A 41-year-old British tourist, Zakir Mahood, has been found dead inside a hotel room in Patong, Phuket, after displaying a "Do Not Disturb" sign for several days.

Police were alerted on 3 August after the man, who had been staying alone since 24 July, failed to respond when hotel staff checked his room on his scheduled departure date.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Rapeepan Chumtham, an investigator at Patong Police Station, reported the case to Patong Police Chief Colonel Krakrit Khankruea before travelling to the hotel in Patong subdistrict, Kathu district, with relevant officers.

Hotel check-out prompted discovery

The hotel's head housekeeper, who found the body, told police that the British guest had been due to check out on 3 August.

The room was last cleaned on 27 July. After that, the guest had placed a "Do Not Disturb" sign outside his door, meaning staff did not enter the room again.

At about 11am on 3 August, the head housekeeper went to inspect the room because it was the guest's check-out day. After knocking and receiving no reply, staff opened the door and found him dead inside.

Officers found no signs that the room had been ransacked or anything was missing and no evidence of a struggle, according to the initial examination. The cause of the British man's death has not yet been established.

Post-mortem examination under way

Investigators examined the body with forensic doctor Athit Surawisakul. Their preliminary assessment was that the man had been dead for around 24 hours.

However, the exact cause of death could not be confirmed at the scene and will depend on a detailed post-mortem examination.

Authorities asked Kusoldharm Phuket Rescue Foundation's Patong unit to transfer the body to Vachira Phuket Hospital for further examination.

Police have also contacted the embassy and arrangements made for the body to be collected for religious rites, in line with procedure.

Join the discussion?

4 August 2026

View full article

"A 41-year-old British tourist, Zakir Mahood, has been found dead inside a hotel room in Patong, Phuket, after displaying a "Do Not Disturb" sign for several days."

Like the sign says "Do Not Disturb", nothing to see here, move on ...

Officers found no signs that the room had been ransacked or anything was missing and no evidence of a struggle, according to the initial examination.

Only 41, that's far too young to die?

Seems strange he never left his room?

They'll need to check CCTV footage to see if he pulled a David Carradine.

36 minutes ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

Only 41, that's far too young to die?

Seems strange he never left his room?

Not strange at all if he was dead !

Seems strange full name has been released so early

14 minutes ago, flaming dragon said:

They'll need to check CCTV footage to see if he pulled a David Carradine.

Were there cctv cameras in the room? Think not.

22 minutes ago, flaming dragon said:

They'll need to check CCTV footage to see if he pulled a David Carradine.

not allowed to place CCTV cameras inside private guest rooms or bathrooms. There is a complete consensus among major hotel chains, legal regulations, and industry standards that placing surveillance inside rooms violates guest privacy laws.

Just think about it

Off topic troll post removed, discuss the topic not a name.

A sad lonely end to a young life lost too early

RIP

1 hour ago, flaming dragon said:

they'll need to check CCTV footage

Inside the hotel room there is a CCTV?

7 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The cause of the British man's death has not yet been established.

No apparent sign of drugs in the room, unless taken before returning to hotel.

9 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Inside the hotel room there is a CCTV?

1 hour ago, marin said:

not allowed to place CCTV cameras inside private guest rooms or bathrooms. There is a complete consensus among major hotel chains, legal regulations, and industry standards that placing surveillance inside rooms violates guest privacy laws.

Just think about it

I think that question has been asked and answered @Srikcir

4 hours ago, Smokey and the Bandit said:

Only 41, that's far too young to die?

Seems strange he never left his room?

3 hours ago, mlkik said:

Not strange at all if he was dead !

The housekeeper said that the DND sign had been up as of the 27th July. They found the Deceased on the 3rd Aug. The forensic doctor said he'd been dead for around 24 hours. Bit of a strange anomaly there.

2 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

The housekeeper said that the DND sign had been up as of the 27th July. They found the Deceased on the 3rd Aug. The forensic doctor said he'd been dead for around 24 hours. Bit of a strange anomaly there.

DND sign just means you don't want the cleaners coming in in the morning to tidy your room .

1 hour ago, Nick Carter icp said:

DND sign just means you don't want the cleaners coming in in the morning to tidy your room .

That still doesn' change the fact that he hasn't left his room on the 27th, the 28th, the 29th, the 30th and the 31st of July, nor on the 1st and 2nd of August, while on holiday. That definitely seems strange. He might have had a medical emergency like a stroke, that prevented him from moving until he finally died of dehydration several days layer.

18 minutes ago, pacovl46 said:

That still doesn' change the fact that he hasn't left his room on the 27th, the 28th, the 29th, the 30th and the 31st of July, nor on the 1st and 2nd of August, while on holiday. That definitely seems strange. He might have had a medical emergency like a stroke, that prevented him from moving until he finally died of dehydration several days layer.

The report doesn't state that he didn't leave his room

13 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

The report doesn't state that he didn't leave his room

Right! My bad. I went off a post of someone who said he didn't.

Low value troll post removed @RickyJB discuss the topic not a name.

Low-Value Posts Reminder.

Posts that add no written contribution harm the forum and reduce its value for readers and search engines.

This includes:

2–3 word replies

Emoji-only posts

Memes or GIFs with no explanation or context.

Screenshots with no supporting text

Embedded social media posts with no comment or opinion

Youtube videos with no explanation or comment

If your post does not explain, add context, or express a view in your own words, it has no value here.

What happens next

Any such content will be removed without notice

Repeat posting of this type may lead to further moderation action

4 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Inside the hotel room there is a CCTV?

How

You'll never make detective. CCTV shows if anyone entered or left the room.

5 hours ago, marin said:

not allowed to place CCTV cameras inside private guest rooms or bathrooms. There is a complete consensus among major hotel chains, legal regulations, and industry standards that placing surveillance inside rooms violates guest privacy laws.

Just think about it

This is the first of two dim witted statements made on my post. Check to see if anyone entered or left the room during the time the decedent was in there. Another AN poster who will not make detective.

18 minutes ago, flaming dragon said:

Another AN poster who will not make detective.

Pardon me Sherlock, let me get out of your way.....🤣🤣

Troll post removed @vangrop again incapable of discussing the topic.

Rule 10. You will not post troll messages. Trolling is the act of purposefully antagonizing forum members by posting controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages with the primary intent of provoking other members into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.

Back in the day, the police would always with religious zeal inform us what was found in the ashtray and what empty bottles were in the room.

They have not done this so are we to assume that it was a non-smoking room and there were no empty bottles.

Could have put the sign out to get a good night's sleep and passed from natural causes.

Tough to take the sign down if you are deceased. RIP