Chinese Tourist Holding Thailand Privilege Card Found Dead on Pattaya Beach
On the morning of Saturday, April 5, 2025, a 40-year-old Chinese national, Ronghua Qiu, was found dead on Yinyom Beach, located behind a hotel in South Pattaya, Chonburi province. Local police reported that the body was discovered lying face down with both arms buried in the sand, and several personal belongings, including a mobile phone, slippers, passport, and a passbook for a bank account in Chiang Rai, were found nearby.
The initial examination by medical officers revealed abrasions on the victim’s body, including injuries to the forehead, neck, and a split wound above the right eyebrow, as well as blood from his nostrils. It is estimated that the man had been dead for approximately 6-12 hours prior to discovery.
A hotel staff member, while cleaning the beach, reported finding the body, confirming that the deceased was not a guest at the hotel. Further investigation revealed that Ronghua Qiu held a tourist visa under the exclusive Thailand Privilege Card program, which is granted to tourists with significant spending power. He had entered Thailand in early 2023 and had traveled in and out of the country multiple times.
Police found that the deceased’s last registered address was in Jomtien Beach, about 2-3 km from where the body was located. Additionally, a bank account passbook was found with a balance of 60,000 baht.
Authorities are currently conducting an investigation, collecting evidence, and interviewing witnesses to determine the cause of death and whether foul play was involved.
