The Thai travel YouTuber “Hlun Solo” has been found dead in a hotel room in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, more than two weeks after his family last had contact with him.
The death was confirmed on Wednesday by Georgian police, who have opened an investigation into circumstances that were described as unclear, according to Georgian media reports.
The 27-year-old travel vlogger, whose real name was Bowornthat Pengsuk, had gone to Georgia earlier this month to shoot video and gather material for his popular features on solo budget travel. He had 2.5 million followers on Facebook and 950,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel.
Bowornthat’s brother on Tuesday issued a public appeal for information about his whereabouts, saying his family’s last contact with him was on July 13. They had been unable to reach him by phone or other means since.
A family friend who had been involved in the search said Bowornthat’s family had been informed of his passing.
Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said earlier that it was working with local officials, Thailand’s honorary consul-designate and a network of Thai volunteers in Georgia to help trace the whereabouts of Bowornthat.
Bowornthat grew up in poverty in Kalasin, where he was raised by his grandmother after his father passed away. He worked in a factory after finishing high school but later won a scholarship to Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, where he obtained a degree in political science.
After graduating he decided to make a career out of travelling, with an emphasis on solo backpacking. His YouTube channel showcases his experiences in various countries, along with his perseverance in saving money to enable him to keep pursuing his dreams.
