Pattaya, Chon Buri:- A 71-year-old Chinese tourist drowned in the Pattaya sea near Koh Lan Friday, police said.

Pol Lt Pasawat Siripornnopphakhun, an officer of Pattaya police station, was informed of the accident at 11:30 am Friday. He was told that the tourist drowned at the popular Tawaen beach on the island in Tambon Naklua in Bang Lamung district.

Pasawat, tourist police and rescuers from the Sawang Boribun Thammasathan Pattaya rushed to the scene on a speedboat.

They found the body of Wu Long You on the beach. He was wearing a black swimming trunk with no shirt. His body had no trace of being harmed.

A tour guide told police that Wu was a member of his tour group. The guide said he let the Chinese tourists swim or shop at the beach after he led them there.

After Wu swam for a while, he disappeared so the lifeguards were alerted. They searched and found him and brought him ashore. A guard gave him resuscitation but failed to bring him back. Witnesses told police that the man apparently fainted while swimming.

The body was sent to the Police Hospital in Bangkok for an autopsy. The Chinese embassy has been informed of the accident.

Koh Lan, which is off the Pattaya coast, is a popular destination for Chinese tourists because of its much cleaner and more beautiful sea, compared to the Pattaya beach.

Several drowning incidents at the island have been reported. For example, in April last year, Guo Burong, 57, drowned at the Thong Lang beach.

Tragic event. I wasn't aware that there were lifeguards patrolling beaches.

...at 71....even a bathtub is 'potentially dangerous'....and....never swim alone.........condolences.....

...at 71....even a bathtub is 'potentially dangerous'....and....never swim alone.........condolences.....

I agree. Someone should have kept an eye on the old man.

The water there is relatively shallow. It would take a while before you get in waist deep.