Chinese tourist, holder of Thailand Privilege Card, found dead on Pattaya Beach

A 40-year-old Chinese man was found dead on a beach behind a hotel in South Pattaya, Bang Lamung district of Chonburi province, on Saturday morning, local police said.

The body of Ronghua Qiu, a Chinese national, was discovered lying face down on Yinyom Beach with both arms buried in the sand, according to a police report.

At the scene, officials also found a mobile phone, a slipper, the deceased’s passport, and a passbook for a bank in Chiang Rai province.

Medical officers conducted an initial autopsy and found abrasions on the deceased’s body, including on the forehead and neck, as well as a split wound above his right eyebrow. There was also blood coming from his nostrils.

It is estimated that the victim had been dead for approximately 6-12 hours.

A hotel employee reported finding the body face down while cleaning the beach in the morning, adding that the deceased was not a guest staying at the hotel.

Police checked the deceased's travel records and found that he held a tourist visa under the Thailand Privilege Card program, which is exclusive to tourists with high spending power.

The deceased had entered Thailand in early 2023 and had traveled in and out of the country several times since then, police said.

His latest registered address was at a house in Jomtien Beach, located about 2-3 km from where the body was found. Police also discovered that the passbook was for a bank account with a balance of 60,000 baht.

Investigators are examining the evidence and interviewing witnesses to determine the cause of death and track down the perpetrator.

(2025/04/05-00:00)