Body of foreign man found floating off Phuket

PHUKET: A Thai fishing boat this morning found the body of a caucasian man floating in the waters between Racha Yai Island and Coral Island, to the south of Phuket.

Samnieng Srisan of the Phuket Tourist Rescue Center at Chalong Pier told the Phuket Gazette that the squid fishing boat Sor Naja made the discovery at about 10:15am.

“The body is of a fair-skinned foreign male dressed in a black singlet and gray shorts. There was no ID found on the body,” he said.

Phuket Ruamjai rescue workers and officers from the Chalong Police boarded a tourist rescue center boat to recover the body from the Sor Naja.

“The team returned to Chalong Pier at about 1pm. The body was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital [in Phuket Town],” Mr Samnieng said.

Rescue workers estimated the man to have been about 45 years old.

“He was white skinned with red hair. We cannot estimate any more than that due to the condition of the body. Officers believe he died about five days ago,” Mr Samnieng said.

“There were no visible wounds on the body. We suspect that the man may have drowned,” he added.

— Pimwara Choksakulpan