The body of a French woman was found floating in the sea off Thong Gate beach in the popular island of Koh Samui on Tuesday.

Hotel staff at the beach alerted rescue workers after they spotted a body floating in the sea.  The body was plucked from the sea and sent for examination at a district hospital.  Doctors said the victim had died about 2-3 hours earlier with her forehead bearing bruises apparently caused by a hard object.

Police said that it was too early to determine the excact cause of her death.

Another French woman, identified as only Natalie,  later reported to the police claiming that she was a friend of the victim who she identified as Ms Isabeile Bailly.

Natalie said they had been staying together in Koh Samui for about two years and both had taken a Thai language course at a school on the island.  She added that the victim had complained to her about her family problems.

On Tuesday morning, she said Ms Bailly left their lodging in a motorcycle, saying that she would visit a waterfall and, after that, she did not see her until it was learned that she was already dead.

Meanwhile, it was reported that a Chinese tourist drowned on the same day while swimming in the sea off Koh Racha in Muang district of Phuket province.

The victim, identified as Zhu Kai, 31, bought a day trip to Koh Racha island and went for a swim with some friends in the afternoon.

The group’s tour guide said Zhu Kai was seen to be in trouble while swimming and others went to his rescue.  The tourist was brought ashore unconscious and given a resuscitation, but he died later after having briefly regained consciousness.