Bangkok: A 20-year-old Victorian woman has been killed when jet-skis collided in waters off the Thai tourist island of Phuket.
Emily Jayne Collie, from Kyabram, suffered severe neck and shoulder injuries in the crash near Kata Beach late on Sunday afternoon.
Thai media reported Ms Collie's rented jet-ski collided with another at high speed. The other jet-ski is believed to have been ridden by her husband, who suffered minor injuries.
The husband, whose name has been withheld, told Thai officials strong sunlight reflecting from the sea made it impossible to see his wife, leading to the crash, the Bangkok Post reported.
The couple had hired jet-skis earlier Sunday from a vendor at Karon Beach and rode them to nearby Kata Beach.
Lifeguards pulled Ms Collie from the water and, with her husband, attempted to revive her on the beach.
She was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
For years tourists on Phuket have been warned about safety and insurance scams when renting jet-skis.
Jet-ski hirers usually get people to sign a contract but customers are rarely asked questions about whether they have experience riding them.
Under Thai law, anyone using a jet-ski is supposed to have a "captain's permit" but the law is overlooked to allow tourists to hire jet-skis.
The death comes at a time Thai tourism officials in Bangkok have been pressing Phuket authorities to make the island safer on the roads and in the water.
But Phuket lifeguards recently had their budget cut.
Australia's smartraveller.gov.au travel advisory warns about the risks of hiring jet-skis and motorcycles on Thai beaches, in particular in Phuket, Pattaya, Koh Samui and Koh Phangan.
"You may be detained and arrested by police following jet-ski and motorcycle accidents until compensation, often in the thousands of dollars, can be negotiated between parties," the advisory says.
Many Australians who take out travel insurance policies in Australia find they are not covered when they have a motorcycle accident in Thailand because they are not licensed to ride one in Australia.
More than 20,000 Australians holiday on Phuket each month.
Fairfax Media