A SEARCH is underway for the murderer of two British tourists who were found battered to death on Monday.
The pair were found on a beach on a scenic island in southern Thailand, home to one of the country's most popular diving destinations.

Police described the two as a 23-year-old woman from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, and a 24-year-old man from Jersey, Channel Islands. Their nearly naked bodies were discovered on Koh Tao, a small island in the Gulf of Thailand.

The Daily Mail has identified the victims as David Miller and Hannah Witheridge, who are believed to have just met at a Full Moon party on the Sunday evening. The party was attended by about 50 people.

The Mail also reported that police were seeking to speak to a British tourist, believed to be a friend of Miller's.

He may have fled to Bangkok from the diving island after the killing, and while he is not a suspect at this stage police do want to talk to him according to local officials.

A bloodied hoe was found near the bodies and is believed to have been used as the murder weapon, police Colonel Prachum Ruangthong said.

"The man was chopped in the back and on the side of his head, while the woman was chopped in her face," he said. "It's very gruesome."

The woman is feared to have been raped during the attack.

A British Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of the death of two British nationals on September 15 on the island of Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand. The Embassy are urgently seeking information from the local authorities and Consular staff stand ready to provide assistance to friends and family at this tragic time.

"The Consul from Bangkok is travelling to Koh Tao as soon as possible."

An initial investigation found that the two had travelled separately to Koh Tao, where they met while staying at the same seaside hotel, police Major General Kiattipong Khawsamang said.

"They went out to a bar and left together after 1am according to closed circuit TV camera footage," he said.

Police said they were checking more camera footage in search of the attacker.

"We don't know who the suspect might be yet but we have talked to different witnesses who might lead us to some clues," Kiattipong said. He said the woman was travelling with three other friends.

Local media reported that outraged residents of the island, which is home to about 2,000 people and survives on tourism, had blockaded its piers to help police prevent the killer from escaping.

The London Evening Standard reported that an employee at the seaside resort where the pair were staying said the bodies were found behind large rocks on the beach.

"It was the first time this has happened on the island, I have never seen anything like this," he said.

The attack came amid government efforts to revive Thailand's tourism industry after a military coup in May ended prolonged, sometimes violent political protests. Martial law remains in effect.

Koh Tao, an island in Surat Thani province, is a quieter destination than the neighbouring islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, where "full moon" parties attract travellers from Thailand and abroad. It is 410 kilometres south of Bangkok.