THE BODY of a British woman who had drowned while on a month-long holiday at Koh Phangan was found wearing an orange bra but no underwear at Chao Phrao beach yesterday (June 3), Naewna newspaper said.
Pol. Col. Aphichat Chansamret, superintendent of Koh Phangan police station, identified the British woman as Ms. Alison Stuart, 54. Her orange underwear was found washed up on the beach five metres away from the body.
A police team cordoned off and inspected the scene together with a forensic science officer and a doctor from Koh Phangan.
Initial examination of her body found lying face down on the beach did not show any signs of assault but there were minor abrasions and bruises on her hip and left back torso. Those acquainted with Stuart said the injury was from a fall a day earlier while still alive.
Her body was taken for an X-ray at Koh Phangan Hospital and initially a lot of sand and water was found in her lungs and it was assumed she had died six to eight hours earlier.
The owner of a bungalow near the spot where she was found drowned said the deceased had checked in on May 14, 2025 and scheduled to leave on June 11, 2025.
He added that the deceased had the habit of swimming and drinking alcohol all day. The day earlier she had an accident while drunk, falling in front of a convenience store around a hundred metres away from the bungalow, with her head and body hitting the floor and causing minor abrasions and bruises but she did not want to go to the hospital for treatment. The convenience store staff helped her return to her bungalow.
Initial investigation showed no signs of a fight or murder but it was an unnatural death. From questioning the bungalow owner and people near the scene, it is believed that the deceased was drunk and went to swim in the sea on Monday night (June 2) with the waves being strong at that time causing her, in an intoxicated state, to drown.
Police have coordinated with the British embassy to inform the deceased woman’s relatives and have sent her body for a detailed autopsy at Surat Thani Hospital’s Forensic Medicine Department. Her underwear was sent for further examination at Forensic Science Centre 9.
Police investigators will be examining video clips from a surveillance camera at the convenience store and track down eyewitnesses for questioning in order to tighten the case as far as possible to prevent any doubts arising about the cause of death among her relatives.
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Deceased British tourist Ms. Alison Stuart’s passport and the spot on Koh Phangan beach where her body was found. Photos: Naewna
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