Police were tracking down two Scotsmen whose Myanmar business partner was found slain inside a luxury highrise apartment in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit area in the early hours of Wednesday.
The two men were also suspected of fleeing with the equivalent of 5-million-baht of the dead man's money.
The man's death was reported to Lumpini police about 1.30am by the victim's mother, who alleged she was also attacked. Police, forensic officers and rescuers went to the apartment on the 23rd floor of the condomium building on Soi Sukhumvit 4 in Klong Toey district.
They reported finding the body of a Myanmar man, identified later as Kayaw Zeyar aged 53 years, lying on the floor with bloody injuries to his face, ears and head. He was believed to have been savagely punched. No weapons were found at the scene.
Police said a travel bag, some personal belongings, a large safe and a mobile phone were impounded at the scene and taken to Lumpini station for examination.
The victim's mother told police her son operated a foreign currency exchange business with two Scottish men, identified only as William and John. On Tuesday night, the three partners had met for a business discussion near Wat Phraya Krai and later returned to the Klong Toey apartment.
The three men had quarrelled and this led to a violent brawl, the woman said. She was also assaulted and knocked unconscious, she told police.
When she came to, she saw her son dead on the floor. She believed the men had argued over a business matter involving a "black chemical". She also alleged the two attackers made off with currency worth about 5 million baht belonging to her son.
Investigators have began a hunt for the two Scotsmen and were preparing an application for court arrest warrants. The mother's name was not released, nor were the full names of the two suspects.