Drowned foreigner identified

PATONG: The foreigner who drowned off Patong on August 29 has finally been identified after relatives saw his photograph in the news section of the Gazette Online. For six weeks local police had hoped that someone would come forward to claim the unidentified man’s body. They issued descriptions of the man and finally passed a photograph to the Gazette. After the photograph went online, the Gazette was contacted by relatives who identified the dead man as Thomas Legren, from Stockholm. They said that he had gone on holiday to Thailand but had not returned when expected. Follow-up inquiries by the Swedish consulate in Phuket and the Swedish embassy in Bangkok confirmed the victim’s identity. Pol Lt Col Sanguan Muangtham of Kathu Police station told the Gazette that Mr Legren’s body had been exhumed from its temporary grave behind Surakul Stadium and had been sent to Bangkok for an autopsy by a Swedish doctor before being flown back to Sweden for burial. One mystery remains, Col Sanguan said. “We have not been able to find his personal belongings because we can’t find out where he was staying in Phuket.” He appealed for anyone with information to contact him at 076-342719/20. Meanwhile, police in Chalong have appealed for help in identifying another foreigner who drowned at Karon beach on October 13. Anyone with information is urged to call Pol Capt Chana Sutimard at 076-381247, or to email the Gazette at info@phuketgazette.net.