Initial autopsy results revealed traces of cyanide in the blood of six Vietnamese and American guests at a luxury hotel in central Bangkok, with one individual suspected of poisoning the others over a bad investment, Thai authorities reported Wednesday.
The bodies were discovered on Tuesday at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, a prominent hotel located at a bustling intersection surrounded by malls, government buildings, and public transit.
The six victims were last seen alive when food was delivered to their room on Monday afternoon. Hotel staff observed one woman receiving the food, and security footage showed the others arriving one by one shortly after. There were no other visitors, no one was seen leaving, and the door was locked. A maid found them on Tuesday afternoon when they failed to check out.
Upon entering the room, hotel staff found food from the previous day left untouched, with some servings of fried rice still under plastic wrap. However, several used teacups were on a nearby table, next to two thermoses.
Lt. Gen. Trairong Piwpan, chief of the Thai police force’s forensic division, stated that traces of cyanide were found in the cups and thermoses.
Autopsies conducted at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn Hospital confirmed the presence of cyanide in the blood of all six victims, with no signs of blunt force trauma, suggesting poisoning as the cause of death. Kornkiat Vongpaisarnsin, head of the forensic medicine department at Chulalongkorn University, confirmed these findings at a news conference.
Bangkok police chief Lt. Gen. Thiti Sangsawang identified the victims as two Vietnamese Americans and four Vietnamese nationals, comprising three men and three women, aged between 37 and 56. Bangkok deputy police chief Noppasin Punsawat mentioned that the case appeared to be personal and would not affect tourist safety.
A husband and wife among the deceased had invested about 10 million baht ($278,000) with two of the others, possibly providing a motive. The investment was intended for a hospital in Japan, and the group might have been meeting to resolve the matter. Police believe one individual poisoned the others but have not identified the suspect.
Lt. Gen. Thiti Sangsawang noted that four bodies were found in the living room and two in the bedroom. Two bodies seemed to have attempted to reach the door before collapsing.
Noppasin mentioned that a seventh person listed in the hotel booking was a sibling of one of the six and left Thailand on July 10. Police do not believe this person was involved in the deaths.
The Vietnamese and United States embassies have been informed, and the American FBI is en route, according to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. He assured that the incident was not related to terrorism or security breaches.
Lt. Gen. Trairong Piwpan ruled out mass suicide, noting that some victims had future travel plans. He added that the distribution of bodies in the room suggested they did not knowingly consume poison together.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed condolences to the families and stated that the U.S. is closely monitoring the situation and communicating with local authorities. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with his Thai counterpart on Tuesday, but it is unclear if the deaths were discussed.
The five-star Grand Hyatt Erawan is a landmark hotel in Bangkok. The Erawan Shrine, located on its block, has been a major tourist attraction since it was erected in 1956 to ward off bad karma. The shrine was targeted in a 2015 bombing that killed 20 people and injured over 100.
Read More: Lionel Messi Leaves Copa America Final with Leg Injury
In 2023, Thailand was shaken by reports of a serial killer who poisoned 15 people with cyanide over several years. Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, known as “Am Cyanide,” was responsible for at least 14 deaths, making her Thailand’s first female serial killer. One person survived.
