Crime
Russian Tourist Found Hanging From a Tree in Phuket
The man's body is carried from the garden north of Patong yesterday Photo by phuketwan.com
CHIANGRAI TIMES – Phuket Police are satisfied that the death of a Russian man found hanging from a tree in a garden on Phuket was suicide, the officer leading the investigation said today.
Lieutenant Jongserm Preecha, of Patong’s Kathu Police Station, said doctors had examined the man’s body and found no bruising, which would indicate a struggle, and no signs of alcohol or drugs in his system.
Police found a wallet containing just 20 baht and the man’s passport and an ATM card, but they have yet to determine where he was staying on Phuket.
”We think he was low on funds and just decided not to go home,” Lieutenant Jongserm said.
Phuket Tourist Found Hanged: Patong Police Investigate
Some reports on the finding of the man raised suspicions of foul play on noting that the man’s feet still touched the ground. However, this is not unusual in deaths by hanging.
Phuketwan Newspaper has the name of the man but will not publish it yet. Lieutenant Jongserm said today that while the Russian consulate on Phuket is aware of the man’s death, his family in Russia still has to be notified.
The man, aged 66, was found hanging by a tow rope cord from a dead tree in a garden behind the Thai Style Restaurant in Prabaramee Road, Kalim, north of Patong, about 8.30am yesterday.
The man arrived in Thailand on March 15 and his visa was due to expire on April 13. His body is at Patong Hospital.
