Son questions mystery surrounding Kiwi tourist Karla Anne Dresche’s death in Phuket, Thailand

Karla Anne Drescher had lived in Darwin, Australia, for 25 years. Photo / Facebook

The son of a 47-year-old Kiwi who died while on a dream holiday believes there is more to his mother’s death than Thai police are letting on.

Karla Anne Drescher’s body was found in bed at a hotel near Kata Beach in Phuket on Monday.

Phuket News reported that Drescher, who was originally from Stratford, had no signs of injury or evidence of a struggle when her body was found by a 49-year-old German man.

He claimed to be a friend, telling Thai police the pair had sex and went to sleep. He said he discovered her dead when he woke up the next day.

Drescher’s son, Travis Deveraux, 21, told the NT News in Australia that he became concerned when he didn’t get a text message back from his mother, because they usually spoke multiple times a day.

He found out about her death after he rang the hotel.

He told NT News he thought there was more to what happened than Phuket police had yet revealed.

“I have no idea who the German is … she sent me photos of her having drinks the night before and never said anything about him."

A 47-year-old Kiwi found dead in her hotel room in Phuket has been named by her family as Karla Anne Drescher. Photo / Gofundme

What have police revealed?

Police in Phuket were called to the hotel about 2.45pm on Monday after reports from staff, who were alerted by a German man.

The man told officers he and Drescher were drinking together at a bar before returning to a hotel room, where she was later found dead.

Prescription medicines and alcohol were found at the scene.

The man reportedly told police that Drescher “consumed a large amount of alcohol”.

Prescription medicines and alcohol were found at the scene. Photo / Karon Police

“We had another drink in the room ... sex and went to sleep. Around noon, I woke up when cleaning staff knocked on the door,” the man said.

“When I went to wake her, she wasn’t breathing.”

CCTV footage and hotel entry records confirmed his story, police said.

They confirmed to Phuket News that the dead woman was a New Zealand national.

Karla Anne Drescher was originally from Stratford, in Taranaki, but had been living in Darwin for years. Photo / LinkedIn

According to Drescher’s social media, she was originally from Stratford, in Taranaki, but lived in Darwin, in Australia’s Northern Territory.

News.com.au reported she had lived in Australia for 25 years.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) told the Herald, “The New Zealand Embassy in Bangkok is providing assistance to the family of a New Zealander who died in Thailand.”

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