While many escaped the worst of the high winds and heavy rain, air and ferry links were cut off meaning many holidaymakers were left stranded, forcing them to extend their stays.

The Bangkok Post, citing the country’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, on Monday reported the storm affected more than 700,000 people across 23 provinces. Four people are understood to have died.

Storm Pabuk made landfall in Pak Phanang district on Thailand’s southerly east coast, around 100 miles from Krabi and Phuket on the country’s west coast.

It also affected the islands of Koh Tao, Koh Phangnan and Koh Samui, but district chief Krikkrai Songthanee said the islands, where visitor numbers usually peak over Christmas and New Year, “were almost empty” when the storm hit.

While some tourists were pictured heading to the mainland by boat, the authorities banned some sailings with seven metre waves forecast.

Songthanee told the AFP news agency as many as 10,000 tourists were still on Koh Samui when the storm hit.

The Foreign Office warned: “Tropical Storm Pabuk made landfall on the southern coast of Thailand at 12.45pm local time on January 4, 2019.

“This is affecting boat sailings and flights in affected areas, which may include Surat Thani (Koh Samui, Koh Pha Ngan and Koh Tao), Chumporn, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phuket, Krabi, Trang, Ranong, Phang Nga, Satun and Song Khla, as well as Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat.

“You should check your travel plans with transport providers before leaving your hotel or home, follow instructions from local authorities and monitor weather warnings from the Thai Meteorological Department.”