Crime
Mystery Remains over how Canadian Died in ChiangMai
Chiangrai Times – The family of a Canadian man who was found dead outside a hotel in Thailand are still in the dark about how he died.
Edward Fairburn, 40, from Halifax Canada, went to Chiang Mai to meet a friend about a business venture.
At an inquest into his death yesterday, a statement from his mum Brenda Corbett said she recalled a phone call where he sounded paranoid and wanted her to find the telephone number for his solicitor and the British Embassy hours before his death.
“He said that he had been set up big time,” she said. “He sounded really scared and asked if he should contact the police and I told him to get out and come home. He was expecting to be beat up and for the door to be knocked down.”
Mr Fairburn was last seen smoking a cigarette outside the fire exit stairway. He was later found lying dead at the bottom of the stairway, seven metres away from the building.
A post mortem revealed that Mr Fairburn died from multiple injuries common to a fall from a height.
Deputy Coroner Professor Paul Marks recorded an open verdict. He said: “There were no eye witnesses to account for what occurred. There was no suggestion he took his own life.
He added: “There is evidence he was agitated with business activities and involved in being set up by a former business partner.”
Mrs Corbett said Mr Fairburn’s loved ones had known it was going to be hard to find out what really happened as the investigation was taking place abroad.
She added: “He lived life to the full. He is very much missed by everyone.”
