Six people have been found dead at a luxury hotel in Bangkok in an alleged cyanide poisoning plot.
Thai police suspect a poisoning after four Vietnamese nationals and two Vietnamese Americans were found dead at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel on Tuesday.
Three men and three women were found foaming at the mouth by a hotel staff member, who found the door locked from the inside after the group failed to check out.
Police in Thailand now say cyanide was the likely cause of death after traces of it were found in cups and a teapot.
Food ordered from room service was left uneaten, but drinks had been consumed.
Police say the six victims each arrived at the hotel at different times, and have denied that it was a self-harm incident.
Officials have dismissed initial reports that there had been a shooting.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has visited the scene and ordered an investigation.
Five bodies were found inside a hotel room and one outside, and that the grim discovery was made by a hotel maid.
Bangkok police chief Lt Gen Thiti Sangsawang said the residents of the room were supposed to check out on Tuesday and their luggage had already been packed.
The victims had booked several rooms at the hotel under seven different names, and some were staying on a different floor to the room where they were found dead.
Lt Gen Sangsawang said police are still looking for the seventh person named in the bookings.
He added that there were no signs of a struggle, and that preliminary results suggested the victims had died up to 24 hours before their bodies were found.
US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said officials are aware of the reports of the deaths of two US citizens in Bangkok.
‘We offer our sincere condolences to the families on their loss. We are closely monitoring the situation and stand ready to provide consular assistance to those families,’ he said.
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