The victim, Arnon Rodjui, was found about 2km from where he first disappeared.

Fishermen in the area informed Karon Police of a body floating near the rocks at about 3pm.

“We contacted lifeguards and officers at the Third Naval Area Command headquarters at Kata Beach to bring the body back. They used rope to tie it to two jet-skis and drag it toward the shore. However, the wind and waves were so strong that they needed to use a third jet-ski as well,” said Chanarong Prakongkue of Karon Police.

Arnon’s family identified the corpse which was taken to Patong Hospital for a postmortem examination before being delivered to them for the funeral.

Arnon, 26, is originally from Samut Prakarn, but worked as an air conditioner technician in Phuket.

He went swimming with his friends at the beach despite warnings from lifeguards not to do so. Two of his friends, who were also dragged out to sea with him by the waves, were safely rescued.

Meanwhile, four Chinese tourists were hospitalised after going swimming in a red-flagged zone at Patong Beach Tuesday. They were later transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital where two of them remain, albeit reportedly out of danger.