A French tourist reportedly fell to his death while taking a selfie at a notorious waterfall in southern Thailand.

Alexis Vergos, 22, from Quimper, was taking photos with his girlfriend while hiking up a mountain in Surat Thani province on Monday afternoon.

The young man was said to have edged backwards to get a better view of the scenery on his camera before slipping on wet rocks and tumbling down the Na Muang 2 Waterfall on Koh Samui island.

His frantic partner called the emergency services as Alexis disappeared in the cascading waters.

Rescue volunteers rushed to the scene, where they found the distressed woman at the bottom of the waterfall. They used climbing equipment as they scoured the beauty spot before spotting Alexis's body lodged between mossy boulders.

Footage shows the paramedics collecting the Frenchman's corpse, wedged in a crevice near the fast-moving stream.

Police Major Chayut Tulachotikul of the Koh Samui Police Station said: ‘The tourist and his girlfriend arrived on Koh Samui on Sunday. He was taking photos at the waterfall when he slipped, fell into the water, and struck rocks, dying at the scene.

‘His girlfriend was present and was the person who alerted the police. She is currently in a state of deep distress.'

Speaking today, Koh Samui district chief Amorn Chumchuay said an initial post-mortem examination found that Alexis died from a head injury.

The official added: 'Extra warning signs in Thai and English have been used throughout the area for several months.

'Most tourists had complied with the warnings, and no similar incidents had occurred until now.

'We will now look at strengthening safety measures by installing fences or enclosures in dangerous areas and restricting access to high-risk spots.

'Authorities coordinated with the French Consulate, and the victim's partner and family. They did not question the cause of death as they were present at the time of the incident.'

The Na Muang 2 Waterfall is one of the most picturesque spots in southern Thailand - but also the most deadly.

In 2017, former EastEnders star Paul Nicholls fell and spent two nights stranded on the waterfall before being rescued and taken to hospital, where he stayed for several weeks in 2017.

In July 2019, Spanish tourist David Conesa from Barcelona fell to his death at the same waterfall when he slipped while clambering down wet boulders.

Months later, in November 2019, French tourist Bastien Palmier plunged 260 feet to his death after ignoring warnings to take selfies at the idyllic beauty spot.

While in May 2022, Romanian tourist Nane-Iosana Bodea died when she slipped while snapping photos at the Na Muang waterfalls nearby.

In December 2022, British backpacker Joshua Kohler, 20, suffered severe head injuries and a fractured coccyx bone after ignoring warning signs to climb the 130ft high neighbouring Na Muang waterfall, only to plunge down the slippery surface.

In November 2024, Indian holidaymaker Sreemany Debjit, 29, plunged to his death while taking selfies. He was found snagged between tree branches and rocks the next day.