6 people found dead in Bangkok hotel, poisoning suspected

Investigators said the bodies were found foaming at the mouth, an officer from the Lumpini police station said on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to release information.

The Grand Hyatt Erawan has over 350 rooms and is located in a popular tourist district known for luxury shopping and restaurants.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin went to the scene in the evening but did not provide any additional information to reporters gathered there.

“The prime minister has ordered all agencies to urgently take action to avoid impact on tourism,” the Thai government said in its statement.

More than 28 million foreign tourists visited Thailand last year, spending 1.2 trillion baht ($33.71 billion) in the country, where other key sectors of the economy have been slow in recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The government expects 35 million foreign arrivals this year, on the back of longer visa stay periods and waivers for several nationalities.

The tourism sector was shaken last October by a shooting spree at a luxury shopping mall, close to the Hyatt, in which two foreigners were killed, prompting government measures to improve confidence.