(BrightPress.org) – Six individuals, two of whom were U.S. citizens, were discovered dead in a luxury hotel room in Bangkok. Thai police suspect cyanide poisoning, possibly linked to a disagreement over failed investments.
The discovery happened July 16th at the Grand Hyatt Erawan. Hotel staff entered the suite after the guests missed check out by more than 24 hours. Inside, police found three men and three women dead, with untouched food covered in plastic and used cups showing traces of a white powder.
It’s believed by the authorities that one of the deceased had poisoned the others. Among the dead were two Vietnamese Americans and four Vietnamese nationals. Police identified the victims as being between 37 and 56 years old.
Police Lt. Gen. Thiti Sangsawang confirmed the presence of cyanide in the victims’ blood during a press conference. Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin called for a swift investigation.
Police were alerted around 5:30 p.m. local time on July 16th when a housekeeper entered the room. The door had been locked from the inside, and police think the group had been dead for over 20 hours. They were previously seen alive around 2 p.m. on July 15th when they entered the room.
Food, tea, and milk were delivered by room service just around 2 p.m., along with tea cups and thermoses. Only one person was present in the room at the time, while the other five arrived after staff left. Investigators found residue at the bottom of the six coffee cups, with five in the preparation area and one in the dining room.
The group was working together to build a hospital in Japan but met in Bangkok due to visa issues. Police initially mentioned a seventh person linked to the booking but later dismissed this line of inquiry. This person had left Thailand before the incident.
The U.S. State Department is monitoring the situation and ready to provide consular assistance. The embassies of Vietnam and the United States have been contacted. FBI agents are also on their way to Bangkok to assist with the investigation.
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