Lt Jaruwit Khuncharoen of the Chalong Police was notified of the incident at 2:45pm.
According to the police report by Lt Jaruwit, the Chinese tourist, Dong Jun, 56, from Yunnan, was on a day trip to Coral Island with his wife when he was found choking in shallow beach water.
Mr Dong had travelled to Phuket with his wife. They arrived on Saturday (Dec 14) and were scheduled return home on Wednesday (Dec 18). The couple were staying at a resort in Bang Tao, Lt Jaruwit said.
According to the report, Mr Dong and his wife were swimming in the shallow water when Mr Dong fell face down in the water and started choking.
Tourists swimming nearby took him ashore. By that time Mr Dong was unconscious, and a dive instructor who happened to be nearby started administering CPR.
Mr Dong was rushed to Chalong Hospital, but later pronounced dead.
His body was taken at Vachira Phuket Hospital, Lt Jaruwit noted in his report.
Mr Dong's wife told police that her husband had suffered from polio and high blood pressure, according to Lt Jaruwit’s report.
Lt Jaruwit also noted that the tour Mr Dong had joined had insurance for all participants and will pay B1 million as compensation for death.
Lt Jaruwit did note that Mr Dong and his wife were on a tour provided by Yong-seung Tours Co Ltd, and had travelled to the island on a boat from the boat Nonthasak Marine fleet, when the incident happened.
Police would continue their investigation to confirm Mr Dong’s cause of death, Lt Jaruwit said.