Tourist dies on island adventure

CHALONG: A 30-year-old Taiwanese tourist died while snorkeling off Koh Hei about noon on Wednesday. Police named him as Hsu Chi Jen. An officer said that although Mr Hsu was wearing a lifejacket, he appeared to have panicked and choked on water. The man was among a group of tourists who had made a day trip on a speedboat from Chalong to look at coral off the island. Pol Cap Theerawat Liamsuwan said, “He died in water that was not very deep. It happened while the group was snorkeling, and that’s why nobody noticed.” Found floating face down, the man was plucked from the sea and taken to Bangkok Phuket Hospital where he was pronounced dead. His body remains at the hospital.