German dies of heroin overdose

PATONG: A German man, Edgar Radke, 44, died yesterday in Patong of a heroin overdose. Pol Capt Chawalit Petchsripen of Kathu Police Station told the Gazette that Mr Radke met a friend for coffee in the lobby of a hotel. After a while he got up to go to the toilet. When, after a long time, he did not return, the friend went to the toilet and found him unconscious on the floor. Hotel staff called the Patong Hospital, which sent an ambulance. CPR was applied, but without success. Police investigators found a hypodermic syringe in the toilet, containing a small amount of heroin. “There was also blood on his arm, which indicated that he had just used the syringe,” said Capt Chawalit. “We’re not sure whether he was a tourist or resident somewhere in Thailand; all we know is that he had just arrived in Phuket from Koh Samui.” Mr Radke’s corpse is being kept in Patong Hospital awaiting instructions from the German Embassy.