SURAT THANI: Volunteer rescuers and police have received a thumbs-up for helping five tourists unable to find their way out of a jungle on Koh Samui on Sunday night.
Provincial governor Wichuwit Jinto on Monday hailed a team of volunteers and Koh Samui police after they rescued five foreigners who had lost their bearings at Na Muang 2 waterfall in Samui district after dark.
The island's Rescue Centre received an alert from a hotel at 8pm on Sunday: Two lost tourists had sent an SOS with their location somewhere in the jungle surrounding the waterfall. While searching for the two men - Spaniard Alexandra Jimeno and Brazilian Eder Fonseca, both 29 - the rescue team stumbled upon three more tourists who had lost their way in the same area.
The three were identified as James Macalary, 24, and Tessa Harris, 18, both from the UK, and Canadian David Landry, 32.
They were safely returned to their hotels before rescuers resumed their search for theremaining pair.
Mr Jimeno and Miss Fonseca were found two hours later, looking thoroughly exhausted, rescuers said.
The two tourists and hotel staff commended the rescue team and police officers for their efforts.