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New details emerge about the moments before top Aussie lawyer was found dead in a massage parlour on Thai island where Shane Warne died

New details emerge about the moments before top Aussie lawyer was found dead in a massage parlour on Thai island where Shane Warne died

Daily Mail​3 days ago
A high-profile Australian lawyer who died in Thailand had been walking barefoot while drinking beer before he started feeling ill in a massage parlour.
Christopher Saines was found unresponsive at Siam Touch Massage parlour on the Thai holiday island of Koh Samui about 6am on Monday.
The 43-year-old CEO of Brisbane 's GLG Legal was seemingly fit at midnight when he entered barefoot and with a beer before paying $20 for a traditional Thai massage.
The massage lasted until around 2am before Mr Saines went to use the venue's bathroom on the third floor, The Sydney Morning Herald revealed on Friday.
However, after returning from the toilet, Mr Saines allegedly complained about feeling tired to staff who let him rest in the parlour.
Workers reported hearing him snoring until 4am but, when they tried to wake him later in the morning, Mr Saines was dead.
The lawyer had been staying in Thailand with his wife and other family members who have since released a statement regarding his death.
'It is with unimaginable sorrow that we confirm the sudden passing of a beloved son, brother, husband, father, friend, and colleague, Christopher Saines,' they said.
'Christopher was a deeply loved member of our family and a remarkable person whose presence brought light to us.
'At just 43, Christopher had already made a profound impact through his professional achievements and his unwavering commitment to the people and causes he cared about most.
'He lived with purpose, passion, and drive.'
Mr Saines was a father to two young children and his family has asked for patience and to be left alone as the investigation into his death continues.
'We kindly ask for privacy as we navigate our grief and make the appropriate arrangements.'
Little has been shared about the investigation, with authorities yet to confirm which factors they are looking into regarding Mr Saines' death.
On Monday, emergency services were called to the massage parlour which was just minuted from where cricket legend Shane Warne suffered a fatal heart attack in 2022.
Police and medics found him on a narrow bed inside one of the shop's private upstairs rooms.
Police said initial inquiries suggest Mr Saines died of heart failure
The lawyer was lying horizontally across the bed with his legs dangling over the side. No foam was found around his mouth.
Initial inquiries suggested the 43-year-old died of heart failure.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Phumaret Inkong said officers found a ziplock bag containing a white powder, suspected to be cocaine, in Mr Saines' trouser pocket.
'From initial field testing using police reagents, it's presumed to be an illegal drug, but we're not sure if it's actually cocaine,' he said.
Lieutenant Colonel Inkong said police are not treating Mr Saines' death as suspicious.
The Siam Touch Massage parlour is understood to have remained closed since Monday according to locals, the publication reports.
Mr Saines had been staying with his family at Villa Mia, a $4,000-per-night hotel, which is roughly a 20 minute walk from the parlour.
While there were no CCTV cameras inside the business, which offers sexual services, police found footage outside the shop which showed Mr Saines arriving.
Mr Saines' wife was informed of his death at 3pm on Tuesday.
His body has been taken to Surat Thani Hospital for post-mortem examination following which it is believed he will be cremated before his ashes are returned to Australia.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
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