Body washed up on Thai beach identified as Aussie tourist Jennifer Laidley

• Tourist reported missing on Monday
• Failed to return from a swim at beach
• Body identified after washing ashore

A BODY that washed ashore this morning on the Thai resort island of Phuket has been identified as Australian tourist Jennifer Laidley, who vanished earlier in the week while swimming at dusk.

Ms Laidley was reported missing Monday night by her friend and traveling companion, Lisa Crosland, after she failed to return from a swim at Karon Beach on Phuket, off the southwest coast of Thailand.

A two-day search involving the Thai Royal Navy, Marine Police, lifeguards and regular police failed to locate the missing 44-year-old.

However, at about 7.30am local time today, a body washed ashore on Karon beach, along from where Laidley had been swimming, Thai news website Phuketwan.com reported.

The body was taken to Vachira Hospital where it was positively identified as Laidley, a Sydney-based nurse.

According to the ABC, authorities had been in touch with Laidley's family in Queanbeyan, near Canberra, soon after she went missing.

news.com.au 7 Jul 2011

In Thailand there are many trappings to the tourists, that are NOT mentioned in the mass media, in order not to create a panic.

Only a very few reports have made it out into the mass media, as to what really goes on in Thailand.

No doubt, there will definitely be a 'cover up' with local authorities as to the disappearance of Ms. Laidley.