Police named the dead man as Dario Bartolati, 32, and said he apparently lost his control of the motorcycle on the winding road on the hill above the Centara Grand Resort while riding from Patong to Karon in the early morning.
Called to the scene, police and rescue workers found Mr Bartolati lying face down next to the roadside ditch. The red-plate Ducati he was riding was 20 metres away.
The Italian was not wearing a helmet and died from severe head injuries.