BANGKOK — A British man who reportedly lost 10 million baht in a fraud scheme was found dead in his guesthouse room in Chiang Mai province today.
The 38-year-old Briton had been dead for two days before cleaning staff at a guesthouse in Muang district found his body at 10 am this morning, police say.
According to Pol.Maj.Gen. Wichian Chaichomphu, a detective officer at Muang Chiang Mai Police Station, the British man appeared to have died from alcohol poisoning, though a more detailed autopsy is needed in order to establish a clear cause of death.
Khaosod English is withholding the name of the deceased until it is confirmed that his family has been notified.
Pol.Maj.Gen. Wichian said witnesses told police that the Briton was an Oxford graduate who came to Thailand "many years ago" and fell in love with a Thai girl at a bar in Chiang Mai. The woman then convinced him to invest 10 million baht in her fabricated "plan" to open an elephant-breeding business in the region, Pol.Maj.Gen. Wichian said.
"The woman fled with the money," Pol.Maj.Gen. Wichian told reporters.
After losing 10 million baht, the Briton reportedly became bitter and began drinking heavily. According to witnesses, he drank "4-5 bottles of alcohol" every day.
"What is worse, the deceased met an American tourist who was traveling in Chiang Mai and staying in the same guesthouse. She comforted the man and gave him a lot of support," Pol.Maj.Gen. Wichian said, "But the woman later returned to the United States, which caused him to be even sadder. He increased his drinking habits."
Police found "many empty bottles of alcohol" in his room, Pol.Maj.Gen. Wichian said. He said the British Consulate in Chiang Mai province will be notified about the exact cause of death once police conclude their investigation.
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