British man found dead in drainage canal near Phuket beach

*A British man found dead in a drainage canal near Bang Tao Beach in Phuket on March 14 was seen on CCTV appearing restless outside a hotel shortly before his body was discovered. A Burmese national went to the canal in…*

Published: 2026-03-19 19:11 UTC Event date: 2026-03-18

British Man Found Dead in Drainage Canal Near Bang Tao Beach, Phuket

A 33-year-old British man, Jordan Wright, was found dead in a drainage canal near Bang Tao Beach in Phuket on March 14, 2026. The discovery was made at approximately 12:30pm by a Burmese national harvesting morning glory in the Bang Tao area, who immediately notified officers from Choeng Thalay Police Station. Wright’s body was lying face down in the water, wearing a grey shirt and black trousers, without shoes.

Investigation and CCTV Footage Near CoCo Phuket Bangtao Hotel

Police identified Jordan Wright using a keycard for the CoCo Phuket Bangtao Hotel found in his pocket, while his iPhone 17 was located on the canal bank. CCTV footage from outside the hotel showed Wright appearing restless, moving back and forth before walking out of view in the direction of the canal. Hotel staff confirmed that Wright had checked in alone and was scheduled to check out on March 13, but had not done so. Officers who searched his hotel room reported no signs of forced entry, theft, or suspicious activity.

Police Response and Awaited Autopsy Results

Investigators stated there were no visible signs of physical assault or struggle on Wright’s body. The police suspect the possibility of intoxication, as Wright’s behavior on CCTV suggested he may have been under the influence of alcohol or other substances before his death. His body was transported to Vachira Phuket Hospital for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death and whether intoxicants were involved. Authorities are awaiting the autopsy results before drawing further conclusions.

Previous Incident Involving British-Australian Man in Phuket

This incident follows a separate case earlier in the year, when British-Australian national Graham Tucker was found dead on his yacht docked off Khao Khad Beach in Phuket on January 11. Tucker, who had lived alone on the vessel for over a decade, was also taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital for an autopsy after police found no suspicious circumstances on board. The results of that autopsy were not made public.

Police in Phuket continue to investigate the recent death of Jordan Wright and are expected to provide updates once the autopsy results are available. The case highlights the importance of thorough investigations in incidents involving foreign nationals on the island.

Source: https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/british-man-found-dead-in-drainage-canal-near-phuket-beach