Pattaya Daily News

Pattaya, the 6^th of July 2010: At approximately 10:30am on Friday, Lieutenant Colonel Chaiporn Nathongpien (Banglamung Police Investigator) was notified of a possible double suicide in Soi Pothi Samphun School, Naklua. A team of officers along with the Sawang Boriboon Rescue Foundation were dispatched to the incident to investigate.

At the scene, a three-storey townhouse, officers found the deceased bodies of Mr. John Hugh McMahon [71] a British national, his Thai wife Miss Nualsawat Supannagarn [56] and their pet dog lying on the bed in a third floor bedroom.

Investigation of the room found two charcoal stoves placed near the bed and a third placed near the door to the room. The walls were slightly blackened by charcoal stains and the entire third floor smelled of smoke. In addition, the bedroom windows had been tightly sealed to prevent smoke from escaping, suggesting carbon monoxide poisoning as the immediate cause of death.

Medical personnel examined the bodies of the deceased, concluding that there had been no signs of foul play and that the deaths had almost certainly been the result of suicide. Initial examinations estimated that the pair had been dead for approximately 5-8 hours.

In addition to medical examinations, police uncovered the presence of two suicide notes written by Miss Supannagarn. One was an apology to anyone that they had owned money, including present and former staff, while the other was a letter to her sister explaining their decision to commit suicide over increasing business debts.

The note instructed her sister, Miss Luk, to pay the debts using any money gained from the sale of their house and/or business. At present, it is thought that the couple had incurred debts of over Bt1 million, including over Bt900,000 to the bank for the business.

Police interrogated the maid of the couple, Mrs. Lumyai Saros [37], who stated that she had discovered the tragic suicide earlier in the morning. Allegedly, she was called to clean the house today by Miss Supannagarn the previous night. She revealed that she had worked for the pair for a considerable amount of time and that they had appeared increasingly stressed over the past few months.

Reportedly, the couple had operated the “M.P.K. Tour Company,” catering largely to European clients travelling to and around Pattaya. Originally, the business was located in Soi Pattaya Land 1 before being moved to their Naklua home following a decrease in clientele. The company was officially registered with the Company Registration Department in 2000.

At present police assume that the couple and their dog had died of carbon monoxide poisoning due to the burning charcoal stoves, however they await the results of the official post-mortem examinations before releasing the bodies for funeral proceedings. The British Embassy has subsequently been informed of Mr. Mc Mahon’s death.

Related items

• Brit Shoots His Brains Out At Pattaya Firing Range
• British Expat Found Dead in South Pattaya Apartment
• Elderly British National Dies Swimming off Pattaya Beach
• Hanging Suicide of Irish National at Pattaya Guesthouse
• Love & Devotion Overwhelming in Fathers Tragic Suicide

Extensive Gallery [ 5 photos ]