“The man* is a Chinese-born American, and was rescued by a foreigner at the beach,” Tha Chatchai Police Chief Col Prawit Suttiruangarun explained to The Phuket News this afternoon (Sept 20).
“He is an American citizen, but his birth place is China,” Col Prawit said.
The man arrived in Phuket with a 32-year-old female companion, and checked in at his hotel near Mai Khao Beach on Sept 15, he added.
“The incident happened at 11:30 am yesterday. He was found floating in the water where red flags had been posted,” he said. (See initial report here.)
“There were no lifeguards on duty along that part of the beach,” Col Prawit noted.
“He is now at Bangkok Hospital Phuket. He remains comatose and is on life support in the ICU. His blood pressure is better, but his brain had gone without oxygen for too long,” Col Prawit explained.
“Now we are waiting for his relatives to make a decision,” he added.
* The man's name withheld at the family's request.