Thai police: FBI can observe Carradine probe

BANGKOK (AP) — Thai police said Monday that they would welcome the FBI’s assistance in investigating the death of American actor David Carradine, but only as observers in the high-profile case.

The actor’s naked body was discovered last Thursday morning in his luxury suite at Bangkok’s Swissotel Nai Lert Park Hotel. Police initially suspected his death was a suicide, but have since said it may have been accidental suffocation or heart failure after revealing he was found with a rope tied around his wrist, neck and genitals.

The circumstances suggested he might have died as a result of a dangerous sex game, Pornthip Rojanasunand, a prominent Thai forensic pathologist, said last week.

With the uncertainty and conflicting information surrounding the death, Carradine’s family in the U.S. went to the FBI last Friday asking for its help investigating the case.

“If the FBI wants to get involved, we will do our best to cooperate,” Thai police Maj. Gen. Amnuay Nimmano told reporters, adding that it would have to be in an observer role as mandated by Thai law.

Sirisak Tiyapan, director-general for International Affairs of Thailand’s Attorney General’s Office — which would handle any cooperation with U.S. law enforcement agencies — said his agency had not yet received a request from the FBI to assist in the Carradine case.

U.S. Embassy Spokesman Michael Turner said he couldn’t comment on the investigation but did acknowledge that FBI agents attached to the embassy were talking informally about the case with their Thai police counterparts.

After numerous leaks about the crime scene and cause of death, Maj. Gen. Amnuay at Monday’s press conference sought to quash further speculation. He refused to comment on the condition Carradine’s body was found in or the reports that he died from a dangerous form of sex-play known as auto-erotic asphyxiation.

The actor’s family has said they hoped his body would arrive in Los Angeles by Monday, said their attorney, Mark Geragos, but he did not give specifics.

Funeral arrangements have not been announced.