Bangkok, Thailand — Initial autopsy results have revealed traces of cyanide in the blood of six Vietnamese and American guests found dead at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, authorities announced Wednesday. Thai officials suspect one of the guests poisoned the others over a soured investment deal.
The bodies were discovered on Tuesday in a suite at the iconic hotel, situated at a bustling intersection in the heart of the capital, 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. Security footage captured a woman receiving the delivery, and the others arriving shortly after. No additional visitors were seen entering or leaving the room, which was found locked from the inside. A maid discovered the bodies on Tuesday afternoon when the group failed to check out.
Hotel staff reported that the food delivered the previous day remained untouched, with portions of fried rice still wrapped in plastic. However, several used teacups were found on a table beside two thermos bottles. Lt. Gen. Trairong Piwpan, head of the Thai police forensic division, confirmed that traces of cyanide were present in the cups and bottles.
Autopsies conducted at Chulalongkorn Hospital revealed cyanide in the blood of all six victims. Dr. Kornkiat Vongpaisarnsin, head of the forensic medicine department at Chulalongkorn University, confirmed there were no signs of blunt force trauma, supporting the poisoning theory. Chulalongkorn’s dean of medicine, Dr. Chanchai Sittipunt, stated that cyanide was likely the cause of death.
Bangkok police chief Lt. Gen. Thiti Sangsawang identified the deceased as two Vietnamese Americans and four Vietnamese nationals, aged between 37 and 56. Among the victims were a husband and wife who had invested around 10 million baht ($278,000) with two of the others. This investment, intended for a hospital project in Japan, is suspected to be a possible motive, according to Bangkok deputy police chief Noppasin Punsawat. While police believe one of the six guests poisoned the others, the specific individual responsible has not been identified.
The bodies were found in different parts of the suite, with four in the living room and two in the bedroom. Lt. Gen. Sangsawang mentioned that two victims appeared to have tried to reach the door before collapsing.
A seventh individual, who was part of the hotel booking but left Thailand on July 10, is believed to have no involvement in the deaths, according to police.
Both the Vietnamese and U.S. embassies have been notified. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin stated that the American FBI is on its way to assist in the investigation. He reassured the public that the incident was not an act of terrorism or a security breach.
“This wasn’t an act of terrorism or a breach in security. Everything is fine,” Thavisin said.
Lt. Gen. Trairong dismissed the likelihood of a mass suicide, citing that some of the victims had future travel arrangements, such as guides and drivers. The differing locations of the bodies within the suite also suggested they did not consume poison together.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller expressed condolences to the victims’ families and affirmed that the U.S. is closely monitoring the situation, maintaining communication with local authorities. Although U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with his Thai counterpart on Tuesday, Miller noted that this call likely occurred before the deaths were reported.
The Grand Hyatt Erawan, a five-star hotel and a prominent landmark, is adjacent to the Erawan Shrine, a popular tourist site erected in 1956 to ward off bad luck. The shrine was the target of a bombing in 2015 that killed 20 people and injured over 100.
This incident comes on the heels of a 2023 case involving Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, dubbed “Am Cyanide,” who poisoned at least 14 people over several years due to financial disputes.
Credit: AP
