BANGKOK — A Vietnamese guide who came as a witness in the mass murder case of 6 people in a luxury hotel in central Bangkok was arrested by tourist police. After observing his behavior for over a month, police were convinced he was an illegal guide leading Vietnamese tourists to various attractions. He was arrested at a hotel in the heart of Bangkok.
Guide is one of 27 occupations which are completely restricted for foreigners in Thailand.
The Department of Tourism, in collaboration with the Tourist Police, arrested Mr. Phan Ngoc Vu, aged 35, an illegal Vietnamese guide, while he was leading a tour for Vietnamese tourists in Thailand. The arrest took place at a hotel in Soi Rang Nam, Ratchathewi district, Bangkok, on the morning of August 16.
On July 17, Phan Ngoc Vu had come as a witness in the case of the death of 6 Vietnamese tourists inside a luxury hotel in the Ratchaprasong area of Bangkok, under the jurisdiction of Lumpini Police Station. Later, police found that the cause of death was cyanide poisoning in tea cups.
Initially, police charged him with operating a tour business without a license, working as a tour guide without a license, and being a foreigner working in Thailand without a work permit or working in a prohibited occupation (tour guide). He was then sent to Phaya Thai Police Station for further legal proceedings.
Regarding the case of poisoning 6 Vietnamese people on July 14, 2024, Mrs. Cherin Chong, an American-Vietnamese national aged 56 and one of the 6 deceased, is the suspect. Police identified the motive as her being in debt of 10 million baht ($278,000) to a couple who were on the same trip.
In this case, police questioned Phan Ngoc Vu as the person knew Ms. Thi Nguyen Phunng Lan, 47, one of the deceased. He said she had asked him to buy “snake medicine” for 11,000 baht. He then asked another person to procure it. Subsequent examination confirmed that the capsules containing this medicine were not cyanide.
In this case, the Lumpini Police Station is still waiting for the official forensic science results to conclude the investigation.
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