Australian businessman falls to his death while parasailing in Thailand

A prominent Perth businessman holidaying in Thailand has fallen to his death while parasailing in waters off the resort island of Phuket, with his wife reportedly filming the fatal fall.

Thai media reports Roger John Hussey, 71, plunged more than 30 metres into the sea after his harness apparently failed shortly after lifting off from the Kata Beach, 860 kilometres south from Bangkok, on Wednesday.

The video, posted on Facebook and reportedly filmed by his wife Budsabong Thongsangka, shows Hussey on shore smiling as he is strapped into safety gear.

He and another man, who is not wearing a harness, are then pulled by boat, their parachute lifting them into the air above the water.

About 13 seconds into the flight Hussey is seen falling from the air into the sea.

Beachgoers rushed to help the Australian, who was reportedly having difficulty breathing after he was pulled from the sea. He died a short time later, Karon Police Station duty officer Police Lieutenant Suwisit Khirirak told local media.

Thai police reportedly charged the boat operator and driver Monthian Jandaeng with reckless driving causing death.

Within moments of being lifted in the air, he plunged more than 100ft into the shallow water below. Youtube / stickboynetwork

The couple had been holidaying in northern Thailand's Chiang Mai before travelling to Phuket. They were reportedly scheduled to travel back to Australia on Friday.

Fairfax reports Hussey was a well known Perth businessman. According to his Facebook account, he was self-employed and had studied at the University of Western Australian, Oxford University and Stanford University.

The latest tragedy follows a jetski accident in February when 20-year-old Australian woman Emily Collie died. Her boyfriend Thomas Keating later pleaded guilty to reckless driving causing death.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade data lists Thailand as one of the most dangerous destination for Australian visitors. Over 320 Australians were injured or died in Thailand in 2016, ahead of the Philippines and Indonesia.