Patong Police were called to the scene, near the intersection in front of Patong Hospital, at about 9:15am.
Officers, joined by Patong Police Chief Pol Col Chalermchai Hirasawat, arrived and cordoned off the area while they inspected the scene.
Initial examinations found no visible injuries, and a forensic doctor at the scene determined the time of death to be five to six hours before the man’s body was found, police reported.
At this stage police believe the man drowned in the drain.
The British man was on holiday in Phuket with his family, police noted.
One of his family members, who identified the body, told police that the man was last seen leaving their room at their hotel, located at the southern end of Patong Beach, at about 10pm on Tuesday (Nov 19).
Security footage showed the man climbing down an iron barrier near the canal without signs of foul play.
The man’s body was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital for post-mortem examination while police continue their investigation and review additional CCTV footage from the area to confirm the circumstances surrounding the death.
The British Embassy has been notified of the death, police noted.
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