A British tourist has been arrested after allegedly starting a fire at a hotel in Thailand following a row with staff.

The 26-year-old man, from Guildford, Surrey, reportedly shouted at front desk staff at the Y Smart Hotel in Chiang Mai before setting fire to his room and running away on Wednesday evening.

Staff claim they saw smoke billowing out of his room as he left the hotel.

Emergency crews battled the fire at the four-storey building into the early hours, The Sun reports.

Police arrested the man on Thursday after tracing him on CCTV cameras from around the hotel.

Police Lieutenant Nattapon Kuenkam said: “The suspect has been arrested and investigations are continuing.

“He has been detained at the police station while we interview him and collect more evidence.

“We are going to determine whether he started the fire deliberately or not.”

Major General Thawatchai Pongwiwatchai said: “This is a serious case. The fire endangered the lives of many people.”

A receptionist told police that the Brit had arrived on Wednesday evening and wanted to book a hotel while he waited for a bus.