By D. Maan, Jadetimes News
Cyanide Teacups in Room 502, Bangkok Hotel Deaths Baffles Police
The fifth floor of the Grand Hyatt Erawan in Bangkok seemed quiet until police officers opened Room 502. There were no screams, there were no calls for help, and no one reached the door. Inside, all was eerily calm, with a late lunch laid out on the table, apparently waiting for the occupants to take their places. The only clue to the horror inside the locked room was that the group was overdue to check out.
Inside the room 502, the police discovered six bodies alongside cyanide laced teacups. The officers did not need much time to turn their minds to the realization that all of the occupants had consumed the poisoned tea. While the victims were quickly identified, larger questions about motive and perpetrator eluded them.
Among the four Vietnamese nationals were Thi Nguyen Phuong, 46; her husband, Hong Pham Thanh, 49; Thi Nguyen Phuong Lan, 47; and Dinh Tran Phu, 37. The other two were nationals of America, of Vietnamese origin: Sherine Chong, 56; and Dang Hung Van, 55.
Investigators found that Chong had borrowed 10 million baht from Hong Pham Thanh and Thi Nguyen Phuong for a hospital building project in Japan. Owners of the construction business could not get their money back and were due to fight the couple in court in Japan in a few weeks. This meeting seemed to discuss matters before the case.
Thi Nguyen Phuong Lan attended as Chong's go between with the couple. Chong resided in Oakland, California, US media report.
Dinh Tran Phu, a makeup artist for movie stars, singers, and beauty queens throughout Vietnam, labored for Chong at the meeting. A friend close to the family described knowing both Thi Nguyen Phuong and Thi Nguyen Phuong Lan from treatments at a Da Nang spa.
Dang Hung Van is not immediately clear as to what his role in the meeting was.
The police said a seventh person had been added to the hotel booking, the sister of one of the victims, who had already returned to Vietnam last week and was not involved in the incident.
The group had checked into the hotel separately over the weekend and occupied five rooms, four on the seventh floor and one on the fifth. Chong checked into Room 502 on Sunday. The others visited her suite that day but returned to their rooms for the night.
On Monday morning, Dang Hung Van ordered six cups of tea, and Dinh Tran Phu ordered fried rice. They asked for delivery in Room 502 at 14:00 local time. Chong received the orders shortly before 14:00, alone in her suite. She refused the waiter's offer to brew the tea, and he noted that she "spoke very little and was visibly under stress."
The other four showed up a little later, the couple dragging a suitcase behind them. All six were caught on camera by the door at 14:17 before the door closed, and no further movement inside was detected after that.
The sextet was due to check out Monday, but failed to do so. Cops kicked in the door at 16:30 yesterday and found all six lying dead on the floor.
The most haunting questions this case raises are why the victims became targets and who is behind this poisoning scheme. An investigation is underway to unravel the shock of this mystery.
Cyanide Poisoning in Bangkok Hotel, Unraveling the Mystery of the Six Deaths
Preliminary Investigation Results
Preliminary autopsy results regarding the six mysterious deaths in Room 502 of Bangkok's Grand Hyatt Erawan indicated that two of the victims had tried to reach the suite's door but obviously failed. All six remains revealed cyanide poisoning, a deadly substance that may kill within minutes upon intake of specific dosages. The victims' lips and nails had turned dark purple, indicating a lack of oxygen, while their internal organs were "blood red," another telltale sign of cyanide poisoning. According to investigators, there is "no other cause" to explain their deaths "except for cyanide." Further tests are being conducted to determine the "intensity" of the cyanide and to rule out any other toxins.
Deadly Effects of Cyanide
Cyanide can starve the body's cells of oxygen, which can lead to heart attacks. Symptoms of the poison begin with dizziness, short breath, and vomiting. In Thailand, cyanide is strictly controlled, and possession without authority alone already means up to two years in jail. Police said they believe one of the dead was behind the poisoning in a desperate bid to escape crushing debt but did not say who.
Financial Rows and Suspicions
According to a report by VN Express, a Vietnamese outlet, the other five victims were suing Chong over failed investments. Monday's meeting in Bangkok had been intended as a settlement negotiation. It ended tragically. The police are seeking a statement from the group's tour guide in Bangkok, 35 year old Phan Ngoc Vu. It is reported that she had asked someone to buy for her some traditional medicine containing snake blood before her death for her joint pains.
Bizarre Discovery in the Suite
There were also two metal beverage containers there in the suite that did not belong to the hotel. These containers were also put beside the cyanide laced teacups near the dining table. Investigators are analyzing these containers as part of their ongoing investigation.
Official Responses and Wider Implications
Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered officials in Hanoi to coordinate very closely with their Thai counterparts over the investigation. It has come at the worst possible time for the Thai authorities. Thailand had just extended its visa free entry to 93 countries to prop up tourism, rattled by the pandemic. The tragic incident occurred weeks after a 14 year old boy opened fire, killing two people, at a luxury shopping mall in Bangkok.
The Prime Minister of Thailand, Srettha Thavisin, visited the scene at the Grand Hyatt on Tuesday night. He assured there was no danger to public safety and it was a private matter.
Family Reactions
The families of the victims are in shock. An attempt was made to contact the mother of the makeup artist, Tuy. She was weeping uncontrollably. She had thought her son had gone away for work as usual. His father, Tran Dinh Dung said he saw nothing unusual with his son the last time he saw him.
Conclusion
The investigation is on, and everybody is trying to reach the bottom of this tragedy. In one case, cyanide and financial disputes between victims are making things so complicated, with many unanswered questions.
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