Body of hanged foreigner found on Lan Island

A foreign tourist holidaying on Lan Island threatened his loved ones with suicide and carried out the threat after an argument with his father, who refused to give his son money.

An Indian man holidaying on Lan Island off the coast of Pattaya hanged himself atop the island’s highest hill after the Indian’s father refused to give his son money, Thai Rat newspaper reported.

Pattaya police received a report at 11 am that a foreigner had hanged himself at the top of Lan Island’s highest hill at a temple behind the Buddha’s footprint. Police officers, along with Savang Boriboon lifeguards, went to the scene to search for the body.

The police officers and rescuers had to climb 230 metres above sea level and walk more than 1.2 kilometres to the site. At the said spot, the body of a foreigner was found hanging from a tree behind the footprint of the Buddha. The place is not much visited,’ residents said.

The discovered body was later identified as 31-year-old Indian national Ranajit Gnanamurthy, who had been dead for at least 10 hours. Two mobile phones and some Indian currency were found with the man. Rescuers had to carry the body down the slope, which took three and a half hours.

A temple novice said terrified tourists ran up to him and told him they had found the body of a foreigner hanging from a tree. The novice reported the matter to the monk, who called the police.

At around 5 pm yesterday, the novice saw the foreigner drive up on a motorbike, which he parked at the entrance. As night fell and the tourist never came down the hill, the Indian was searched for but never found until the tourists discovered the body this morning.

The owner of a motorbike hire firm on the island said the deceased had been living there for about two months and renting a motorbike to ride around the island.

The Indian man told the woman that he had argued with his father, who is a police officer in India after he had called and asked for money. But the father refused to give the money to his son despite threatening to commit suicide.

Last night, the Indian even sent his father a picture of the place where he was going to hang himself, with the message: ‘It’s here.’ However, no one seemed to be bothered by the threat and the Indian hanged himself.