The fateful afternoon in the death chamber.

The fateful afternoon

Hotel staff discovered the bodies in room 502 on the fifth floor of the Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel at approximately 5:30 p.m. on July 16, the day after they were scheduled to check out.

All six people died inside the room, with no signs of a struggle. Their luggage was left near the front door.

CCTV footage shows that the housekeeping staff began cleaning room 502 at 1:01 PM on July 15th, then brought the requested food into the room. When the housekeeping staff left at 1:57 PM, only Ms. Chong was in the room.

According to Thai media, the waiter offered to make tea, but Ms. Chong refused.

At 2:04 PM on July 15th, the others successively dragged their suitcases into room 502. From 2:17 PM onwards, all six people remained in the room and did not come out again.

Below is a security camera image showing a group of six people apparently carrying luggage to room 502 on the 5th floor of the Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel on the afternoon of July 15th.

Preliminary investigation results into multiple deaths in a hotel in Thailand.

What did the forensic results say?

The Nation newspaper (Thailand) quoted police as saying that the results of the first two autopsies showed traces of cyanide.

At a press conference on the afternoon of July 17, Trirong Piupan, commander of the Police Forensic Science Agency, confirmed that six cups of water in the room contained black coffee and tested positive for potassium cyanide. Hotel staff were the ones who brought the cups, two bottles of hot water, milk, and a teapot into the room.

"The group of six ordered food through the hotel's room service but didn't touch it and only drank a few beverages," said Bangkok Police Chief Thiti Saengsawang.

Images of plates of fried rice, vegetables, and tom yum soup still wrapped have gone viral online. Only one of the plates had its outer wrapping removed.

Sherine Chong, a Vietnamese-American, has been identified by Thai police as a suspect in the poisoning of five other people. (Photo: X)

Related to debt

According to Khaosod and Bangkok Post, citing police Major General Theeradet Thumsuthee of the Bangkok Metropolitan Police, Thai investigators reached a preliminary conclusion after questioning several witnesses, including the daughter of one of the deceased.

"The motive is believed to be debt problems. Police are not investigating other suspects because the room where the bodies were found was locked from the inside and no one else entered. There were no signs of a struggle. The perpetrator is among the six people who died," said Mr. Thumsuthee.

According to investigators, the deceased were a group consisting of borrowers, lenders, and guarantors. A report from the Royal Thai Police stated that two of the deceased were married. The amount of debt involved has not been disclosed.

Meanwhile, the Khaosod newspaper wrote: "(Ms. Chong) owed a huge amount of money after she persuaded a couple in the investment group to build a hospital in Japan. However, they lost 10 million baht (approximately $278,000). The couple kept demanding repayment, so they eventually arranged to meet in Japan to settle the matter. However, one person couldn't get a visa to Japan, so they changed plans and met in Thailand instead."

The group consisted of three men and three women, all of Vietnamese descent. Two of them – including 56-year-old Ms. Chong – are U.S. citizens.

Many media outlets reported that one of the deceased was 37-year-old Vietnamese makeup artist Phu Gia Gia, who was said to have worked with Vietnamese celebrities and beauty queens.

Hotel staff found the bodies in a room on the fifth floor of the Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel at around 5:30 p.m. on July 16. Photo: Bangkok Post

Bangkok police chief Thiti Saengsawang said the group had booked several rooms with seven men on different floors. The seventh man was the sister of one of the deceased, according to Khaosod. She left Thailand on July 10 and was not suspected of being involved in the case.

The results of the forensic examination are expected on July 18th. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is also assisting Thai police in the investigation. The Vietnamese Embassy in Bangkok announced that they are working with Thai authorities.

Located in the heart of Bangkok, the Grand Hyatt Erawan is a luxurious 5-star hotel and a popular choice for travelers. The hotel is situated next to the Erawan Shrine, one of Bangkok's most renowned spiritual tourist destinations.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/tham-an-nguoi-viet-o-thai-lan-buoi-chieu-dinh-menh-o-can-phong-tu-than-19624071714372046.htm