Personnel at the Thai Maritime Enforcement Centre Region 3 (Thai-MECC 3) branch in Phang Nga were informed of the drowning incident, near Island 7 in the Similans archipelago, at about 1:45pm.
The Chinese man was on a speedboat tour of the islands from Phuket, reported Capt Pichet Songtan, Director of Thai-MECC 3’s Public Relations Division.
He was seen struggling in the water, and rendered immediate assistance. The man was rushed to a medical facility at the Similan Islands, then brought ashore on the mainland at the Thap Lamu Pier.
He was then transported to the Khao Lak Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
The man’s name was not released pending the notification of relatives.
The exact cause of death was not released, though some local reports already mark the man’s death as the result of drowning.