The woman, identified as Christina Annesley, was found dead in her bungalow on Haat Sai Ri Beach, the same beach where British tourists David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were found murdered in September last year.
A police officer, who asked not to be named, said there were no apparent wounds on the deceased’s body. There was also no sign of intrusion or theft in her bungalow, according to the officer. Her body has been sent to Surat Thani Hospital for autopsy, he said.
The officer added that the bungalow is owned by Montriwat Toowichian, the same man who managed the bar where Miller and Witheridge were last seen on the night of September 14, hours before their murders.
According to British media, a Foreign Office spokesperson confirmed the death of a British national in Thailand.
“We are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying.
Ms Annesley’s Facebook page shows that she had worked for Dow Jones media up until the time she came to Thailand on a “dream holiday”. She was also politically active, being involved with the right-wing UK Independence Party (Ukip).
After defecting from the Tory party’s youth wing, Conservative Future, in 2012, Ms Annesley joined Ukip’s Young Independence, rising to become vice-chair of its Yorkshire branch.
According to The Independent newspaper, her family were informed that her death was not suspicious.
Ms Annesley’s father, Boyne, told The Independent that the family had been informed by the Foreign Office that his daughter had died from natural causes.
The newspaper quoted him as saying, “She tweeted her boyfriend at midnight Thai time on Monday complaining that she had spent £60 [B3,000] on penicillin because she had a chest infection. We never heard from her again.
“She was due to check out of her bungalow soon, so staff there went round to check on her and found her dead.”
Two 21-year-old Burmese migrant workers are currently being held in prison for allegedly murdering Miller and raping and murdering Witheridge. The two suspects have denied the charges.
The grisly murder of Miller and Witheridge made headlines around the globe last year and damaged Koh Tao’s reputation as a popular diving destination for foreigners.
This is the second mysterious death of a young foreigner on Koh Tao since the murders. On January 1, the body of a 29-year-old Frenchman was found hanging from the ceiling of his rented bungalow.
Suspicions arose over what appeared to be a suicide when on further inspection it was discovered the man’s hands were tied behind his back.