PHUKET: A 22-year-old Australian tourist fell to his death from his 11th floor hotel room in Patong district on Monday night.
The dead man was identified by police as Billy James Simmons.
He was found dead on the ground, face up, on a footpath below his room at the back of the hotel (name withheld by police) in tambon Patong of Kathu district by a security guard about 10pm, said Pol Lt Col Ekkachai, an inspector of Phuket Tourist Police.
Police examined his room on the 11th floor. There were no signs of a struggle. He stayed alone in the room. There was an open half-bottle of Thai whisky on the table, almost full.
Police said it was likely he was drinking and fell to his death.
Wongthatsatham Santi, a hotel security guard, said he was on the way to the toilet when he discovered the body, which was taken to Patong Hospital.
Police said Simmons travelled to Phuket with a group of 11 friends and had stayed at the hotel since May 14. They were scheduled to return to Australia on May 28.
The Australian consular office has been informed. Simmons' friends told police that his father would fly to Phuket on Wednesday to take the body back to Australia.
Pol Lt Col Sarit Budnongsaeng, deputy investigation chief at Patong, said the investigation into the man's death was still open.
