~*~ Thailand 4-ever! ~*~

By THANYARAT DOKSONE 06/17/12 09:42 AM ET

BANGKOK -- Two Canadian sisters were found dead
in their hotel room on a popular resort island in southern
Thailand, but did not appear to have been murdered and
their belongings had not been taken, police said Sunday.

Police were attempting to determine the cause of death
of Noemi Belanger, 25, and her 20-year-old sister Audrey,
whose bodies were found by a maid Friday at the Phi Phi Palm
Residence Hotel on Phi Phi Island, said police Lt. Col.
Jongrak Pimthong.

"Police determined they were dead for about 24 hours prior
 to that and only found a lot of vomit in the room," he said.
 The vomit, along with traces of blood on the women's faces,
 could be signs of a toxic reaction, police said.

A team of investigators combed through the hotel room
on Sunday, Jongrak said by telephone.

"There were neither signs of fighting, nor robbery, but we
  found many kinds of over-the-counter-drugs, including 
  ibuprofen, which can cause serious effects on the stomach,
 " he said.

Jongrak said the most important evidence would be an analysis
of the contents of the victims' stomachs. The bodies will be sent
to the Central Forensic Institute in Bangkok for further examination,
he said.

He said officials from the Canadian Embassy in Bangkok also
visited the hotel on Sunday.

Canadian Foreign Affairs spokesman John Babcock said consular
officials in Bangkok were providing assistance to the family and
were in contact with local authorities.

Tourists' deaths are not uncommon in Thailand, which was visited by
about 19 million foreigners last year. The causes range from road
accidents to foul play and drug overdoses.


The hotel, where the women checked in on Tuesday, is in an upscale
area of the island, which is known for its partying and as the location
where the movie "The Beach" starring Leonardo DiCaprio was filmed.
Thai media earlier quoted another police officer, Lt. Siwa Saneha, as
saying the two went out to socialize on the night of their arrival. He
said a hotel maid sought to clean their room on Wednesday and
Thursday, but did not enter because she believed they were inside.

On Friday, "the maid wanted to check if they wanted to stay at the
hotel for another night but didn't hear any response, so the hotel
used a spare key to access the room," Jongrak said.

He recalled a similar incident on Phi Phi Island in May 2009 when
two women from the United States and Norway died after suddenly
falling ill at a guesthouse. The victims in that case also suffered
severe vomiting and stomach pains. Doctors determined the
immediate cause of death as dehydration and shock, but it was
not known what caused their sudden illness. Two other people
with the same symptoms survived.

Another spate of mysterious tourist deaths last year in the northern
city of Chiang Mai involved several visitors from different countries
who stayed at the same hotel. The cause of death was not established,
though some evidence suggested the chemical spray chlorpyrifos, used
to kill bedbugs, may have been responsible.

By THANYARAT DOKSONE 06/17/12 09:42 AM ET