Police investigate case of electrocuted Swede

PATONG: Kathu Police are investigating the death of 34-year-old Swedish tourist Robert Karlsson Svard, who was found dead in his room at a Patong guest house on the afternoon of November 23.

Pol Sub Lt Thitikorn Rawang, Duty Officer of the Kathu Police, confirmed as accurate a report in a local Thai-language newspaper that said Mr Karlsson Svard died of an apparent electrocution in his third-floor room in a guest house on Soi Paradise.

Mr Karlsson’s naked body was found lying face up at about 3 pm, still clutching the head of an opened shower hose in his left hand.

The room was flooded. Police and volunteer rescue workers from the Kusoldharm Foundation had to cut the electrical power to the room before entering.

When they did enter the room and examined the body, they found Mr Karlsson had severe electrical burn marks on the fingers on his left and also on his left hip.

The body was discovered by a staff member of the guest house, who opened the room with a key card after Mr Karlsson failed to check out as planned at noon that day. He had checked into the guest house earlier the same week.

Mr Karlsson died at least two hours before his body was discovered, the report quoted the police as saying.

There were no signs of a struggle or foul play in the room. There was a laptop computer on the stone floor of the room, it added.

An autopsy confirmed the cause of death as electrocution, Lt Thitikorn said.

Police are still investigating the cause of the electrocution and have yet to lay any charges against the owner of the guest house, who has already taken steps to better ground electricity in the building, he said.

Acting Swedish Consulate General in Phuket Christina Palm confirmed that the case was being investigated.

The family of the deceased was notified on November 23. The Consulate is currently working to repatriate the body of Mr Karlsson Svard, whose insurance will cover the related expenses, she said.

As of this morning, the Consulate had yet to receive a copy of the autopsy report, she added.