A BRITISH tourist was left covered in blood after fighting a knife-wielding BOXER who allegedly stole his bag on a beach.

Fraser William Cowen, 23, was paddling in the sea with friends when he saw the thug run off with his belongings in Krabi, southern Thailand, on Sunday.

He sprinted after Suwit Puengsom – a former professional Muay Thai boxer – as he was trying to make a getaway on a motorcycle.

And brave Fraser is seen on CCTV video footage leaping at the thief and wrestling him to the ground. 

They went toe-to-toe while grappling with each other before the martial arts expert bit Fraser's thumb, pulled out a knife and made off with the bag.

Fraser, from Plymouth, Devon, was covered in cuts following the scrap – but still cracked a smile while recovering at the police station. 

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He said:  "I’d had quite a few drinks so I wasn’t really thinking. If I was, I might not have chased after him. 

"I saw him take my stuff and I thought ‘hang on, I’m not letting him get away with that'.

"It was more like an act of stupidity rather than bravery.  I just ran after him.

"If I’d known the thief was a boxer with a knife I probably wouldn't have done it.

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"I just ran over and kind of dived at the motorbike. I actually headbutted the bike which knocked him to the ground.

"We were going toe-to-toe fighting for about two minutes. We were wrestling and I was just trying to overpower him.

"I had hold of my bag to stop him from leaving then he bit my thumb. I was like ‘Oi, bro, let go of my thumb’.

"Then he pulled out a knife and was waving it around. He cut the strap of the bag and then ran away.

"It was just pure animal instinct that took over. I was hardly thinking."

Fraser said the bag had cash, credit cards, a phone, and hotel keys in it, but he said the local police were quick to react.

They arrested Suwit, 31, on Tuesday and he admitted stealing the Brit's bag at the Ao Nang beach in the early hours of the morning.

Fraser added: "I wasn't afraid. I just wanted to stop him from taking my stuff.

"I'm really grateful for how fast the police caught the thief. I can't thank them enough."

Police Colonel Somsak Thongkliang said: "Suwit still had an injury on his right knee while trying to escape from the tourist.

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"The suspect was a famous Thai boxer with the nickname Den-Saenchai. We have already detained him and brought him to Ao Nang police station for further legal proceedings."

The suspect was remanded in custody and is due to appear in court today.

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