A British pensioner has been found dead in Thailand after reportedly snapping his back while eating biscuits. Raymond Taylor, 90, was discovered by his carer slumped in a chair with both arms raised and legs pointing upwards.
Incident Details
Reports suggest Taylor leaned back to wash down biscuits, which were found nearby with an uncapped water bottle, before suffering an injury that left him unable to move. Forensic officers believe he remained in that position for about six hours in severe pain.
Initial investigations indicate he likely died of “positional asphyxia”, a condition where a person is stuck in a position that prevents normal breathing. The man was found dead in a luxury villa in the holiday resort of Phuket.
Investigation Findings
Officers believe all evidence points to Taylor trying to grab the uncapped bottle to wash down the biscuits when his back broke. The severity of the break, combined with his age, left him unable to move or call for help.
Police Lieutenant Uratthaya Raengtakorn of the Choeng Thale Police Station said a post-mortem examination would be conducted to ascertain the exact cause of death.
Official Statements
Raengtakorn said: “He had been living in Thailand for decades and was staying at the villa with a housekeeper. That morning, she went in and he was still fine. Then she returned in the afternoon and found him dead on the chair. There was no unusual smell or anything suspicious. It appeared that he had slumped or fallen into that position and, because of his age, was unable to move himself back up. No one caused his death. There was no indication that anyone else was involved. However, the doctor would need to conduct an autopsy to establish the exact cause of death. He appeared to be generally healthy and strong, although I’m not sure whether he had any underlying medical conditions.”
An FCDO Spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British national who died in Thailand.”
