A 42-year-old British man has been found dead in Thailand with a wound on the back of his head, discovered by his girlfriend in a stairwell after a night of heavy drinking. The former salesman, who was planning to return to the UK for medical treatment, sent a text message expressing sadness about family matters just hours before his body was located.
Discovery in the Early Hours
In the early hours of April 4, the man left his rented accommodation in Pattaya after consuming a significant amount of alcohol. His Thai girlfriend, returning from work later that morning, found his body slumped between the second and third floors of the four-storey building, leaning against a railing. She initially thought he had fallen asleep but realised the situation was grave when he failed to respond to her attempts to wake him.
Police Investigation and Scene Details
Officers were called to the scene at approximately 8.30am, where they discovered the man wearing a white collared shirt and black shorts, with only one shoe on his foot. A small wound was visible on the back of his head. Inside his room, police found no signs of a struggle or forced entry, but noted an empty bottle of Thai liquor, water, and a glass placed on the bed.
Police Lieutenant Akkarapong Saenputawong stated that the cause of death could not be immediately determined. He confirmed that CCTV footage from inside the room showed no abnormalities or outsiders entering or leaving. However, footage did capture the man emerging shirtless from his room while intoxicated around 2am, heading down the stairwell, and later returning alone before his death.
Health Issues and Personal Struggles
The man had been suffering from high blood pressure and had recently been drinking heavily, according to his distraught girlfriend. She revealed that he had resigned from his job two weeks earlier and was planning to return to the UK for medical treatment. Additionally, she claimed her boyfriend had been vomiting blood and showing signs of memory loss prior to his death.
The body has been sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the Police Hospital for a post-mortem examination to ascertain the exact cause of death and the nature of the head injury. Police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding this tragic incident.
The Daily Mail has approached the Foreign Office for comment on the matter, highlighting the international aspect of this case involving a British national abroad.
