Bangkok –
The Royal Thai Police have confirmed that the horrific incident involving the death of six foreign nationals in Bangkok did NOT have any ties to any transnational crime. Cyanide was found in cups of tea and no other people were involved in their deaths.
The incident is now being treated as a murder-suicide said Thai police.
Our previous story:
The Metropolitan Police Bureau, led by Pol Lt. Gen. Thiti Saengsawang, told the press of the incident. The Lumphini Police were notified of the incident at 5:30 P.M. on Tuesday (July 16th).
Now for the update:
On Wednesday (July 17th) the Royal Thai Police held a press conference regarding the incident. All six four Vietnamese nationals and two Americans of Vietnamese nationality did not have any Interpol red notices or criminal history in the Thai Immigration System. Police have confirmed that the incident did NOT have relations to any transnational crime but instead directly involved a dispute over a large financial debt between some of the victims.
Cyanide was found in multiple cups of tea, said the Royal Thai Police. The blood of the victims showed results of poisoning by a toxin which is now suspected as being from cyanide. No other people than those six were involved in the incident. One of the victims is also suspected as the murderer who poisoned the other five people before taking her own life by drinking the poisoned tea.
Police believe that the victims died at least 24 hours before their bodies were found.
Thai Police noted that one of the six who was the alleged poisoner was a 56 year-old female of American nationality but of Vietnamese descent, now identified as Miss Sherine Chong.
Chong reportedly owed a significant amount of money, reportedly as much as ten million Baht, to at least two of the other victims after a failed investment, said Royal Thai Police. How she obtained cyanide is still under investigation by police.
The investment reportedly involved construction of a hospital in Japan and not illegal businesses said Thai Police, but some of the victims suspected Chong of misappropriating the funds for the investment.
A seventh person originally identified by police as having previously been with the group is now being described as a sister of one of the victims and had flown home several days before the murder-suicide. Police do not believe she is connected to the case.
Chong had invited the others to a meal to discuss the outstanding investment and funds, ordering food which had not been eaten, said police. The group shared tea after arrival which Chong is now believed to have poisoned with cyanide, concluded police.
This is a developing story.
