‘Selfless’: Aussie tradie remembered after tragic death in Thailand

The heartbroken sister of a young Australian man who died in Thailand has shared details of the tragic circumstances surrounding his sudden death.

Ella McIlveen

3 min read

May 13, 2025 - 6:18AM

Tourist drowns while trying to recover dropped GoPro

An aspiring Australian Muay Thai boxer had been celebrating with friends after an intense training camp when he tragically drowned while swimming off a fishing charter boat in Thailand.

Melbourne roof plumber Corey Walsh, 22, was swimming near the tourist island of Koh Racha Yai, south of Phuket, last Tuesday when he was dragged under the water.

In an emotional interview with news.com.au, Mr Walsh’s younger sister Charleigh described her brother as “selfless and loyal”, revealing he had been on a much-anticipated holiday with six of his closest friends.

He's been remembered as "bringing light into every room." Picture: Facebook

Colleagues from Corey's work have set-up a GoFundMe to support his family. Picture: Charleigh Walsh

He had travelled there with one of the group members to complete intense training at the Rattachai Muay Thai camp, which they had been preparing for since January 1. His strict training regimen meant he had been completely sober for more than five months.

Corey was due to spend four weeks in Thailand and had just completed the first two weeks of his trip before his tragic death. The other five friends had arrived just three days earlier and planned to celebrate his achievements with a chartered fishing trip.

Charleigh said she had grown up “side-by-side” with her older brother.

“We shared our whole childhood together. He was very caring and protective, as big brothers are,” she said.

Corey Walsh tragically drowned on a fishing trip in Thailand. Picture: GoFundMe

He was due to spend four weeks in Thailand on the trip of a lifetime. Picture: Charleigh Walsh

“Corey would light up any room he walked into. He had a strong mindset and saw mistakes as growth. He will always be my best friend, his passing has left a void that cannot be filled, Charleigh said.

“There was an unspoken loyalty that survived every argument, it was stronger than anything. Nothing was stronger than the love we had for each other,” she added.

Charleigh laughed as she recalled her brother as being “outgoing, very outgoing.”

“He was a bit of a s**tstirrer,” she said.

“He had his own personal slang. He’d come home and ask how your day was and if you said you’d had a bad day he’d ask you ‘are you loving it’ over and over until you caved.

“He’d go to work on a Monday morning when the boys were all tired and he’d go around and say ‘are you loving it’ to get under their skin,” she chuckled.

She revealed his friends had “forever loving it” tattooed in Corey’s memory.

Corey is pictured with his 19-year-old sister and best friend Charleigh. Picture: Facebook

Charleigh recalled she was at work last week when she received the devastating news that her only sibling had died.

“I was at work on Tuesday and it was around 7pm. My parents had received a call from one of his friends that was with him.”

They told the Walsh family that “Corey and his friends were on a fishing charter off the coast of Koh Racha Yai.

“They were fishing on the boat and celebrating their trip when they stopped to have lunch and go for a snorkel.”

Charleigh said the family was still waiting on confirmation surrounding the exact circumstances of his death.

“We’re still waiting for his friends to get home to learn more about it,” she said.

The group of friends had stopped to have lunch and snorkel off the coast of Koh Racha Yai. Picture: TripAdvisor

She told news.com.au that his six friends had struggled to get flights home and were “traumatised” by the ordeal.

Charleigh said she had also been stuck in a state of numbness since receiving the tragic news. “It doesn’t feel real. I’m still in shock.”

“The support we are receiving from family, friends and dozens of people we have never met has been helping us cope. We are so grateful for everyone,” she said.