Karon Police were notified of the incident by staff at the hotel where the man and his wife were staying at about 7am. Officers arrived at the hotel, where they met hotel personnel and the deceased’s wife.
Police identified the deceased as Mr Andreas Nemec, 62, who had been staying at the hotel with his wife, Mrs Hildegard Unterwieser, 62, also Austrian, since Nov 21, with a scheduled check-out of Dec 6.
Mrs Unterwieser told police the couple had dinner together in Kata on Monday evening (Dec 1), where Mr Nemec ate pad thai and Thai soup and appeared to be in normal health.
After returning to the room, she went to bed around 9:30pm, while her husband stayed awake, smoking and drinking beer. She did not know when he eventually went to sleep.
At 5:30am on Tuesday, she was woken by her husband coughing loudly. She gave him water, but soon noticed him becoming restless and pacing around the room before collapsing near the balcony door. She immediately called hotel staff for help.
Police reported that Mr Nemec had a history of high blood pressure and had been taking medication for about 10 years.
Investigators, led by Pol Lt Col Surasak Sudmuang, and a forensic specialist, Dr Athit Suravisankul of Vachira Phuket Hospital, conducted an examination of the body. Officers confirmed there were no signs of assault, and no suspicious circumstances were initially detected.
The investigation concluded at 11:30am, with the body sent to Vachira Phuket Hospital for further medical examination to determine the exact cause of death.