HozNews

Police have identified the foreigner whose severed head was found dangling from the Rama VIII bridge as Maurizio Tosadori, an Italian national.

Tosadori was identified by Mrs Wimol (also known as Chai) Jaijong, the owner of a guesthouse and restaurant in Phra Nakhon district, deputy national police chief Jongrak Jutanont said.

Police earlier believed the man to be another Italian, Giovanni Gaeta, 49, as a picture recorded by the Immigration Bureau seemed to fit the dead man’s description.

Pol Gen Jongrak said Mrs Wimol, 56, yesterday contacted police and named the dead man as Tosadori, 52.

She said she allowed the victim to stay without paying rent at her guesthouse for two weeks. She asked him to leave at the weekend because a customer asked her about renting her room.

She said she had not seen Tosadori at the restaurant since.

Police searched a room at the guesthouse and found Tosadori’s passport, which showed he entered Thailand on Feb 6 , via Cambodia.

Also found was a letter in English dated Feb 21, addressed to Mrs Wimol, which read: “Thank you very much for everything. I’m sorry for the inconvenience.”

Six photos found in the room showed Tosadori had a lump on the left side of his forehead. It matched that on the head found hanging from the bridge on Sunday afternoon.

The search also found three files of personal documents, his ID card, his driving licence, a mobile phone and medication. The documents showed Tosadori was an architect.

Pol Gen Jongrak said stress might have driven the Italian to commit suicide.

Mrs Wimol said Tosadori was a heavy smoker, short of money and often fell ill. He usually left the room every morning to look for work. She said he told her he wanted to marry and have children.

Pol Gen Jongrak said if no further evidence was found within 30 days, police would conclude, based on scientific findings, that the man committed suicide.

EARLIER REPORT By BangkokPost.com

Police believe that Italian Maurizio Tosabori, 54, who hanged himself from the Rama VIII Bridge, committed suicide because of unemployment and illness.

Tosabori was an unemployed architect, investigators have revealed.

Driven by poverty and illness he decapitated himself by leaping from the Rama VIII bridge, police say.

An autopsy showed the man had chronic diseases - he coughed regularly and had a tumour in his stomach, deputy national police chief Jongrak Juthanont told reporters on Wednesday.

The man was not Giovanni Gaeta as local media reported on Tuesday, Pol Gen Jongrak said.

The identification came after investigators found a hostel owner in Khao San road where Tosabori rented a room.

The owner, Wimon Jongjai, said Tosabori stayed at her hostel for free for two weeks before he disappeared on Saturday after she asked him to vacate the room.

Police checked the room and found Tosabori’s belongings, including his passport. A letter was also found in the room. He left a message for Mrs Wimon thanking her for the accommodation and apologising for not paying the rent.