British tourist dies after alleged drink-spiking incident in Thailand
A 38-year-old British tourist died while his girlfriend fell into a coma, allegedly after a drink-spiking incident in Bangkok, Thailand.
The deceased was identified as Tom Pardhy, an event organiser and yoga instructor from East London.
Source: @tompardhy on Instagram
His 31-year-old girlfriend, Naomi Raksha, has since regained consciousness and is recovering.
Deceased ensured girlfriend received medical help
The couple had been on a six-week holiday in Thailand when the incident occurred on 6 March.
Source: @holidayjello on Instagram
Ms Raksha’s mother, Heather Brown, reportedly claimed in a now-deleted Facebook post that both Mr Pardhy and her daughter “were given spiked drinks in Bangkok”.
Ms Raksha was the first to fall seriously ill and was rushed to hospital in a tuk-tuk.
She was later intubated in the ICU after being poisoned and suffering cardiac arrest, eventually falling into a coma.
According to Ms Brown, Mr Pardhy stayed with her until she was safely handed over to medical staff before returning to his hotel room to rest.
However, about 24 hours later, Ms Raksha’s family were informed that Mr Pardhy had been found unconscious and later died. His death was described as sudden, accidental, and unexpected.
Described as a ‘beacon of light’ in his community
In a statement shared on Instagram on 11 March, Mr Pardhy’s family said they were dealing with “indescribable grief” over his passing.
Source: @tompardhy on Instagram
They described Mr Pardhy as “a beacon of light” in his community and beyond, spanning both the festival and yoga scenes, adding that he would be dearly missed by many.
The family also shared that his final weeks in Thailand with Ms Raksha were “truly the happiest of his life”, and requested privacy while encouraging tributes under the hashtag #TLPLOVE.
Girlfriend ‘died multiple times’ before falling into coma
Following her recovery, Ms Raksha shared on Instagram that she had been declared clinically dead multiple times before falling into a coma.
Source: @tompardhy on Instagram
“On the morning of March 6 in Bangkok, my life changed in ways I never imagined,” she wrote. “I had a heart attack and was pronounced dead multiple times before falling into a coma.”
She added that her chances of survival “weren’t in [her] favour”, but she ultimately pulled through.
Ms Raksha believes that Mr Pardhy saved her life. She described him as her “best friend, biggest fan, rock, confidant, and teammate”, adding that their final six weeks together were “magic”.
Source: @holidayjello on Instagram
She also shared that she has since admitted herself into a rehabilitation centre, where she is focusing on her physical recovery while receiving treatment for grief, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and trauma.
“I know Tom would want me to take care of myself and do something meaningful with this opportunity of life,” Ms Raksha said.
Cremation to be held in Bangkok
According to the Thaiger, the UK Foreign Office confirmed that it is assisting the families and coordinating with Thai authorities.
Thai police have yet to clarify whether any suspects have been identified in the alleged poisoning case.
Ms Brown had shared on Facebook that if the autopsy report and death certificate were issued, Ms Raksha would proceed with Mr Pardhy’s cremation in Bangkok as his family was unable to attend.
Separately, the Thaiger reported that the cremation was scheduled to take place at a temple in Bangkok on Thursday (19 March). Ms Raksha also shared a photo that appeared to be from the ceremony.
Source: @holidayjello on Instagram
Last week, Ms Raksha’s brother launched a GoFundMe page, which has since raised more than US$10,000 (about S$12,800) to help cover medical and travel expenses.
Also read: Tourist in Thailand dies after slap causes him to fall & suffer severe head injuries
Tourist in Thailand dies after slap causes him to fall & suffer severe head injuries
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Featured image adapted from @holidayjello on Instagram and Instagram.
