Janice R. Andrews
Six individuals, including two US citizens, were discovered dead in a luxury hotel room in central Bangkok, Thailand. The Thai police revealed on Wednesday that the victims likely ingested cyanide-laced beverages following a dispute related to bad investments. The bodies were found at the five-star Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel on Tuesday when staff entered the suite on the fifth floor after the guests missed their checkout by more than 24 hours.
Upon arrival, the police found three men and three women deceased, with a table full of untouched food wrapped in plastic and used cups containing traces of a white powder. The room was locked from the inside, though a backdoor was left unlocked. Initially, authorities searched for a seventh person believed to be part of the hotel booking, but later dismissed this theory, concluding that one of the deceased likely poisoned the others with cyanide.
Among the dead are two Vietnamese Americans and four Vietnamese nationals, including a married couple aged between 37 and 56. Chief of the Police Forensic Office, Trairong Phiewphan, confirmed in a press conference that cyanide was detected in mugs and cups found in the hotel room, and at least one blood sample from a deceased man contained traces of the chemical.
“Cyanide was found in the liquid inside the teapot, in all six coffee cups,” Trairong stated. Images released by the Royal Thai Police showed cups on a coffee table next to two metal thermos flasks and a dining table with plates of food, prepared as if the group was about to dine.
The police are now investigating whether the victims were murdered or committed suicide. The evidence so far suggests the former. Deputy Metropolitan Police Commissioner Noppasin Poonsawat told reporters that they suspect one member of the group may have poisoned the others. This person had ordered the food and tea to the room and appeared “under stress” when the staff arrived.
Interviews with hotel staff indicated that one group member was alone in the room when the food was delivered and was later joined by the others. Noppasin added that the incident seemed to be a “personal matter” rather than organized crime, as relatives of the deceased mentioned a dispute over debt.
“One of the relatives said one of the deceased was an investment agent, and all the others invested, but the business was not going as expected. They made an appointment to discuss the matter in Thailand,” Noppasin explained. Two of the deceased were found in the bedroom, another at the dining table, and it appeared that one member of the group attempted to reach the door but collapsed before doing so.
The group had arrived in Thailand on various dates and initially booked separate rooms at the hotel. On July 15, they all moved into the same room and ordered room service at around 2 p.m. local time. According to the police, no one left or entered the suite after 2:17 p.m.
The Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel is located in a bustling tourist area in the heart of Bangkok, surrounded by luxury shopping malls and restaurants. Next to the hotel is the Erawan Shrine, a famous landmark frequented by Buddhist, Hindu, and Sikh communities, as well as tourists seeking good luck. This shrine was also the site of a 2015 bombing that killed at least 20 people.
The US State Department acknowledged the reports of the deaths of two US citizens in Bangkok. Vietnam’s government stated that its embassy in the Thai capital is closely coordinating with Thai authorities. “We offer our sincere condolences to the families on their loss. We are closely monitoring the situation and stand ready to provide consular assistance to those families,” US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Tuesday.
This tragic incident follows a separate high-profile cyanide poisoning case in Thailand. Last year, Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn was arrested on suspicion of murdering her friend with cyanide and was subsequently charged with at least 13 counts of premeditated murder, shocking the nation.
As investigations continue, authorities are focused on uncovering the precise motives and circumstances that led to this horrific event at one of Bangkok’s most prestigious hotels.
