6 found dead at Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel in Bangkok were supposed to check out that day
The bodies of six foreign nationals have been found in a luxury hotel in Bangkok, Thai police have said.
Though their cause of death is unconfirmed, the authorities reportedly suspect they were poisoned.
Strangely enough, there were no signs of struggle in the hotel room and the door was locked from the inside, police added.
6 dead bodies found in Bangkok hotel on 16 July
In a Facebook post on Tuesday (16 July) night, the Royal Thai Police said a hotel informed them about the incident at about 5.30pm that day.
When the police arrived, they found six dead bodies at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel in Bangkok.
The scene was then cordoned off for police investigations and the collection of forensic evidence.
6 dead bodies were found in 5th-floor suite of Bangkok hotel
The six deceased individuals were supposed to check out of the hotel that afternoon, Thai Enquirer reported, quoting Metropolitan Police Commissioner Thiti Saengsawang.
Seven guests had booked four rooms on the seventh floor and one room on the fifth floor.
All the bodies were found in the room on the fifth floor, with four in the living room and two in the bedroom.
Police searching for suspects
According to Thai media, only five people checked in to the room, but six bodies were discovered, along with their packed luggage.
The police are searching for the seventh person listed in the original hotel booking. Their tour guide is also being questioned.
They are reportedly also pursuing two Vietnamese suspects who left the hotel before the bodies were found.
No signs of struggle, food mostly unconsumed
According to the Thai Enquirer, the police found a large amount of food in the room that was left mostly untouched, with some of their plastic coverings still on.
Only beverages such as tea and coffee were found to have been consumed.
Based on this, the deceased individuals were suspected to have been poisoned.
The police ruled out suicide, saying they were “killed by other people”. Officials are now trying to determine whether they had ingested a “toxic substance”.
They also estimated the time of death to be around 2pm on Monday (15 July).
Deceased were all foreigners of Vietnamese descent
All the victims were foreigners, with four of them Vietnamese nationals and the other two Vietnamese Americans, the Thai Enquirer reported.
According to Khaosod English, the three men and three women are:
- Ms Sherine Chong, 56
- Mr Hung Dang Van, 55
- Ms Thi Nguyen Phunng Lan, 47
- Mr Hong Pham Thanh, 49
- Mr Dinh Tran Phu, 37
- Ms Thi Nguyen Phuong, 46
Thai PM says autopsy needed
At 10.34pm, the Thai Enquirer reported that Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had arrived at the hotel.
In a press conference, he told the media including Matichon Online that the deaths were not a result of a theft, nor was it a shooting, as was initially reported by Thai media.
An autopsy on the bodies was needed to determine whether the victims had ingested anything harmful, he said.
Meanwhile, he has spoken to the Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand and is confident that the incident will not affect tourism.
Mr Srettha has ordered all government agencies to probe the case urgently, the police said.
Also read: Man Hears Footsteps In Bangkok Hotel Room, Finds Altar On Balcony & ‘Death’ Written On Wall
Man Hears Footsteps In Bangkok Hotel Room, Finds Altar On Balcony & ‘Death’ Written On Wall
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