Thai police investigate possible poisoning death Grand Hyatt Erawan, A luxury hotel in Bangkok, the capital of the Asian country, has been shuttered after one of its tourists was found dead, according to a Thai newspaper ChaosSherin Chong, who was born in Vietnam and held an American passport, is believed to have committed suicide by drinking poison that she had given to five investors. The crime may have been motivated by financial disputes.
All the dead – three women and three men, aged between 37 and 56 – were Vietnamese. Two were US citizens, the others Vietnamese. They had arrived in Thailand earlier this month, some for the first time in the country. The group was staying at a five-star hotel opposite a famous Hindu temple in central Bangkok.
On Tuesday, the hotel room, located on the fifth floor, was locked from the inside and there was no sign of entry or exit. Preliminary findings indicate that six glasses were found in the room, each containing a small amount of white powder residue. The food in the room was untouched, and tea, energy drinks and honey were found in the bathroom. The victims appear to have died from cyanide ingestion.
According to hotel staff, whose words are quoted by Bangkok PostWhen the victims arrived, Sherin Chong was alone in room 502. She ordered room service and tea, but declined the waiter’s offer to make tea in her room, saying she would make it herself.
Sherin Chong is believed to have encouraged the victims to invest in a construction project. The manager received around €255,000 from two of the victims. When the projects failed to move forward, they went to court. Six are expected to appear in court within two weeks.
Authorities even investigated the involvement of a seventh person. The sister of one of the victims booked a room but returned to Vietnam on July 10, eliminating suspicion.