The man has denied hurting or killing the deceased.
Thai woman – named only as Duangta – found dead in Pattaya
An Irish pensioner has denied any knowledge of a a Thai woman’s death in his holiday apartment in the resort area of Pattaya, local media have reported.
The Thai woman’s body was discovered in a fifth-floor hostel room in the Jomtien area of Chonburi in eastern Thailand yesterday afternoon.
According to reports in Thaiger.com, the 45-year-old woman – named as only as Duangta – had died there a number of days earlier and her body had begun to decompose.
Police discovered her body on the bed in a fifth-floor hostel room in the Jomtien area of Chonburi in eastern Thailand.
Following the discovery, a 77-year-old Irishman was questioned by police in connection with his knowledge of the woman’s death.
The man, who is described as being from Co Down, has been travelling under an Irish passport which carries an Irish translation of his name.
It has been reported that the pensioner told police Duangta had been sick and “kept vomiting and sleeping the whole time.”
He has claimed she “felt weak and exhausted” and that he last spoke to her on December 19.
He has denied hurting or killing the deceased.
Police have said there were no signs of a struggle or physical assault in the room.
Police at the scene in Pattaya
The Irish pensioner was not at the scene when the woman’s body was discovered and he was found by police walking along Jomtien Beach near the Grand Jomtien Palace Hotel.
He was then escorted back to the apartment for questioning.
It has since been reported that the Irish OAP told police that Duangta was physically assaulted by someone and requested to stay in the room with him.
According to his account, the woman had been staying with him since December 18, while he checked into the apartment on December 16.
He initially rented the room daily before changing to a monthly rental agreement.
Police Captain Puttharak Sonkhamhan of the Pattaya City Police Station said officers are questioning the Irishman further over his statements.
He said: “The woman had been dead for at least three days. Her body had started to decay and bloat, giving off a foul smell throughout the room.”
“She was wearing only denim shorts and nothing on her top half. An inspection of the room found no signs of a struggle or ransacking.
“It would be hard not to notice she was dead as her body was already decomposing. There was also fluid and blood on the bed.”