A British man has died after falling into a canal in Venice on the first day of a holiday with his partner, an inquest has heard. Chatchawan Thongpia, 31, a mechanical engineer from Scarborough, also resided at Brooklands Farm in Exeter. He had travelled to the Italian city for a five-day trip with his partner.
The inquest at North Yorkshire Coroner's Court heard that on the evening of 3 November 2025, Mr Thongpia left their hotel to go for a walk and smoke CBD he had bought earlier. His partner chose to stay behind as they had been awake since 2.30am. She said he intended to find a quiet alley to smoke in to avoid the smell.
As time passed, his partner grew anxious. She was later woken by the hotel receptionist, who informed her that police were downstairs. A witness had spotted a body in the water near Campo Santa Marina at around 6.30pm. The witness attempted to grab the person through bridge bars but could not hold on due to the strong current. Another family called emergency services, but Mr Thongpia could not be resuscitated.
Italian police reported that CCTV captured some of Mr Thongpia's movements but not the moment he entered the canal. They believed he 'accidentally fell into the water, presumably after losing his balance' and was carried tens of metres by the current. A post-mortem found no injuries suggesting assault or third-party involvement. A cannabinoid was detected in his system, which a pathologist said was 'possible but not probable' to have impaired his motor skills. The cause of death was drowning.
Coroner Catherine Devereux stated that police believed Mr Thongpia may have leaned against a railing and fallen in, but noted that no one witnessed how he entered the canal. She recorded an open conclusion.
