BANGKOK – A routine cleaning call on Bangkok’s famed backpacker hub turned into a baffling death investigation on Tuesday afternoon, when two foreign tourists were found lifeless inside a hotel room, a strange white powder scattered across the floor between them.

British Man Found Dead on Stairwell in Pattaya Building

The discovery was made just after 1:00 PM on April 7 at a hotel in the Talat Yot subdistrict of Phra Nakhon district. Police from Chana Songkhram station rushed to the scene alongside forensic officers and medics from Vachira Hospital. Inside the room, emergency responders found no signs of life. Despite desperate attempts at CPR, neither man could be revived, and both were pronounced dead on the spot.

Authorities identified the deceased as a 30-year-old South African man, Andrew Kurger, who was the registered occupant of the room, and a 38-year-old Latvian man, Esverd Straja, who had been booked in a nearby room. According to police reports, Kurger was found lying on his left side, dressed in a black T-shirt, black trousers and a black cap. Straja was discovered on his back, wearing a black T-shirt and grey shorts. Both bodies were positioned near the bed, and investigators noted there was no evidence of a struggle, nor any sign of forced entry into the room.

BANGKOK — 7 April 2026, two foreign tourists were found dead under unclear circumstances in a hotel room on Bangkok’s Khao San Road, police said.

Officers from Chana Songkhram Police Station were called at 13:00 to inspect the room in Phra Nakhon district, where the bodies of… pic.twitter.com/jdMAXk3GZQ

— Khaosod English (@KhaosodEnglish) April 7, 2026

A member of the hotel’s housekeeping staff told police that the two men appeared to be friends and had checked in together on April 2. When staff entered the room to clean it four days later, they were met with the grim scene and immediately raised the alarm.

The most perplexing piece of evidence so far is a white powdery substance found scattered across the floor. Forensic teams have collected samples for urgent laboratory analysis. While authorities have not ruled out any possibilities, they confirmed there were no visible wounds or signs of violence, and initial findings suggest no immediate foul play.

Murder Not Ruled Out in British Tourist Joshua Kershaw’s Death in Bangkok

The bodies have been sent to Vachira Hospital for a full post-mortem examination. Police are also reviewing hotel security footage, guest records and any other available evidence to reconstruct the men’s final hours. Investigators are awaiting toxicology results to determine whether the mysterious white powder played a role in the unexplained deaths. For now, one of Bangkok’s most bustling tourist streets is left with an unsettling mystery and two grieving families waiting for answers.

-Thailand News (TN)