17-7-2024 (BANGKOK) In a startling development, a Vietnamese tour guide has come forward with new information regarding the recent tragic discovery of six bodies in a luxurious Bangkok hotel room. The case, which has gripped the nation, took a dramatic turn as the guide revealed his role as an intermediary in procuring an unspecified substance for one of the deceased.
The bodies of three men and three women were found in a high-end hotel in the Lumpini area of Bangkok, with initial reports suggesting they had been poisoned with cyanide. Investigators believe that one of the six individuals was responsible for administering the lethal substance before succumbing as the final victim. The motive is thought to be linked to a 10 million baht debt resulting from a failed investment scheme.
On 17 July 2024, the Metropolitan Police Bureau brought in Phan Ngoc Vu, a 35-year-old Vietnamese national who had served as a guide for the deceased group, for questioning at Lumpini Police Station. When approached by reporters, Vu offered only brief responses, claiming he was unaware of why he had been summoned and stating he had only known one member of the group from a previous year.
However, police investigators have uncovered more significant details. Between 3-5 July, Ms. Thi Nguyen Phuong Lan, identified as ‘Number 2’ among the deceased, allegedly tasked Vu with purchasing a substance priced at 11,000 baht, referred to as ‘Snake Medicine Number 7’. Vu reportedly passed this order to an individual known only as ‘Tiger’, who then coordinated the delivery to the hotel.
The investigation has now expanded to identify ‘Tiger’ through CCTV footage analysis. Additionally, on 9 July, Ms. Lan’s Japanese businessman husband reportedly contacted Vu, instructing him to exchange currency for Ms. Lan’s sister – the seventh member of the group who departed for Vietnam on 10 July.
Vu exchanged 70 million Vietnamese dong for over 90,000 Thai baht, which he then delivered to Ms. Lan’s sister at a hotel in the Ratchadamri area. At the time, she was reportedly in the company of an American male, identified as ‘Number 4’ among the deceased. The sister left for Danang the following day.
