A Chinese woman reported by mainland websites to have died mysteriously on Pattaya Beach in fact passed away of illness in a downtown condominium, police said.
The body of Zhang Chunrong, 20, was found partially nude on a balcony of her rented View Talay 7 room next to Central Festival Pattaya Beach Aug. 4. The case was picked up by Chinese social-media websites ShanghaiList. com and China.org during the week after.
Pattaya police, however, say Chinese tabloid-style reports got the story wrong, reporting that the university student had flown to Thailand to meet a mystery man, canceled her flight home, left her tour group and ended up dead on Pattaya Beach.
In truth, investigators who reopened the case Aug. 14 said, the young woman died of an apparent illness contracted at home.
Lin Kun, 32, a friend of Zhang’s, said she went to pick up the woman at Suvarnabhumi International Airport Aug. 3 and, after clearing immigration, had to take her to the airport medical center as she felt terribly sick. She was prescribed medication for gas and heartburn.
Li took her friend to the View Talay condo and returned the next day. At the time, she said Zhang had insisted on going out on the balcony naked, even though Li told her it was inappropriate. She then left her friend on the veranda while she ran an errand.
Li told police she returned shortly after to find Zhang dead with only a shirt on, a towel at her feet.
Pol. Lt. Themthrong Rodsiri said the dead woman had no external signs of injury or assault and speculated the death was connected to her earlier illness or a congenital problem.
However, the body was sent to the Forensics Institute to officially determine the cause of death.
