Vietnam working closely with Thai authorities in investigating Bangkok hotel incident: spokesperson

The Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand has been coordinating closely with Thai authorities to stay updated on and assist with the investigation into the incident involving six people, including four Vietnamese, found dead at a Bangkok hotel, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Pham Thu Hang said on July 18.
Spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang. (Photo: MoFA)
Spokeswoman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang. (Photo: MoFA)

At a regular press conference of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the spokeswoman said the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand has asked the police and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand to provide information about the incident and create conditions for it to take citizen protection measures.

She said as soon as being notified of the case, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had ordered the MoFA to work closely with the Thai side to probe into the incident, carry out measures to protect the rights and legitimate interests of Vietnamese citizens. He also instructed the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) to coordinate in the investigation at the Thai side’s request to soon verify the victims’ identities.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand was required to keep a close watch on the incident, make timely report on developments in the investigation process, conduct citizen protection work, and guide the bereaved families to implement relevant procedures as stipulated, Hang said.

She noted that under the PM’s direction, the MoFA has provided information about the case for the MPS to carry out professional actions.

At the same time, the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand is keeping constant contact with competent agencies of the host country so as to give timely guidance to the victims’ families so that they can implement relevant procedures when permitted, according to Hang.

The official once again offered condolences to the bereaved families and expressed the hope that they will soon overcome this loss.

On July 16, six people, four of them Vietnamese together with two others of Vietnamese origin, were found dead at Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel in Pathum Wan district of Bangkok, Thailand. Medics at the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital of Thailand on July 17 confirmed that the six died of cyanide poisoning.

VNA