Family devastated as makeup artist Phu Gia Gia among 6 found dead at Bangkok’s Grand Hyatt Erawan

“We were in total shock last night after receiving the dreadful news from his friends, colleagues, and the artists he had worked with,” Tuy, 58, told Ngoi Sao on Wednesday. “My husband and I were completely stunned.”

She added: “After looking at the information and documents that the Thai police posted online, we were deeply shocked and couldn’t accept that our 37-year-old son had passed away in Thailand.”

Vietnamese makeup artist Phu Gia Gia. Photo from Phu Gia Gia’s Facebook

She explained that Phu had informed his family he was traveling to Thailand for a three-day work trip but didn’t specify his companions. He left home last Friday and was due back late Sunday. However, on Sunday noon, when Phu Gia Gia’s father called to confirm his return time so they could wait for him, Phu Gia Gia mentioned his work wasn’t finished and he would be back the next day. Since then, the family had lost contact with him.

Born Tran Dinh Phu, Phu Gia Gia was from the central coastal city of Da Nang and had been in the makeup industry for nearly 20 years. He had worked with numerous celebrities and beauty queens.

Thai authorities found six bodies in a fifth-floor room of the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel on Tuesday night after a call from hotel staff around 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Bangkok police chief Lt. Gen. Thiti Sangsawang confirmed the deceased included two Vietnamese-Americans and four Vietnamese nationals, comprising three males and three females.

The deceased American nationals were identified as Sherine Chong, 56, and Dang Hung Van, 55, while the Vietnamese were Nguyen Thi Phuong Lan, 47, Pham Hong Thanh, 49, Tran Dinh Phu, 37, and Nguyen Thi Phuong, 46, reported Khaosod English.

Thiti disclosed that the victims had booked several rooms at the hotel under seven names, with some occupying a different floor from where the bodies were discovered.

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin visited the site around 9 p.m., and later informed journalists that the incident was neither a robbery nor a random attack.

Thiti noted that the food the group ordered from room service earlier remained untouched, although the drinks had been consumed. He did not confirm a cause of death but indicated that the deaths seemed to have occurred about 24 hours prior to the police’s arrival on Tuesday evening.

Several Thai newspapers have speculated that the victims might have been poisoned with cyanide.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung visited the site following the report of the incident. He stated that the Vietnamese embassy is collaborating with local authorities to clarify the situation and perform necessary citizen protection measures.

The Grand Hyatt Erawan is a renowned five-star hotel in Bangkok, boasting 350 rooms. It is located in the Ratchaprasong area, a bustling shopping and entertainment district adjacent to the central Siam neighborhood.