An Australian tourist was found dead in his hotel room - just a day before his flight home in Thailand.

Ahmad Akouch, 21, was discovered lifeless by housekeeping staff at The Rubber Hotel on holiday island Phuket on Wednesday.

Police arrived at the scene after being notified by a shocked hotel cleaner at around 10 am.

They found the holidaymaker, who was born in India and had an Australian passport, lying on the bed with his phone on his chest. He had bandaged injuries on an elbow and wrist from an earlier road accident.

Officers said there were no signs of assault or theft in his room.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Thanom Thongpaen, inquiry officer at Thalang district station, said: ‘I saw him lying there with a mobile phone resting on his chest. He was still on a call with someone.

'The line hadn't been disconnected and he had died like that. There were no signs of struggle or anything suspicious.

‘It appeared he had been on the call for about twelve hours. The phone screen had gone dark, but we could still see the call duration and confirm he was on a call.

‘We don't know who he was talking to. I tried speaking into the phone, but there was no response. The line remained active, but there was no voice on the other end. The phone was locked, so we couldn't examine it further.

‘At the scene, there were no drugs or alcohol, only over-the-counter painkillers and anti-inflammatory medication—about ten pills in blister packs.

‘The day before, he had a motorcycle accident and injured his elbow and wrist. He had asked the hotel maid to buy medicine for him from a pharmacy. He likely took the medication before he passed away.

‘By the time we arrived, he had been dead for about six to eight hours. The air conditioner had been on, so the body was cold and stiff.

‘He was travelling alone. The security camera showed a friend dropping him off at the hotel in the early evening, then leaving.

‘According to the hotel housekeeper, he entered and exited the hotel alone. This morning, the housekeeper noticed it was getting late and knocked on the door. When there was no response, she opened the door and found him dead. That's when she called the police.

‘We told the hotel that if they had any way to contact his friends, they should do so.

‘One of the hotel staff had a phone number for his friend, who had helped him check in, so the hotel contacted that friend to inform them of his death.

‘His friends, who are also Australians living in the same neighbourhood, weren't travelling with him but happened to meet up in Phuket.

‘We could not determine a clear cause of death. His relatives informed the doctor that they did not want an autopsy. They wish to bring his body home as soon as possible.

‘The doctor may only be able to perform an X-ray, not a detailed examination. For now, there are no signs of foul play in this case.'

Police said the Australian Embassy in Bangkok had been informed of the death.

Officials there had previously been accused of covering up details surrounding the death of cricket player Shane Warne, who died on Thai island Koh Samui in 2022.