A 41-year-old British tourist has been found dead in his hotel room in Patong, Phuket, with Thai police awaiting autopsy results to establish the cause of death. Authorities said there were no immediate signs of foul play during their initial investigation.
Police from Patong Police Station were called to a hotel in Patong, Kathu district, at approximately 11:20am on Monday, August 3, after hotel staff discovered the body of a foreign guest inside his room.
The deceased was identified as Zakir Mahood, a 41-year-old British national. According to police, he had been staying alone at the hotel since July 24 and was due to check out on Monday.
The hotel’s head housekeeper told investigators the room was last serviced on July 27. Following that date, a “Do Not Disturb” sign remained displayed on the door, preventing housekeeping staff from entering.
At around 11:00am on the day of his scheduled departure, a housekeeper knocked on the room but received no response. Staff then entered the room and found Mahood unresponsive before contacting emergency services.
Police, forensic officers, and medical personnel attended the scene. Investigators reported there were no signs of forced entry, no evidence of a struggle, and nothing to suggest the room had been searched or ransacked.
A preliminary examination by police and a forensic doctor estimated that Mahood had died between 12 and 24 hours before his body was discovered. However, officials stressed that the exact cause of death has not yet been determined.
The body has been transferred to Vachira Phuket Hospital, where a full post-mortem examination will be carried out to establish the cause of death.
Thai authorities are working with the British Embassy to notify Mahood’s next of kin and arrange the repatriation of his body to the United Kingdom for funeral arrangements. Police said the investigation remains ongoing pending the results of the autopsy.
