendly holiday destination with stunning beaches, food and a rich history.