Aussie lawyer Christopher Saines, 43, found dead in massage parlour on Thai holiday island Koh Samui
Christopher Saines, 43, the CEO of GLG Legal, a commercial and property law firm in Brisbane, was found not breathing when staff at the Siam Touch Massage parlour tried to wake him up after his massage, according to local media.
Police arrived at the parlour, located in the Bo Phut subdistrict of Koh Samui, at about 7am on Monday.
The island is the same holiday spot where legendary Australian cricketer Shane Warne died of a heart attack on 2022.
According to initial investigations, Mr Saines left his hotel where he was staying with his wife, around midnight before paying for a one-hour traditional oil massage.
Bo Phut Police Station Police Lieutenant Colonel Phumaret Inkong said a ziplock bag of white powder was found in the lawyer's pants pocket but that it needs to be sent for lab analysis.
Lieutenant Colonel Inkong said the death was not being treated as suspicious.
"There were no signs of physical struggle. The masseuse had no injuries either. The massage proceeded normally," he said.
"Right now we are waiting for the results of the drug test and the autopsy report, which may take several days depending on the case, but we will try to expedite it as quickly as possible."
After Mr Saines paid for the massage, he chose to rest on the massage bed so the masseuse continued to serve other customers.
The 43-year-old was found sleeping and was later heard snoring at about 4am, so the staff member decided not to wake the customer.
At about 6.20am he was found unconscious when the woman attempted to wake him up.
When an ambulance arrived, they located Mr Saines dead at the scene.
Mr Saines graduated from the Queensland University of Technology with a law degree in 2006.
He started out as a solicitor at a private practice before becoming a senior associate at a boutique native title and corporate/commercial law practice.
He spent two years as a management committee member for Basic Rights Queensland and was an advisory board member for Aged Care Reviews from 2015.
In 2014, he became the CEO of GLG Legal.
More to come.
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