A British woman has been found dead on a beach in Thailand famous for hosting full moon parties.
Thai Police said the woman, 54, washed ashore on a beach on Koh Phangan in southern Thailand on Tuesday morning. Officers said there were no signs of assault on her body.
Police Lieutenant Pongnaphat Somboon of the Koh Phangan Police Station said: “An X-ray of the victim's body found a large amount of sand and water in her lungs.
“We believe the cause of death was drowning. We will call the British Embassy to notify her relatives.
“We do not believe there is anything suspicious but CCTV images will be checked to ensure that the death was accidental.”
The woman was taken to Koh Phangan hospital for a post-mortem examination.
Local media said the woman had been drinking on Monday night and went swimming at a beach near her bungalow.
Thai newspaper Maticon reported that the woman had been due to check out of her accommodation on June 11 - one day after the island’s full moon party.
She was discovered by a local villager Theerapong while he was out walking in the area at 6.30am on Tuesday morning.
Officers inspected her room and found her passport and belongings still there, according to the newspaper.
Full moon party are all-night beach gatherings that take place every month on the Haad Rin Beach on the night of, before or after every full moon. Thousands of backpackers attend the event.
The Independent has contacted the Foreign Office for comment.
