PHANG-NGA: A Japanese tourist drowned after going swimming in the sea in front of a hotel in Takua Pa district of this southern coastal province on Saturday, the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre (THAI-MECC) Region 3 reported.
At about 12.20pm, Sirithorn Buakaew, deputy mayor of Tambon Khukkak Municipality, reported to the THAI-MECC office in Phangnga that the tourist had gone missing after entering the sea in front of the Moracea by Khao Lak Resort in tambon Khukkhak.
At 12.30pm, the 3rd Naval Area dispatched a special operations team from the Phangnga Naval Base for a search.
The body of the Japanese tourist, who was identified as Satoshi Sato, 46, was found in the sea by the search team at about 2.30pm and sent to a hospital for an autopsy.
The Japanese embassy had been informed of the incident, THAI-MECC said.