Doctor says death of a ‘westerner’ found wearing a wetsuit and flippers could have been suicide or caused by someone else

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Police in Thailand are investigating the death of a diver off the coast of the resort city of Pattaya, whose body was found tied to a concrete post with his throat slit.

The Bangkok Post reported that authorities suspected an unnatural death. The man was wearing a wetsuit and flippers, and had 1,500 baht (around £34) on him.

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Police said the man was aged between 45 and 50, and was between 1.70 and 1.75 metres tall (roughy (5ft6 and 5ft7). They added that his physique indicated that he was a “westerner”, and that he might be Russian.

His body was found about 200 metres off Samae, a popular beach on the island of Koh Larn, near Pattaya, one of Thailand’s biggest seaside resorts.

Pattaya has a reputation as a location for international criminal networks, including Chinese and Russian mafia as well as wildlife traffickers, although police did not mention those groups.

Divers sent to the area where the body was discovered on Saturday found a snorkel, a cutter, a swimming cap and goggles on the seabed.

“The initial autopsy found his throat was slashed ... but the forensic doctor said it could have happened by suicide or by someone cutting him,” the Pattaya police chief, Apichai Krobpetch, told Agence France-Presse.

“We believe he could be Russian … there are witnesses who said they heard him earlier speaking Russian,” he said, adding they were seeking consular help to identify the man.

Pattaya police said they had not received a missing person report and were still seeking help in to identifying the body, showing local residents a photograph of the man and checking CCTV in the area.



“The most important thing right now is to find out who he was,” Apichai told the Bangkok Post. “Anybody who can give information about the man to police can contact Pattaya police station any time.”