Russian expat dead in Phuket with needle in arm

PHUKET: The body of a Russian man with a needle embedded in his left arm was discovered at an apartment near Khao Rang in Phuket City yesterday.

The man has been identified as a 38-year-old computer programmer. The Gazette is withholding his name until his family has been notified of his death.

The body was discovered by a concerned colleague, who went to check up on the Russian after he failed to turn up for work on Monday.

“The colleague alerted staff at the apartment building on Mae Luan Road at 3.40pm after seeing a trickle of blood from under the balcony door of the deceased’s 2-bedroom apartment. There was also a strong smell of decay emanating from the room,” said Major Nucharee Longkaew of Phuket City Police.

The deceased was wearing only a pair of shorts and there was a tourniquet still bound around his upper left arm. Drug paraphernalia was found on a table near the man’s body. However, police did not find any illicit drugs in the room.

The traces of blood were small, coming from the head area, and there were no wounds indicating violence. Nor was there any sign of robbery, the policeman said, adding that the man appeared to have died at least 24 hours before discovery of the body.

An autopsy to determine the cause of death is being carried out at Vachira Hospital Phuket.

— Winai Sarot