A British man has tragically died in Thailand while his girlfriend was left fighting for her life after they allegedly had their drinks spiked.
Tom Pardhy, 38, passed away in Bangkok earlier this month as his partner Naomi Raksha, 31, was 'pronounced dead multiple times' as her heart stopped following the reported poisoning.
The couple had spent the last month holidaying in the Asian country, but their travels soon turned to tragedy when Naomi suffered a cardiac arrest after being rushed to hospital, with boyfriend Tom being found 'unresponsive' just 24 hours later.
While she was eventually able to wake in hospital after slipping into a coma, she learned of the horrific news about her partner, who was later confirmed to have died.
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His family’s statement read: “It is with indescribable grief and sadness that we are writing to tell you of the sudden, accidental and unexpected death of our dear Tom in Bangkok last Friday 6th of March.
“We know this will come as a terrible shock to all his many friends. 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. Our breaking hearts go out to you all.”
They continued: “We will share here when we have more information about a gathering to celebrate Tom’s life.
"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.
"Please respect our privacy at this time. We are deeply comforted in the knowledge that his last month in Thailand with his love Naomi was truly the happiest of his life.”
Naomi's mother Heather confirmed on Facebook that she had travelled to Thailand to support her grieving daughter, while also claiming that 'spiked drinks in Bangkok' were what led to their serious health issues.
A fundraiser to support the family has already raised well over £7,000 at the time of writing, while Naomi has also posted an emotional tribute to her partner and disclosed some more details about what happened.
She wrote: “On the morning of March 6 in Bangkok, my life changed in a way I never could have imagined. I suffered a heart attack and was pronounced dead multiple times before slipping into a coma.
“By every medical measure, the odds of surviving weren’t in my favour – yet somehow, I am still here.”
She added: “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.
“He was my best friend, my biggest fan, my rock, my confidant, my teammate – my guy.”
Tom was a well-known name in the music industry, having founded his own events company We Concur, which saw him set up gigs for the likes of Oasis and manage stages at some of the world's biggest festivals, while he also worked as a yoga instructor and life coach.
Naomi added: “I loved him like I’ve never loved anything before and the past six weeks we had together were magic.
“I know he would want me to take care of myself and do something meaningful with this opportunity of life. For that reason, I have admitted myself into a rehabilitation centre to focus on my physical recovery, while also receiving treatment for grief, PTSD and trauma.
“Healing, I’m learning, is not linear – it requires patience, humility, and support.
“With that, I want to thank everyone who has reached out and held me in your thoughts. I’m currently too overwhelmed to respond to all of the messages but your kindness means the world to me.”
Topics: Travel
James Moorhouse