British tourist Tom Pardhy, 38, died suddenly while on vacation in Bangkok on March 6
Credit: GoFundMe
NEED TO KNOW
- British tourist Tom Pardhy died unexpectedly in Bangkok while on vacation with his girlfriend Naomi Raksha
- Raksha was hospitalized after falling into a coma and suffering cardiac arrest
- Pardhy’s family described him as a beloved community figure and said his final weeks were the happiest of his life
A man has died and a woman has been hospitalized after a suspected drink spiking incident in Thailand, according to reports.
British tourist Tom Pardhy, 38, died suddenly while on vacation with his girlfriend Naomi Raksha, 31, in Bangkok, on March 6, his family wrote on his Instagram on March 11. His death was described as “accidental and unexpected.”
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said in a statement to PEOPLE: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Thailand and are in contact with the local authorities.” The cause of death has not been disclosed at this time.
According to a GoFundMe page set up by Raksha’s brother, Jonathan, Raksha fell ill and was “intubated in the Intensive Care Unit” in Bangkok, on March 6. Pardhy was “found unresponsive” 24 hours later.
Credit: Tom Pardhy/Instagram
Raksha’s mother, Heather Brown, has since flown to Thailand to join her daughter. She claimed in a now-deleted Facebook post that Raksha and Pardhy "were given spiked drinks in Bangkok,” according to the Daily Mail.
Raksha revealed in a social media post that she died “multiple times” after “slipping into a coma.” She also suffered cardiac arrest and is currently receiving treatment in a hospital in Tuk-Tuk, the U.K. outlet The Standard reported.
“I am beyond grateful to have been given another chance at life … but that gratitude exists alongside profound grief, guilt and remorse. I returned alone, without Tom by my side. He saved my life, and that truth will stay with me for the rest of mine,” Raksha wrote, per The Standard.
“I loved him like I’ve never loved anything before and the past six weeks we had together were magic. That’s what I’m holding onto to get through this,” she added.
Pardhy was a well-known London-based events promoter. In an Instagram post shared on February 24, he shared photos of his time in Bangkok, which he described as a “mental health reset trip.”
Pardhy’s death was described as a “terrible shock” by his family on Instagram. “He was an absolute beacon of light in his East London community and beyond… From the festival circuit to his beloved yoga community, we know he will be dearly missed by so many,” the family wrote.
“…We are keeping what we know about the circumstances of his death within our close family and friends and ask that any questions about exactly what has happened are not asked here," they continued. "We are deeply comforted in the knowledge that his last month in Thailand with his love Naomi was truly the happiest of his life."
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Pardhy will be cremated on Thursday, March 19.
PEOPLE has contacted the Thai Police for comment.
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