Swiss woman, 57, is found ‘raped and murdered’ at the bottom of a waterfall after travelling alone to Phuket as part of Thailand’s ‘Sandbox’ scheme bid to revive tourism
A Swiss woman has been ‘raped and murdered’ in Thailand after travelling to the country alone under a new post-lockdown tourism scheme in Phuket.
The 57-year-old was discovered lying face down in a rocky pool at the bottom of a waterfall with a black tarpaulin thrown over her body on Thursday afternoon.
A pair of jean shorts, underwear, a pair of trainers and a phone were found not far from her body at the nature reserve in the Wichit area of Phuket.
Detectives say the victim, who has not been named, died around three days ago.
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The circumstances of the death weren’t immediately clear, but Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tanee Sangrat said in a message posted to an online media group that Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai had contacted the Swiss ambassador to express his condolences ‘on the murder of a Swiss woman in Phuket.’
Tanee said the Phuket governor has promised an immediate investigation and autopsy.
She had been raped and murdered, local media reported.
Immigration officials confirmed that the Swiss woman arrived at Phuket airport from Singapore on July 13 under the Phuket Sandbox scheme which started last month.
The reopening scheme allows vaccinated foreigners to travel to Phuket without needing to quarantine as in other parts of the country.
After 14 days in Phuket, which is heavily-reliant on tourist money, foreigners are allowed to travel further within Thailand.
The woman had stayed first at the Dusit Thani Laguna Hotel from July 13 to 27 before moving around 15 miles south to The Mooring Resort Hotel, according to The Bangkok Post.
A witness told police he saw her leaving the hotel and walking towards the beach at around 2pm on Tuesday.
A local villager alerted officers after finding the woman at around 1.30pm on Thursday.
The woman had previously visited Phuket in 2019.
Her body has been sent for an autopsy at Vachira Phuket Hospital.
