A FRENCH expat businessman found hanged last night is believed to have been unable to cope with Phuket's economic downturn and his wife's departure.

Lionel Le Cossec, 51, was discovered at his house in the Irrawaddy Get Ho estate in Kathu, central Phuket, around 9pm by the manager of his four Internet surfing cafes, Somsak Preechayan, 30.

Two notes that Mr Le Cossec appears to have written have been passed to police, and on to embassy officials and relatives. Khun Somsak told police that Mr Le Cossec had been depressed because the four Internet cafes - three in Phuket City and one in Patong - had not been been making enough to cover rent and staff wages.

Mr Le Cossec's Thai wife had left him about two months ago, Khun Somsak said. He added that it was not Mr Le Cossek's first attempt at suicide.

With one or two notable exceptions, travel alerts from more than 40 nations during the political upheaval in Bangkok failed to point out that Phuket and the Andaman coast remained safe for tourists, accentuating the needless economic pain on Phuket and around the Andaman region.

Mr Le Cossec's body is at Patong Hospital, awaiting collection or cremation.

Anyone feeling depressed on Phuket is advised to talk to family or friends, or call an embassy. Three hotline numbers tested by Phuketwan today failed to offer satisfactorily fast human contact.