A German tourist drowned on a beach on a holiday island in Thailand.

The German national, identified by local media as Ralf Punzet, 58, was found lifeless just off the sand of Koh Samui island in Surat Thani province on March 6.

He and his girlfriend were staying at the OZO Chaweng Resort, and had gone to the Chaweng Beach at 3 PM.

She left him in the water to rest for a while, but Ralf was already missing when she returned.

A jet ski rider later found his body floating in the waters surrounding the island close to the shore.

Bo Phut police and medics arrived at the scene to try and revive the tourist, but he had already died.

Police Captain Supoj Khaokam of the Bo Phut Police Station said: 'We conducted a preliminary examination of the body, and there were no wounds. He likely died from drowning.'

Ralf's remains were sent to the Koh Samui Hospital for a post-mortem examination while officers notified the German embassy of his passing.

Ralf is the third German tourist to drown in Thailand in just two months.

Sebastian Zietek, 39, was found by local fishermen off the coast of Chanthaburi province last February 21 after he disappeared from a beach two days earlier.

While the dead body of Florian Storz, 35, was found floating near Koh Tao in the south of the country on February 6 after he plunged from a ferry.