A 22-year-old Ugandan tourist was found drowned in the swimming pool of a villa in Phuket's Kamala area early on Thursday, 23 July 2026.

Kamala police said Claire Nabimanya was found face down at the bottom of the pool at the villa in Kathu district. Her body has been sent to Vachira Phuket Hospital for an autopsy.

Emergency responders alerted police at about 05:15 after receiving a report that a foreign tourist had drowned. Rescue workers had received and responded to an earlier medical emergency call at around 04:30.

Police examine account from Indian tourist

An Indian tourist who reported the death told investigators that he had arrived in Thailand on the first day of his holiday and met Nabimanya at an entertainment venue on Bangla Road.

According to police, the pair drank alcohol before returning to the villa. The man said they entered the swimming pool at about 04:00.

He told officers that Nabimanya was not a strong swimmer. The pool was about two metres deep and had a sloping floor, he said, and she appeared to get into difficulty before drowning.

The man said he tried to rescue her but was unsuccessful. He then left the pool and attempted to call 191, Thailand's police emergency number, but could not get through before contacting the 1669 medical emergency hotline.

Police later tested 191 using the witness's phone and confirmed that they too were unable to connect.

No pool safety equipment found

Officers who inspected the villa confirmed that the pool was about two metres deep. They found no lifesaving equipment nearby.

Investigators reported no evidence of a struggle, while the villa room had not been disturbed. The Indian tourist was taken for further questioning and underwent a drug test as part of standard procedure.

Police are coordinating with the Ugandan Embassy to update Nabimanya's family and make arrangements to repatriate her body.

The autopsy is expected to establish further details about Nabimanya's death.

Picture courtesy of Khaosod

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24 July 2026

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Where's all the keyboard detectives? Times a wasting.

We need to solve this crime, I mean accidental drowning. 😶‍🌫️

Small pool, only a few feet from where you can stand, and he couldn't pull her there?