British tourist dies and girlfriend hospitalised after suspected poisoning while on holiday
A British holidaymaker has died in Thailand following a suspected poisoning.
Tom Pardhy, from East London, UK, had been travelling through the country with his girlfriend, Naomi Raksha, for six weeks before the couple arrived in the capital, Bangkok.
According to Metro, the 38-year-old, who worked as both a yoga teacher and music promoter, passed away abruptly after he and Raksha fell ill.
In a post shared on Instagram, Pardhy's family also described his death as 'sudden, accidental and unexpected'.
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His mother, sister, and girlfriend wrote: "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."
The official cause of Pardhy's death hasn't yet been publicly disclosed.
His family went on to add: "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."
Raksha has since shared a post on Instagram, claiming she was 'pronounced dead multiple times', but managed to survive.
"On the morning of March 6 in Bangkok, my life changed in a way I never could have imagined," she wrote. "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.
"I am beyond grateful to have been given another chance at life… but that gratitude exists alongside profound grief, guilt, and remorse."
She added: "Tom’s mission was to save the life of the woman he loved - and he accomplished that. It’s one of the only truths that keeps my head above water. He was my best friend, my biggest fan, my rock, my confidant, my teammate - my guy.
"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."
Of her late partner, Raksha added: "I know Tom 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 center 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."
According to The Mirror, her mother, who shared a statement on Facebook, claimed Raksha and Pardhy had both been 'given spiked drinks in Bangkok'.
She reportedly said Naomi was 'intubated in ICU due to poisoning and in recovery from a subsequent cardiac arrest'.
A GoFundMe page has since been set up by her brother, Jonathan, to assist with paying off her growing medical and travel fees.
A description for the page reads: "On Friday, March 6, our family received news my sister Naomi was intubated in ICU. In addition, roughly 24 hours later we learned her loving boyfriend Tom was found unresponsive.
"Naomi is now in a treatment centre recovering physically, mentally & spiritually."
A spokesperson for the the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said: "We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Thailand and are in contact with the local authorities."
Pardhy's passing comes after both drinking spiking and alcohol poisoning claimed a number of lives in Asia tourist hot-spots in recent years.
In 2024, 28-year-old British lawyer Simone White had been travelling through Laos when she became unwell after consuming shots she hadn't realised had been laced with methanol.
She and six other people died after consuming the poisoned beverages.
Topics: UK News, News, Health, Real Life, True Life, Travel, Holiday, World News
Rhianna Benson