Mystery body might be from Phi Phi: Phuket police

PHUKET: Police believe the body of the man found by a dive tour yesterday afternoon may have been blown across the bay from the popular tourist islands of Phi Phi or even Lanta.

Chalong Police Duty Officer Tianchai Duangsuwan told the Phuket Gazette that the condition of the body indicated it had been in the water for several days.

“We estimate the man died about four days ago. He was about 40 years old. We cannot be sure whether he was Thai or foreign,” he said.

“The body might have originated from Koh Phi Phi or even Koh Lanta, as at this time of year the wind would carry it from there in that time,” he added.

One of the officers from the Phuket Tourist Rescue Center, based near Chalong Pier, concurred with this.

“We received the report at about 2pm via a mobile phone call. We headed out in one of the Rescue Center boats to Koh Racha Yai, about 25 kilometers south of Phuket, where the body was found,” he said.

The body is now at Vachira Phuket Hospital for further examination, the officer added.

— Atchaa Khamlo