Thai PM orders probe after six foreign nationals found dead in Bangkok hotel

• Six foreign nationals, including two US passport holders, died in a hotel room in Bangkok.
• The victims, of Vietnamese descent, checked into the Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel at two separate times.
• The bodies were found in one room, showing no signs of struggle.

Thai police are investigating the deaths of six foreign nationals whose bodies were found in a room at an upmarket hotel in Bangkok on Tuesday. They are also searching for a seventh person in connection with the incident.

Police official Thiti Saengsawang told reporters that all six victims, who were of Vietnamese descent and included two US passport holders, checked into Bangkok’s Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel at two separate times after arriving on Saturday and Sunday.

He said the group, consisting of three men and three women, checked into different rooms, but their bodies were found in one room, which showed no signs of struggle.

“This was not self-harm, but someone caused the deaths,” said Thiti, adding that police were looking for a seventh person connected with the group.

“We are tracing every step since they got off the plane.”

Thai police officers found the bodies after hotel staff called around 5:30 p.m. (1030 GMT) to report the deaths, the police said in a statement. Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who visited the hotel late on Tuesday with senior police officials, ordered a swift investigation into the matter, the government said in a statement.

“The prime minister has ordered all agencies to urgently take action to avoid impact on tourism,” it said.

Reuters' calls to the US and Vietnamese embassies in Bangkok went unanswered. The Grand Hyatt Erawan, located in a popular tourist district in the Thai capital known for luxury shopping and restaurants and boasting over 350 rooms, also did not immediately respond to calls or an email seeking comment.

Tourism drives Southeast Asia's second-largest economy, with the government expecting 35 million foreign arrivals this year. In 2023, 28 million tourists visited the country, spending 1.2 trillion baht ($33.71 billion).

The tourism sector, which generated $33.71 billion last year, was shaken last October by a shooting spree at a luxury shopping mall near the Hyatt, resulting in the deaths of two foreigners. This incident prompted the government to take measures to improve confidence, including ramping up security at popular locations. To attract more visitors, the government has also offered longer visa stay periods and waivers for several nationalities.

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