THE BODY of missing Korean tourist Seung Jinsro, 45,was sighted by a dive boat about two miles off Kata beach at 3pm on Friday and brought back to shore by Marine Police.


PHUKET: A search was continuing today for a Korean tourist who disappeared into the shorefront surf, feared drowned, at a Phuket beach on Wednesday.

The Royal Thai Navy and searchers on jet-skis were looking for Seung Jinsro, 45, who was holidaying on the island with a female friend when he disappeared from view at Kata Noi beach with monsoon surf pounding Phuket.

It's possible that strong currents may have carried the man some distance from the small, exclusive beach where he was last seen.

Within 24 hours, Chinese tourist Qi Chunhua, 43, was rescued from the turbulent surf at neighboring Karon beach but died from the water in his lungs a short time later at Patong Hospital.

Phuket lifeguards warn tourists by placing red flags along beaches on days when it's too dangerous to swim but many tourists, determined to enjoy the seaside swimming holiday they have paid for, ignoring the warnings and take the plunge outside the patrolled ''SWIM HERE'' safety zones.

Experts say arriving tourists should be warned at Phuket International Airport and again when they check in at resorts at this time of the year. An increasing number of tourists are coming from places without beaches and where children are not trained to swim.

The small sign at Phuket International Airport warning of conditions is tucked out of the way in a position where not many tourists see it. Few resorts take the trouble to save guests' lives by issuing warnings at check-ins.

Lifeguards say they struggle to warn the vast numbers of people who reach Phuket's beach ready to swim, despite the dangers. By then, it's often too late.