The remains of Quentin Griffiths, the millionaire co-founder of Asos who tragically died after falling from his apartment in Thailand, have been returned to the UK for his funeral.
Griffiths, aged 58 and originally from London, played a pivotal role in establishing the renowned online retail company. He had been residing in Thailand when he fell from his 17th-floor balcony on February 9.
At the time of his death, Griffiths was under investigation by Thai authorities concerning an alleged fraud amounting to £500,000. The case involved the company he managed alongside his former spouse, Ploy Kringsinthanakun, who is 43 years old.
Last October, Griffiths was found guilty of fraud and received an 18-month prison sentence, according to reports from The Sun. However, he had reportedly filed an appeal, which allowed him to remain at liberty under Thai law.
He was scheduled to meet with his ex-wife’s legal team in an effort to avoid imprisonment. Tragically, just two days before the meeting, he fell to his death in Pattaya, a coastal city located south of Bangkok.
Following the incident, his body was returned to Dorset, where it is believed he had family ties.
An inquest into his death, which opened in Bournemouth today, heard Mr Griffiths’s cause of death was from multiple injuries.
He fell from the balcony of the flat where he lived in at the Elysium Residences in the Nong Prue subdistrict in Pattaya, Thailand.
It has been reported that Mr Griffiths was arrested at Bangkok airport after a flight from London on January 15 last year, according to the Sun.
The Asos co-founder Quentin Griffiths, 58, was reportedly being investigated for fraud at the time of his death
Mr Griffiths pictured with his ex-wife Ploy Kringsinthanakun and their two children
He was accused of allegedly falsifying documents to fraudulently remove his ex-wife as director of a firm used to hold property for a family home.
The coroner’s court in Bournemouth heard Mr Griffiths had been born in London but was a divorced entrepreneur living in Thailand at the time of his death.
Police and emergency services were called to the block of flats after reports of an unresponsive male and Mr Griffiths was identified by comparison with his passport photograph.
Mr Griffiths was on his own, with his room locked from the inside, and there was no evidence of a break-in at the time of his death, police said.
Senior coroner Rachael Griffin said a post mortem examination had been carried out in Thailand and a further autopsy was done in this country yesterday by Dr Robert Blahut.
An investigation by Thai authorities indicated there were no suspicious circumstances or third party involvement in his death and Mrs Griffin said there was no reason not to release his body so the funeral can take place.
She adjourned the inquest with a pre-inquest review hearing scheduled for September and said they must wait for documents from the Thai authorities and her office would liaise with the foreign and commonwealth office.
They will also seek statements from Mr Griffiths’s family to assist the inquest.
Coroner’s officer Nicola Muller said: ‘On February 9 at the Elysium residences in the Nong Prue subdistrict in Pattaya, police and emergency services were called to respond to an unresponsive male.
‘Mr Griffiths was identified by comparison with his passport.’
Mrs Griffin said: ‘After repatriation to this country a post mortem was carried out on March 2 at Holly Tree Mortuary in Dorset. Dr Blahut indicated the cause of death as multiple injuries. No samples were retained.
‘A post mortem was also undertaken in Thailand and we are awaiting that documentation to assist.
‘I understand an investigation was undertaken in Thailand and there were no suspicious circumstances or third party involvement in his death, as far as we are aware.
‘I see no reason not to release his body at this time so I release the body to his family for the purposes of his funeral.’
Emergency services are said to have found the millionaire’s body on the ground below his balcony. (Pictured: The building where Mr Griffiths lived)
It has been reported that police are treating his death as suicide.
On Friday, Ms Kringsinthanakun announced she is fighting to regain custody of their two children, aged 12 and 11, after they were handed over to their paternal relatives following Mr Griffiths’s death.
Her lawyers have said that Ms Kringsinthanakun and Mr Griffiths shared court-ordered joint custody of the children, and that this is in direct contravention of the order.
‘Our client is profoundly concerned about the safety, emotional well-being, and stability of her children during this extremely difficult time,’ they said.
‘She is the children’s legal custodial parent and is seeking their immediate and safe return in accordance with the standing court order.’
In a statement released by her counsel, Ms Kringsinthanakun said: ‘My children have already suffered the devastating loss of their father. At a time when they most need the comfort, love, and stability of their mother, I have been prevented from being with them.
‘I am pleading with those who currently have my children — please do the right thing and return them to me immediately so we can begin to heal as a family.’
Ms Kringsinthanakun has said she played no role in his death, which occurred just days before their next scheduled court appearance.
Ms Kringsinthanakun also said she and her ex-husband had not been in contact for four years and eight months after she discovered he had been unfaithful.
Mr Griffiths co-founded Asos in 2000 and remained a significant shareholder after leaving the firm five years later.
In a statement, Asos said: ‘We’re saddened to hear about the passing of Quentin, one of our original co-founders.
‘He played an important role in Asos’s earliest days, and we’re forever grateful for his contribution. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.’
