Poisoning case witness nabbed for illegal tours

Used, cyanide-tainted teacups are seen in the Bangkok hotel room where six Vietnamese people were found dead on July 16. (Photo supplied)
Six Asian people who were found dead on July 16 in a Bangkok hotel space can be seen using vases that have been contaminated with cyanide. ( Photo supplied )

A Asian male has been detained for working as a trip guide without authorization after being a witness in the case of six colleagues who were found dead last month at a Bangkok guesthouse.

Phan Ngoc Vu, 35, was detained on Friday night as he addressed a group of visitors at a resort in the Bangkok district’s Ratchathewi area.

Following the ominous identification of six body in a place at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, police interviewed Mr. Vu next month. He had served as the group’s link, and the officers were attempting to establish a timeline of the events that occurred.

When five Asian women met at the resort to fix a financial dispute, police suspected a 56-year-old Asian lady with US citizen of using a deadly combination of cyanide and tea to poison five of their relatives. She therefore took her personal life, they concluded.

After Mr. Vu was questioned by police, visitor authorities became curious and decided to keep an eye on his behavior. They saw him many times taking Taiwanese tourists to various Thai attractions.

Without proper identification and a job force, he was charged with operating a tour company and working as a tour guide. He was taken for legal control to the police station in Phaya Thai.