An American tourist has been found dead from a knife attack in a hotel on a Thai island.

Daniel James Artus Jerez, 35, a dual nationality American and Costa Rican citizen, had been staying at the Ma Maison Hotel in Phuket, where he was discovered lifeless in his room by a cleaner on October 30.

Police Captain Warawut Saensop of the Cherng Talay Police said cops received a report about the body at 9:40 am.

The cops went to inspect the scene, where the tourist was found lying in a pool of blood, that was also splattered across the walls. They said the decomposed state suggested he had been dead for not more than three days.

Cops said he had four stab wounds on the left side of his neck, believed to be from a 10-inch bloody pocket knife found near the room's door.

All of his belongings - including a laptop, an iPad, two phones, several backpacks, sports equipment, a suitcase, American and Costa Rican passports, and 6,000 THB (167 USD) banknotes - were intact.

Officers said they also found bags containing what is believed to be crystal meth and drug paraphernalia in the bathroom.

The hotel manager said Daniel had come to stay at the hotel on August 30. He said the dead man was initially friendly and often engaged in boxing and diving on the island.

However, Daniel's demeanor had allegedly changed in recent days. He was said to have lost weight, looked stressed, and began isolating himself to binge on alcohol before his death.

The manager said he had last seen the tourist on October 26 evening to buy smoothies. Housekeeping had arrived for routine cleaning on October 30, but found Daniel dead on the floor.

Police Captain Warawut said: 'Investigators have collected evidence from the scene. Daniel's body was transported to Vachira Phuket Hospital for a post-mortem exam.'