Four Thai men have been arrested and charged with the brutal assault of an elderly British couple and their middle-aged son who were punched and kicked unconscious.

Shocking CCTV footage has emerged on social media capturing the attack in the Thai resort town of Hua Hin during recent Buddhist new year celebrations.

The British tourists were named by the Bangkok Post as Lewis Owen, 68, his wife Rosemary, 65, and their son , also named Lewis, 43.

An unidentified witness who was also hit after he tried to help the victims said that drunken Thais were “primed” to attack Westerners after a long alcohol-fuelled evening of water fights.

The brutality and intensity of the attack shown on video and the ages of the older victims provoked outrage in Thailand and overseas when the footage was made public.