DA NANG, July 20 — A woman suspected of fatally poisoning several Vietnamese nationals and herself in Bangkok had presented herself as the wife of a Dubai billionaire, paying one of her victims' thousands for makeup services, his mother and friend have revealed.

Channel News Asia (CNA) reported that Tran Dinh Phu, a 37-year-old makeup artist from Da Nang, was among six Vietnamese nationals who died after ingesting cyanide in a suite at the Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel. His mother, Le Thi Tuy, and friend, Pham Mai Quynh, revealed that Sherine Chong, 56, had been a “special client” of Phu’s, paying him US$5,000 per trip for his services.

“Phu had been working for Chong for the past year, traveling frequently to Bangkok and other locations like Hong Kong.

“He said the client paid him very well and was very particular, even consulting a feng shui master to assess his suitability as her makeup artist,” Pham was quoted as saying.

It was reported that the bodies of Phu, Chong, and four others—Nguyen Thi Phuong Lan, 47; Pham Hong Thanh, 49; Nguyen Thi Phuong, 46; and Dang Hung Van, 55, who also held US citizenship—were found by housekeepers in the fifth-floor suite after the guests failed to check out on Tuesday.

Thai police concluded it was likely a murder-suicide orchestrated by Chong. Reports from Kaosod English suggest that Chong had persuaded some victims to invest in a hospital project in Japan, resulting in a US$278,000 loss. The group had agreed to meet in Bangkok to resolve the matter.

Phu’s mother expressed disbelief and grief over her son’s death.

“I just can’t believe that my son died. I could never imagine that work trip of his became the last, and I could never ever see him again,” she told CNA

Quynh noted that Phu had recently returned from a work trip for Chong in Bangkok on Jul 10, only to be called back on Jul 12. The bodies were discovered four days later.

Thai police found traces of cyanide in a teapot and six cups in the hotel room.

Phu’s family insists he never drank tea or coffee, suspecting the poison was in a water bottle. “

He doesn’t drink tea, coffee, or beer. When my son traveled, he often bought water bottles and opened them himself to drink. But someone was horrible enough to put the poison into the bottle,” she was quoted saying.

Vietnamese authorities confirmed Phu’s death a day after news of the incident broke, leaving his family with many unanswered questions despite a police press conference.

The families of the victims are now working with authorities to repatriate the bodies.