Mystery Over Dead 'kiwi'

[bambob]

Man found dead in Thai hotel gave false NZ address

01 July 2005

Police and diplomats are puzzled trying to identify a man who apparently committed suicide in Thailand, giving a false address in New Zealand.

The real identity of the man who died on June 19 is unknown.

The man, who was found dead in the Phuket Merlin Hotel after apparently swallowing a large number of pills, was initially identified from the hotel register as a New Zealander, Terrance Hicks, 45, of Auckland.

On a table by the bed was a note saying: "Please dispose of my body by fire in Thailand".

Hotel records showed that he registered at the Merlin on June 17 and was due to check out on the day he was found dead. Under "occupation, he wrote "motorcycle racer".

But the New Zealand embassy in Thailand has now issued a statement saying: "The man gave his name as Terrance Hicks on the hotel registration form, but he gave a false New Zealand address and passport number, and checks of other New Zealand records have found no one fitting his description".

No other identifying information was found on him apart from his T-shirt logo, which mentioned a pub in Colorado, USA.

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The embassy has issued a photograph of the dead man to local newspapers, and asked that anyone who recognised him to contact the New Zealand police liaison offficer in Thailand, Mike Bush.

source:www.stuff.co.nz