Police were called to the Patong Heritage Hotel on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pee Rd at 11am, confirmed Lt Kwansirinat Thairat.
The body of the man*, originally from Vienna but for years a long-term Phuket expat, was found on the roof of the kitchen area on the ground floor.
“Kusoldharm rescue workers were called first and arrived at about 10:40am. Police were notified at about 11am,” said Lt Kwansirinat.
“The man lived on Nanai Rd. He took a motorbike taxi to the hotel and went up onto roof,” she explained.
“Hotel CCTV showed the man climbing onto emergency ladder at 10:30am. From there he was out of view, Lt Kwansirinat said.
The man was alone at the time, Lt Kwansirinat confirmed.
Friends and neighbours told police that the man had spoken openly about having cancer and had mentioned suicide before, Lt Kwansirinat explained.
The man also had already made his will and left his possessions to a German friend.
“The German friend was asked to make the man’s funeral arrangements,” she said.
“We have notified consular officials already. We have yet to conclude our investigation, but at this stage the man’s death appears to be a suicide,” Lt Kwansirinat said.
* The Phuket News is withholding the man’s name temporarily in case relatives overseas have yet to be informed of his death.