A male tourist was found floating dead floating in the sea next to the red-light strip in Thai Sin City Pattaya on Thursday.

The man, believed to be in his 40s, was discovered by a restaurant worker drifting in the water alongside Walking Street - a long stretch of gogo bars - on February 1.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Rakpong Saeninthramnart of the Pattaya City Police Station said cops were notified at 10:30 am local time. They proceeded to the scene some 20 metres from the shore.

The officer said: 'The deceased was wearing black shorts and a brown shirt. There were no immediate signs of assault on his body.

'He is believed to have been dead for at least three hours before he was found. We don't know his identity yet. We are checking CCTV from the area.'

Suphaporn Tanudetkhiri, an employee of a restaurant along Walking Street Soi 14, said she was cleaning tables when she looked out to the sea and found the man face-down in the water as the currents swept him against a bridge.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Rakpong said police are also reviewing missing persons reports and hotel records in the area to identify the deceased.

The man's body was transported to the Bang Lamung Hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Last week, a Thai man was found dead off Jomtien Beach also in Pattaya.

Phornchai Raksa, 52, reportedly drank beer before paddling in the sea on January 25. Beachgoers later found him floating at sea.

Authorities said the case was treated as a drowning and have blamed his death on the alcohol.

Thai tourism chiefs are throwing resources into attracting holidaymakers this year - with the semi-barbarous sex capital of the world, Pattaya, proving a big draw.