A British tourist has drowned on a beach in Pattaya, Thailand, after ignoring warnings from locals to stay out of deep water. Gerald Horace Crawford, 61, from Chichester, West Sussex, had been drinking heavily before he walked into the sea with his shoes on, according to witnesses.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening, April 22, at around 6:30 pm local time. Onlookers shouted at Crawford to return to shore, but he continued into deeper water. He vanished beneath the surface and was found floating unconscious about 15 minutes later.
Lifeguards pulled him from the water, and rescue volunteers attempted CPR before rushing him to Pattaya Hospital, but he could not be saved. Boat worker Wasan Wannarit, 25, said he saw Crawford staggering and drinking on the beach before entering the water.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Suthiraphan Tapsri said there were no strong waves that day, and they believe Crawford may have suffered a diabetic blackout due to an underlying condition. He had visited Pattaya many times before and was familiar with the area. No signs of assault were found.
Among Crawford's belongings were a UK driving licence, a keycard from the Hard Rock Hotel, and some banknotes. His body has been sent for autopsy, and the British embassy has been notified. Beach drownings are a recurring safety concern in Thailand, often linked to rip currents, lack of swimming skills, and disregard for warnings.
