A French businesswoman on Koh Samui left approximately 100 million baht worth of assets to her long-time Thai maid following her tragic death. Catherine Delacote, aged 59, owned five pool villas on the island and bequeathed various assets to Nutwalai Phupongta, 49, who had worked as her housemaid for 17 years.
The inheritance granted to Ms. Nutwalai included the villa where she resided at the time of Delacote’s passing, a two-rai land plot adjacent to the villa, as well as cash, a car, and other possessions. Delacote, along with her former French husband, had been residing on the island for the past 12 years. Following their divorce, Delacote lived alone in the villa.
Tragically, Delacote was discovered deceased due to a gunshot wound at her villa. The authorities found her body on a daybed by the swimming pool with evidence of a gunshot wound on her left temple and residue on her left wrist.
The scene included a 45mm automatic firearm, a spent bullet shell, a glass of vodka, sunglasses, and cigarettes nearby. The investigation also uncovered a spent bullet inside the house and a gunshot hole on the villa door.
A pool maintenance worker made the grim discovery and promptly alerted the police after finding Delacote unresponsive. Despite efforts at resuscitation by medical personnel, Delacote did not survive. Ms. Nutwalai shared that Delacote had transferred 500,000 baht to her for funeral arrangements beforehand.
Although Ms. Nutwalai believed Delacote took her own life, citing messages sent by Delacote mentioning her intention to leave her assets to her maid, she expressed that there were no indications of suicidal intentions due to cancer battles shared by Delacote.
The firearm found at the scene had reportedly been acquired by Delacote following a robbery at the villa. Plans for Delacote’s funeral service at Wat Bo Pud in Samui district were announced by Ms. Nutwalai to the press.
