Forty-nine people are missing after a tourist boat capsized off the popular island resort of Phuket in Thailand, according to officials.

Having earlier reported that at least seven people were missing after the vessel overturned in the Andaman Sea, the governor of the island has now upgraded the total.

The boat was carrying 97 passengers.

Governor Norraphat Plodthong revealed that only 48 people - all from a group of Chinese tourists - had been rescued so far, with all the others unaccounted for.

He earlier said that 90 people had been rescued from the boat, which was returning to Phuket from the island of Koh Racha when it came up against rough waves in the early evening.


Local police commander Teerapol Tipcharoen said the recovery operation would resume on Friday morning, and a relief operation centre has been set up at Chalong Bay.

In a separate incident in the same area at around the same time, another boat carrying 39 people - reportedly Chinese and European tourists - also capsized.

They have all been returned to land via large rubber life-rafts.

Officials had earlier issued a warning of severe weather until Tuesday, including heavy rain and strong winds, and they are now considering imposing a ban on boats going to sea in such conditions.