Downtown Inn

[gotlost]

Sewer gas leaking from the bathroom perhaps? Seriously, some drains here are not vented properly. You can smell this in some bathroom areas.

You don't have to be inside to smell that.

[SoloFlyer]

And now its FOUR.

http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2011/03/03/thai-mystery-hotel-death-toll-jumps-to-four/

Edited March 3, 2011 by SoloFlyer

[ChiangMaiFun]

And now its FOUR.

http://www.andrew-dr...-jumps-to-four/

that is weird and disturbing

[anonymouse]

And now its FOUR.

http://www.andrew-dr...-jumps-to-four/

that is weird and disturbing

It looks like Winnie was correct, at least the place has been pinpointed now if not the cause, we can all go out and eat at the local markets now without the risk of seaweed poisoning

[lannarebirth]

And now its FOUR.

http://www.andrew-dr...-jumps-to-four/

that is weird and disturbing

It looks like Winnie was correct, at least the place has been pinpointed now if not the cause, we can all go out and eat at the local markets now without the risk of seaweed poisoning

Maybe. Still a lot unknown. My best friend here in Thailand was the consulting physician(based in Bangkok but covering all of SE Asia) who authorized treatment in the case of the New Zealand girls. Speculation at the time centered around food they had eaten at Anusarn Market but definitely not toxic seaweed.

[Loaded]

I believe the Empress Hotel is owned by the xxxx xxxxxx. If the Downtown Inn has the same owner, as has been suggested earlier, I guess any possible charge of liability will need to take this in to account.

Edited March 3, 2011 by ThaiPauly
Reference to the Royal Family

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I believe the Empress Hotel is owned by the xxxxx xxxxx. If the Downtown Inn has the same owner, as has been suggested earlier, I guess any possible charge of liability will need to take this in to account.

Won't be owned directly; there will be some holding company with peopel who can be held responsible. Most likely it won't go further up than local Downtown managment.

But yes, Empress, Downtown Inn and Park Hotel are all the same group.

It looks like Winnie was correct, at least the place has been pinpointed now if not the cause, we can all go out and eat at the local markets now without the risk of seaweed poisoning

Maybe. Still a lot unknown. My best friend here in Thailand was the consulting physician(based in Bangkok but covering all of SE Asia) who authorized treatment in the case of the New Zealand girls. Speculation at the time centered around food they had eaten at Anusarn Market but definitely not toxic seaweed.

Still a lot is unknown, I agree. But also a LOT of wild theories have now been ruled out, for starters:

* Seaweed

* Street food in general (unless they all ate at teh same place but nobody else in Chiang Mai.. unlikely)

* Drugging cute young girls: the other victims were a middle aged coupel and a Thai woman.

* Girls themselves taking some substance that went bad.

We're essentially left with either a freak local / environmental condition at that hotel, or intentional poisoning by someone with access to the hotel, be it guests or staff. If the latter though, this really should show up in an autopsy, and/or in tests of the surviving girls who surely will have had medical check-ups in New Zealand. Final "possibility", included for completeness and because some locals would suggest it: ghosts. (I include this not as a joke and also not as a serious option fo course; but you'll hear it from locals when discussing events like these.)

Edited March 3, 2011 by ThaiPauly

[elektrified]

In any other country that hotel would be closed, the perimeter sealed off, and any authorized forensic/scientific people entering (especially the 5th floor) would be wearing hazmat suits, masks, etc. If this investigation is botched like the one in Koh Phi Phi was, it would really be pathetic. They should learn from their past mistakes.

[gotlost]

Have any of you witnessed the official CSI of the Chiang Mai Police?

[elektrified]

Have any of you witnessed the official CSI of the Chiang Mai Police?

I have. I saw them taking fingerprints at a shop on the moat next-door to where I was sitting having a coffee. They were wearing jackets with big CSI on the back.

Edited March 3, 2011 by elektrified

[jaideeguy]

In the case of the 'poisoned' NZ girls......

Seaweed HAS been ruled out??

Has the autopsy been completed yet??......just curious like us all.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

In the case of the 'poisoned' NZ girls......

Seaweed HAS been ruled out??

Of course. This was mentioned in the article earlier, and was somewhat ludicrous to begin with. Also there's common sense: 4 deaths occur in 3 groups of people who don't know each other, totally different ages and backgrounds, except that they stayed at the hotel in rooms close to each other.

[kjhbigv]

I find this whole thing shocking! I wonder how many mysterious deaths there have to be, before some real action is taken? 10? 20? 30?

[cmsally]

Maybe similarities to this case: Corfu Hotel

This seems to be a boiler in conjunction with AC

I wonder if they were checked for blood levels of CO

Must be one of the most obvious things for natural deaths in a sealed room.

Is there any chance a central hot water system was pumping CO into AC system. That seems to be what happened in Corfu.

[Steely Dan]

The fact that the fourth body was carried down a fire escape on a stretcher and across the closed swimming pool area and into a waiting ambulance suggests more of an intention to hush things up than seal the site pending forensic investigation.

[powderpuff]

Still a lot is unknown, I agree. But also a LOT of wild theories have now been ruled out, for starters:

* Seaweed

* Street food in general (unless they all ate at teh same place but nobody else in Chiang Mai.. unlikely)

* Drugging cute young girls: the other victims were a middle aged coupel and a Thai woman.

* Girls themselves taking some substance that went bad.

We're essentially left with either a freak local / environmental condition at that hotel, or intentional poisoning by someone with access to the hotel, be it guests or staff. If the latter though, this really should show up in an autopsy, and/or in tests of the surviving girls who surely will have had medical check-ups in New Zealand. Final "possibility", included for completeness and because some locals would suggest it: ghosts.

In a similar vein to "ghost" have aliens been ruled out?

[lannarebirth]

I believe the Empress Hotel is owned by the xxxx xxxxxx If the Downtown Inn has the same owner, as has been suggested earlier, I guess any possible charge of liability will need to take this in to account.

Won't be owned directly; there will be some holding company with peopel who can be held responsible. Most likely it won't go further up than local Downtown managment.

But yes, Empress, Downtown Inn and Park Hotel are all the same group.

It looks like Winnie was correct, at least the place has been pinpointed now if not the cause, we can all go out and eat at the local markets now without the risk of seaweed poisoning

Maybe. Still a lot unknown. My best friend here in Thailand was the consulting physician(based in Bangkok but covering all of SE Asia) who authorized treatment in the case of the New Zealand girls. Speculation at the time centered around food they had eaten at Anusarn Market but definitely not toxic seaweed.

Still a lot is unknown, I agree. But also a LOT of wild theories have now been ruled out, for starters:

* Seaweed

* Street food in general (unless they all ate at teh same place but nobody else in Chiang Mai.. unlikely)

* Drugging cute young girls: the other victims were a middle aged coupel and a Thai woman.

* Girls themselves taking some substance that went bad.

We're essentially left with either a freak local / environmental condition at that hotel, or intentional poisoning by someone with access to the hotel, be it guests or staff. If the latter though, this really should show up in an autopsy, and/or in tests of the surviving girls who surely will have had medical check-ups in New Zealand. Final "possibility", included for completeness and because some locals would suggest it: ghosts. (I include this not as a joke and also not as a serious option fo course; but you'll hear it from locals when discussing events like these.)

While it looks bad, I'm not convinced yet that it is something at the hotel causing the mysterious deaths. From what little we know the new Zealand girls and the elderly couple presented very different symptoms prior to their deaths. It can't be overruled of course and should be investigated along with investigating the activities of each deceased person prior to their deathes. I won't hold my breath on that.

[gotlost]

Have any of you witnessed the official CSI of the Chiang Mai Police?

I have. I saw them taking fingerprints at a shop on the moat next-door to where I was sitting having a coffee. They were wearing jackets with big CSI on the back.

I also have seen them. Three days investigating a fire as they were being served from a bar next door all wearing their Hollywood CSI jackets.

[jadedpanda]

http://www.nzherald....jectid=10705746

By 9am on February 3, the dream trip had turned to disaster. Sarah called the manager asking for a doctor to be sent to their room.Mr Bunkaew went to room 518 where the girls told him they had eaten at a market in town the night before - chicken or pork - and became sick after that.

"One would throw up and go back to bed and then the other would go. They looked very tired," he said.

Gravely concerned, he advised them to go to hospital. But they said a doctor was all they needed. A local doctor was brought to the hotel and they were all examined and put on drips. Still they refused to go to hospital.

They must've been awfully allergic to Thai medical care.

What weirds me out is, why isn't there any information on tests done on the other girls? Weren't they checked for toxins or whatever once they were back in NZ?

Edited March 4, 2011 by jadedpanda

[bangkokcitylimits]

Four unexplained deaths in the Downtown Inn hotel

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4733142/Father-suspicious-after-cluster-of-deaths

[cmsally]

It's on page 1 of a widely read website for travel businesses.

How long does it take to sink in that 4 deaths in a hotel within a few days is not normal.

All the GM can say is its bad for business - disgusting!

Travel Mole

[coma]

Is there also the possibility of a homicidal nutter stalking the corridors of said hotel? With a bottle of poisonous gas or the like?

Certainly not casting aspertions, or sugesting there is. Just a paranoid thought.

Definately not beyond the realms of possibility. I think it is very suspicious indeed.

[bangkokcitylimits]

One of the several guest reviews of Downtown Inn Chiang Mai:

stayed here last year, had a much better time then. had to upgrade, deluxe room very small and over crowded with large furniture. all rooms have a musty smell. had to buy three air fresheners to remove smell. twice had to ask to have room made up, left sign on door to do so but when got back room still a mess, also very sloppy when made up. woman manager last year ran a much tighter ship, also more friendly and customer oriented. front desk staff was very good, many holdovers. excellent customer service skills and attitude. free wifi in lobby only but no place to put laptop, also 30 baht for each 10 minutes on internet, much cheaper on street. will not stay here again.

Clear enough, unmaintained airconditioners ! (very normal in this part of the world)

[BarnicaleBob]

I wonder how many more have to die before the Thai officials close this hotel or even complete an autopsy. I suspect if it happens again the hotel management will find a way to cover it up or move the body out of the area. If any dead farangs turn up I hope someone thinks to check what hotel they were staying at.

Edited March 4, 2011 by BarnicaleBob

[Flatouthruthefog]

<br />It's on page 1 of a widely read website for travel businesses.<br />How long does it take to sink in that 4 deaths in a hotel within a few days is not normal.<br />All the GM can say is its bad for business - disgusting!<br /><br /><a href='http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1146666.php?mpnlog=1&m_id=ds~nT_nY!#comm_sec' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>Travel Mole</a><br />

<br /><br /><br />

The naivety expressed on this thread so far leaves me staggered. Do you have NO in-depth experience of Thailand??

If you had ANY local knowledge here, you would realise that the cover up on matters like this is both automatic and effective.

The attitude here is "Forget the people who died, nothing can bring them back. Business goes on, and it's MUCH more important than life or death!"

Only the foreign Embassies and Consuls can try to assist. And only to a very limited degree.

The western nations are all so Amazingly impressed by Thai efforts to keep drugs out of their own countries, they'll fall over backwards and 'kow tow' till the cows come home on such unfortunate, inconvenient, matters as individual deaths of 'small' people. Even their own.

Come on. Wake up and smell the excrement.

[coma]

<br />It's on page 1 of a widely read website for travel businesses.<br />How long does it take to sink in that 4 deaths in a hotel within a few days is not normal.<br />All the GM can say is its bad for business - disgusting!<br /><br /><a href='http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1146666.php?mpnlog=1&m_id=ds~nT_nY!#comm_sec' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>Travel Mole</a><br />

<br /><br /><br />

The naivety expressed on this thread so far leaves me staggered. Do you have NO in-depth experience of Thailand??

If you had ANY local knowledge here, you would realise that the cover up on matters like this is both automatic and effective.

The attitude here is "Forget the people who died, nothing can bring them back. Business goes on, and it's MUCH more important than life or death!"

Only the foreign Embassies and Consuls can try to assist. And only to a very limited degree.

The western nations are all so Amazingly impressed by Thai efforts to keep drugs out of their own countries, they'll fall over backwards and 'kow tow' till the cows come home on such unfortunate, inconvenient, matters as individual deaths of 'small' people. Even their own.

Come on. Wake up and smell the excrement.

I agree with 1 point you make. We indeed cannot bring back the dead. However we have the ability to protect the living.This is were the Thai police/'system appears to have failed at. And on an epic scale in this incident.

[iainiain101]

Check todays Bangkok Post for an update. Not sure I am allowed to paste the 'news' here.

Apparently murder has been ruled out, as well as drugs and poisoning, so the hotel is safe? interesting thought process.

Iain

[ThaiPauly]

Check todays Bangkok Post for an update. Not sure I am allowed to paste the 'news' here.

Iain

You are correct,

You cannot post quotes from the BK Post on Thai Visa, and thanks for not doing so

[Lizard2010]

To think we were their when the first person died!

The manager was a little abrupt when i was talking to one of the day supervisors, who we see when we stay there!

Maybe they were in the middle of shifting her down the side stairs, fire exit.

At least we are both in good health.

[junglechef]

Got a photo of this place Dave; to jog my memory?

pic in link, go to travel section of the nz paper