Four people in Thailand have been arrested after a British man fell to his death from the fourth-floor balcony of a guesthouse in Pattaya.
Naami Keyghobadi, 28, from Leeds, was found on Tuesday shirtless and lying face up in an alleyway outside the Dolphin House apartments in the east coast city, a beach resort popular with partygoers.
The four people, described in press reports variously as transgender, ladyboys and sex workers, all failed drug tests. They were arrested and were being questioned by Pattaya police. Crystal meth also was reportedly found at the scene.
Images emerged of the four sitting in a row on a bed in a room in the apartment block as they are arrested by police. Other images showed them being led to a police car outside.
Keyghobadi’s wife, Chloe San Keyghobadi, whom he married last year on Boracay island in the Philippines but split from six months ago, told the Sun: “I can’t believe this. Naami said he was going on holiday somewhere and wanted to speak to me when he got back.”
A statement from the Keyghobadi family, released through West Yorkshire police, said: “Naami, who was 28 years old, travelled to Thailand on holiday on 4 December and was due to return on 30 December. We are obviously very distressed by the news of his death and are concerned that there will be unhelpful speculation about the circumstances in which he died.”
Keyghobadi was found with a broken leg, broken ribs and internal injuries. He was pronounced dead at Pattaya memorial hospital.
Anukul Preedayuth, a colonel at Pattaya city police station, said: “There are witnesses who said he fell down on his own, but we are not convinced. We are looking for more witnesses and evidence. The matter is under investigation.”
Keyghobadi is listed as a director of Leyton UK Partners LLP, a solicitors’ firm. A spokesman said: “Naami was a highly valued colleague. Our thoughts are with his family at this time.”
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are providing support to the family of a British national who died in Thailand on 15 December, and are also in contact with local authorities regarding the death.”
