PHUKET: In the next few days, the body of a young man whose sudden death remains a mystery will be buried on Phuket with little ceremony.
The young man, with dark, curly hair and a distinctive scar across the nose, has no name.
The cause of his death at an early age is not known. Was he killed by an animal bite? Did he suffer a heart attack?
The riddle remains unanswered, with his burial just days away.
Doctors on Phuket are not permitted to even attempt to find out . . . because of a Catch 22.
Without an identity, even in death, no autopsy or even the taking of a blood sample or DNA can be done without the permission of relatives.
And without an identity, his relatives most likely do not yet even know that the young man is dead.
That's him in the photograph above, sleeping forever now.
We make no apologies for publishing the image - it may be the young man's last chance of being identified.
About 8.30pm on May 23, the young man was found in scrub near a Phuket resort.
He was lying on his back, eyes open, with his pants rucked down around his ankles, wearing dark running shoes.
Nearby was a full bottle of whisky and an unopened bottle of water. His wallet was also close. It contained just 350 baht and no ID documents.
A plastic bag containing three t-shirts and two pairs of pants was just centimetres away.
There appeared to be animal-style bite marks on one leg. The man had vomited, said investigating officers from Chalong Police Station.
''We have since checked all missing persons lists and sent his description to all police stations along the Andaman coast,'' one officer told Phuketwan today.
''No resorts or guesthouses have reported anyone missing.''
Sometime soon, the body of the young man will be taken from the morgue at Vachira Phuket Hospital for burial at Mai Khao cemetery, last resting place of those who die poor or friendless on the holiday island.
''The hospital has done all it could to preserve what we know about his identity,'' a spokesperson at Vachira said today.
''We have taken many photographs and recorded his height and weight. Especially important are the x-rays of his teeth, which is often a means of identification when all else fails.
''But doctors have not been able to determine a cause of death because there is no permission to perform an autopsy. Even a blood sample cannot be taken without proper authority.''
The young man died near the Baan Krating Resort on a remote promontory south of Nai Harn beach, through Ao Sane beach.
It seems likely that he was keen to enjoy some brief seclusion, listening to the ocean, taking in the peaceful view, when Death joined him.
Phuketwan still hopes the young man can find his friends or family and have his name restored - even if we are never to learn precisely why he died.
The young man, with dark, curly hair and a distinctive scar across the nose, has no name.
The cause of his death at an early age is not known. Was he killed by an animal bite? Did he suffer a heart attack?
The riddle remains unanswered, with his burial just days away.
Doctors on Phuket are not permitted to even attempt to find out . . . because of a Catch 22.
Without an identity, even in death, no autopsy or even the taking of a blood sample or DNA can be done without the permission of relatives.
And without an identity, his relatives most likely do not yet even know that the young man is dead.
That's him in the photograph above, sleeping forever now.
We make no apologies for publishing the image - it may be the young man's last chance of being identified.
About 8.30pm on May 23, the young man was found in scrub near a Phuket resort.
He was lying on his back, eyes open, with his pants rucked down around his ankles, wearing dark running shoes.
Nearby was a full bottle of whisky and an unopened bottle of water. His wallet was also close. It contained just 350 baht and no ID documents.
A plastic bag containing three t-shirts and two pairs of pants was just centimetres away.
There appeared to be animal-style bite marks on one leg. The man had vomited, said investigating officers from Chalong Police Station.
''We have since checked all missing persons lists and sent his description to all police stations along the Andaman coast,'' one officer told Phuketwan today.
''No resorts or guesthouses have reported anyone missing.''
Sometime soon, the body of the young man will be taken from the morgue at Vachira Phuket Hospital for burial at Mai Khao cemetery, last resting place of those who die poor or friendless on the holiday island.
''The hospital has done all it could to preserve what we know about his identity,'' a spokesperson at Vachira said today.
''We have taken many photographs and recorded his height and weight. Especially important are the x-rays of his teeth, which is often a means of identification when all else fails.
''But doctors have not been able to determine a cause of death because there is no permission to perform an autopsy. Even a blood sample cannot be taken without proper authority.''
The young man died near the Baan Krating Resort on a remote promontory south of Nai Harn beach, through Ao Sane beach.
It seems likely that he was keen to enjoy some brief seclusion, listening to the ocean, taking in the peaceful view, when Death joined him.
Phuketwan still hopes the young man can find his friends or family and have his name restored - even if we are never to learn precisely why he died.
How Sad, and what a horrible death...
I do hope someone recognises him...
so so sad... life is so precious.....
Posted by robert smith on July 23, 2015 12:34