Swiss son finds mom’s suicide note

PHUKET: A son of 61-year-old Swiss woman Ursula Balzan, whose body was found floating off Phuket’s east coast last week, has confirmed the handwriting in a suicide note as that of his mother, say police.

Roman Balzan, 36, one of Mrs Balzan’s two sons, flew to Phuket from Switzerland last Sunday, Phuket City Police duty inspector Sien Keawthong told the Phuket Gazette.

He chose to stay overnight at the bungalow on Koh Maphrao where his mother had been staying, and found a suicide note under a computer monitor in the bedroom.

Mr Balzan verified the handwriting as that of his late mother.

The letter revealed that Ms Balzan intended to commit suicide at sea after taking sleeping pills, Lt Col Sien noted.

“Citing a cardiac disease, she wrote that she didn’t want to be a burden on her sister and sons,” he added.

Considering the new evidence, officers suspect the broken neck and bruises to her body were sustained after she had died. They were probably the result of waves dashing the body into the rocky coastline, he said.

“During our investigation, we checked the house for evidence and missing property, but did not thoroughly inspect the bedroom. We didn’t want to make the family feel uncomfortable by invading their privacy,” explained Lt Col Sien.

Mrs Balzan’s other son, Kevin, flew to Phuket from Taiwan on Wednesday, he said.

In respect of their late mother’s wishes, the sons told police they do not want the body transported to a police forensic facility in Surat Thani for an autopsy. They just want her to rest in peace, he said.

Mrs Balzan’s body was cremated at Ladthiwanaram Temple (Wat Tai) in Chalong on Wednesday.

— Atchaa Khamlo