Timeline of a murder: Police investigate killing of six hotel guests

BANGKOK (The Nation/ANN) -- Thai police are investigating the deaths of six foreign nationals whose bodies were found in a room at an upmarket hotel in Bangkok on Tuesday.
Sources from the Metropolitan Police investigation team and the Forensic Department of the Royal Thai Police have outlined several initial assumptions regarding the mass murder.

All six victims were of Vietnamese descent, with two of them holding US passports, and checked into the hotel at different times, arriving on Saturday and Sunday.
Police suspect that the perpetrator might be among the deceased, as a detailed examination of the CCTV footage shows no one entering or leaving the room after this group went in. However, this assumption is not yet 100 percent confirmed, as there might be blind spots not covered by the cameras.
Forensic evidence shows that the deaths resulted from poisoning or were induced by poison.
Preliminary checks on the victims’ backgrounds revealed no involvement in political movements either in Vietnam or the United States.
The exact cause and motive require further evidence gathering for clarity.
The group travelled from Vietnam on different flights and checked into the hotel at different times. According to booking information, the reservation was made for seven people, but only five checked in, and six were found dead.
All the victims were in the room of an American-Vietnamese, suggesting they were called to assemble before being murdered.
Initial passport checks are underway, and it is clear they were not in Thailand for tourism or business. They checked in on Sunday, July 14, and were scheduled to check out on Monday, July 15.
Deaths are estimated to have occurred after 4pm on July 15, as the last phone activity was around 4pm.
All food in the room was ordered on July 15 and there were signs of tea and coffee having been consumed.
This would indicate that the group did not intend to die in Thailand but was likely poisoned.
Agents from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation have asked to join the investigation at the hotel scene. They claimed interest due to the involvement of American citizens. However, Thai authorities have not yet granted permission.
High-ranking sources from the Royal Thai Police confirmed the incident is unrelated to tourism safety. The victims met and were killed in a closed room, with no external intrusion or robbery intent. Authorities are urging clear communication to avoid impacting Thailand’s tourism.
Overnight police invited relatives and individuals connected to the deceased for additional questioning.
At around 1am on July 17, 2024, investigators from the Lumpini Police Station brought evidence from the scene, including eight suitcases, one backpack, shoes, and other personal items of the deceased, to the station for further inspection.
Five witnesses were invited for further questioning. Among them were relatives of the deceased. After questioning the five witnesses for more than two hours, the police revealed that they included the First Secretary of the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand and a friend of the deceased’s younger sister, who resides in Thailand. They were invited to provide information and assist with translating documents found in the luggage. That search of the luggage revealed they were preparing to check out of the hotel. General medications were also found, which need to be sent to the forensic lab to compare with the drugs found at the scene to determine if they are the same type. The bodies of the six deceased individuals have been sent to the Department of Forensic Medicine at Chulalongkorn University for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
All had travelled from Vietnam and entered Thailand on tourist visas.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Nopasin Poolsawat, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, is slated to provide an update on the progress of the case this afternoon.
According to information gathered by reporters, one of the six bodies identified is Phu Gia Gia, real name is Dinh Tran Phu, a renowned 37-year-old make-up artist from Vietnam. He entered Thailand most recently on July 12 through Suvarnabhumi Airport and has a record of entering and leaving Thailand 11 times.
His Facebook page showed some activity, with a public post on July 9 showing a typical display of his make-up work, as usual is for a make-up artist. The post earned several comments praising his work. After the news of his death in Thailand broke, numerous people expressed their condolences and shared their sorrow.
Three hypotheses have been put forward.
Political retribution: Could the murders be related to political retribution or a hunt against dissenting political factions?
Espionage: Could the murders be related to an espionage operation involving secret agents?
Family feud: Were the victims related and involved in a conflict over an inheritance or benefits leading to the mass murder?
The latest report from the police investigation unit reveals preliminary results from interviews with some of the deceased’s relatives who have come forward to provide information. The focus is currently on the possibility that the incident involves borrowing money to invest in some business, followed by conflicts or betrayal.

(Latest Update July 18, 2024)