A young Australian tourist was tragically discovered deceased in his hotel room in Phuket, Thailand, just one day prior to his scheduled return home.

The body of the man, in his early 20s and traveling solo, was found by hotel staff on Wednesday in the Thalang district, north of Phuket.

He had reportedly checked into the hotel on July 20 and was due to check out on July 24.

Police attending the scene reported that the man was found lying on his bed, dressed in a black t-shirt, with his mobile phone still resting on his chest. Lieutenant Colonel Thanom Thongpaen from Thalang police informed Reuters, “I observed him lying there with a mobile phone on his chest. He was still engaged in a call with someone. The call hadn't ended, and he had passed away in that state.”

The officer further mentioned, “There were no indications of a struggle or anything suspicious. It appeared he had been on the call for approximately 12 hours. Although the phone screen had darkened, we could still see the call duration, confirming he was on a call.”

Police stated they found no signs of forced entry or foul play, and there were no visible injuries except for bandages on his elbow and wrist. Friends informed officers the bandages resulted from a recent motorcycle accident and that the man had asked the hotel cleaner to purchase some medication from a pharmacy for him.

“The day before, he experienced a motorcycle accident, injuring his elbow and wrist. He had requested the hotel maid to buy medicine for him from a pharmacy. It is likely he took the medication before he passed away,” Lieutenant Colonel Thongpaen told The Phuket News.

Officers confirmed that only some over-the-counter painkillers and anti-inflammatory pills were present in the room.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, police could not ascertain a clear cause of death at the scene, prompting a forensic team to investigate further. The man’s body has been transported to Vachira Phuket Hospital for a post-mortem. Police are awaiting test results to determine the exact cause of death.

Friends of the man, who police said were also Australians, assisted authorities in identifying him.

“His friends, who are also Australians residing in the same neighborhood, were not traveling with him but coincidentally met up in Phuket,” Lieutenant Colonel Thongpaen noted.

The Australian Consulate and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have both been informed.

In a statement to the SMH, a spokesperson commented, “The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the family of an Australian who died in Thailand.”

At this time, police are withholding the man's name until his family has been officially informed, and Thai authorities are continuing their investigation.

Lead image: Getty