Foreigner found dead on Phuket beach

Rescue workers prepare to take the body of an unidentified foreign man who was found floating dead on Surin beach in Phuket province to Thalang Hospital on Saturday morning. (Photo by Achadtaya Chuenniran)

PHUKET — A foreign man was found dead on Surin beach in Thalang district of this island province on Saturday morning.

The unidentified foreign tourist in his 50s was found floating face-down near the beach in tambon Choeng Thalay, said Pol Lt Peerasit Noophayak, a deputy investigation chief at Choeng Thalay police station.

The death was reported to police at about 7am on Saturday by a foreigner who went jogging along the beach.

There were no traces of a struggle on the body of the man, wearing a grey T-shirt and sports trousers, said Pol Lt Peerasit.

No identification papers were found on the man, who was about 180-185cm tall. Some 90-baht cash was found on him. He was believed to have died at least 6-8 hours before his body was discovered, said the officer.

Police sent his body to Thalang Hospital for a post-mortem examination to establish the cause of his death.

Authorities believed he might have fainted and drowned while taking a walk alone along the beach on Friday. They would check hotels in the area to see whether any foreign guest was missing.