A French tourist has died after falling from a waterfall while trying to take a selfie in Thailand, police said Friday.
The accident happened Thursday afternoon on the tropical island of Koh Samui, whose palm-fringed, white-sand beaches are a magnet for both backpackers and high-end tourists.
The 33-year-old man fell from Na Mueang 2 waterfall, the same spot where a Spanish tourist died in a fall in July, Lieutenant Phuvadol Viriyavarangkul of the island’s tourist police told AFP.
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“It took several hours to retrieve his body because the waterfall is slippery and steep,” he said by phone, adding that the spot is roped off and there is a sign warning tourists of the danger.
“His friend said he was trying to take a selfie and then he slipped and fell.”
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Thailand is largely considered a safe destination for tourists and typically draws more than 35 million visitors each year.
But the industry took a hit in 2018 after a ferry carrying Chinese visitors in the country’s south sank last year, killing 47 people.
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The accident highlighted lax safety rules in the tourism sector and authorities have been scrambling to restore the country’s image since.
Source:Â France24