The Foreign Affairs Ministry is still awaiting clearance from police investigators in Georgia, in eastern Europe, to return the body of Thai Youtuber Hlun Solo to Thailand for funeral rites.
Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said on Monday that Georgian authorities said they had yet to complete the forensic examination process to determine the cause of death.
The minister, also a deputy prime minister, said the dead man’s relatives could request a new autopsy in Thailand, once the body is returned, if they were not satisified with the Georgian investigation’s finding.
Mr Sihasak said Thai officials went to Georgia right after being informed on July 29 of Hlun Solo’s death. He wondered why it took Georgia about 10 days to inform Thailand of the man’s death. Thailand would pose the question to Georgia.
The minister said Thai officials had their suspicions about the cause of death. Security camera recordings did not show any strangers visiting the YouTuber’s room, and there were no signs of physical assault.
The YouTube travel vlogger’s real name was Bowornthat Pengsuk.
Foreign affairs spokeswoman Jaithai Upakarnitikaset said Georgian investigators had collected the forensic evidence needed to ascertain the cause of death. The investigation itself would take time.
Samples had already been taken from the body, so it could be returned to Thailand with no need to wait for the final findings, she said.
The man’s family had already authorised the Thai embassy in Ankara, Turkey, to act on its behalf for the return of the body. The embassy and the ministry would follow the progress of the investigation, Ms Jaithai said.
The 27-year-old popular travel vlogger was found dead in a hotel room in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, more than two weeks after his family last heard from him, which was on July 13. His death was confirmed by Georgian police on July 29.
The YouTuber who had 2.5 million followers on Facebook and 950,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel had gone to Georgia in early July to shoot video and gather material for one of his popular features on solo budget travel.
Blythe Schewe
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