Tests detected the deadly chemical, which interferes with the human body's ability to use oxygen, in a tea flask and in six cups, with the signs of cyanide poisoning revealed in postmortems of the six bodies. Police, having interviewed a relative of one of the six, believe the deaths could be related to a business dispute.
The deceased were Vietnamese, and two had US citizenship, according to the Thai authorities, who said the FBI was providing assistance.
Thai police said they believed the poisonings occurred on Monday afternoon, after the group ordered food and English tea to their room on the fifth floor of the Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel in Bangkok's commercial district.
When room service staff arrived, they saw only one of the six, a 56-yearold woman, police said.
She received the food and drinks and told hotel staff there was no need to serve the tea, according to Noppasin Poonsawat, the deputy commander of Bangkok's metropolitan police bureau.
Shortly after the tea delivery, CCTV showed all six members of the group gathering outside the hotel room and then entering.
This story is from the July 18, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the July 18, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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