The Royal Thai Embassy in Ankara called on Georgian authorities to clarify why notification of the Hlun Solo death was delayed, saying it did not receive any official report on July 14 despite claims circulating on social media.
The embassy and the family of Thai travel YouTuber, Hlun Solo, whose real name was Bawonthat Pengsuk, confirmed his death on July 30 after he had been reported missing during a solo trip to Georgia.
According to Thai media reports, Hlun checked into a hotel in Tbilisi on July 13 and was later found dead in his room after hotel staff checked on him when he failed to leave the accommodation. Thai media reported that Georgian police found no visible signs of injury on the body.
His body was transferred to the Levan Samkharauli National Forensics Bureau for an autopsy, and the cause of death remains under investigation.
Thai travel blogger Akira “Wanchai” Wongseng, who helped search for Hlun, said he had spoken with Georgian police, who told him the body had been discovered on July 14.
The reported timeline prompted questions from the public on why Hlun’s family and Thai authorities had not been informed sooner.
As reports indicated that Hlun’s personal belongings and valuables remained in the hotel room, some social media users questioned whether authorities had sufficient information to identify him shortly after his body was found.
Claims later circulated online alleging that Georgian police had notified the Royal Thai Embassy in Ankara on July 14 but had received no response, leading to criticism of the embassy.
In response, the embassy issued statements denying that it had received any official notification of Hlun’s death on July 14.
According to the embassy, Thai officials arrived in Tbilisi at 8.20pm on July 29 and immediately travelled to the local police station. Georgian police informed officials that an email had been sent to Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on July 14 requesting the ministry to notify Thai authorities.
However, the embassy said it never received any direct communication from the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding Hlun’s death.
According to the embassy, officials met representatives of the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 11am on July 30 and received the first official notification of Hlun’s death. The embassy said the document was dated July 29 and included an unofficial English translation.
The Royal Thai Embassy requested that Georgian authorities investigate why the notification letter was dated July 29 despite the reported earlier communication between government agencies.
In its statement, the embassy reaffirmed its commitment to providing consular assistance based on verified information received from authorities in the host country and in accordance with international law while respecting the privacy of the deceased and his family.
At the time of publication, Georgian authorities had not publicly responded to the embassy’s request for clarification.
Hlun’s family and supporters continue to await the autopsy findings, which are expected to determine the cause of death.
The family also requested privacy during the investigation. According to Hlun’s brother, the YouTuber’s grandmother is deeply distressed and exhausted. He thanked the public for their support and asked the media and the public to respect the family’s wishes during their period of mourning.
The story Thai embassy denies receiving early report of YouTuber’s death as seen on Thaiger News.
