Songkran Reveler from Taiwan Falls to his Death from Chiang Rai Hotel

Win Kwang Yao, 56, fell three floors to his death from a hotel balcony

CHIANG RAI — Muang Chiang Rai police investigator Padungkij Kijchanapaiboon has reported a 56 year old Taiwanese man fell three floors to his death from a hotel balcony in Muang district on Thursday after an hours-long Songkran drinking spree.

Win Kwang Yao, 56, who arrived Thailand to celebrate the Thai New Year with a group of 20 compatriots, was found at the ground level of a hotel building by a staff member at about 6am.

According to the tour company, Mr.Huang Ming Gin and his room mate had started drinking beer when the group left Chiang Mai. After check-in, they bought two cases of beer and retired to their room.

Full story: http://www.chiangraitimes.com/songkran-reveler-from-taiwan-falls-to-his-death-from-chiang-rai-hotel.html


-- Chiang Rai Times 2016-04-19

Three floors will usually do it, many Songkran fatalities involve a one meter fall from the seat of a motorcycle.

Why would you fly to Thailand with another Chinese dude and drink your beers in the hotel room with that dude? Sounds like a crappy holiday.

I can see how this could happen. A couple months ago my partner and I took a road trip north to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. We stayed at several new or newer hotels and we noticed in one there were no sprinklers and the balcony railings were very low--I'm 5'7" and the railing only came to my waist. I think sprinklers are still not required on low rise hotels and there seem to be no height standard for balcony railings.

Why would you fly to Thailand with another Chinese dude and drink your beers in the hotel room with that dude? Sounds like a crappy holiday.

...maybe it was a 'dudess'.

Why would you fly to Thailand with another Chinese dude and drink your beers in the hotel room with that dude? Sounds like a crappy holiday.

...maybe it was a 'dudess'.

The link states it was a man

Pol Lt Col Padungkij said an initial inquiry found the two men continued drinking until 2am when Mr Gin retired bed first. Yao, who was thought to be very drunk, went to smoke a cigarette on the balcony and may have lost his balance and fallen over the metre-high railing.