Quentin Griffiths, Asos co-founder, dies after Thailand balcony fall

Quentin Griffiths, Asos co-founder, dies after Thailand balcony fall

Quentin Griffiths has been named by Thai police as the man found dead on the ground in Pattaya on 9 February after falling from a high-rise apartment block. The discovery and an autopsy that found no evidence of foul play have prompted a police inquiry while the Foreign Office said it is supporting the family.

Quentin Griffiths found in Pattaya

Thai police identified Quentin Griffiths as the individual discovered outside a luxury hotel in the eastern seaside city of Pattaya on 9 February. He had been staying as a long-term resident in a suite on the 17th floor, and investigators described the scene as a fall from the high-rise block that left him dead on the ground.

Investigation details and autopsy

Police investigators said he was alone at the time of the incident, his room was locked from the inside and there were no signs of forced entry. An autopsy performed after his death did not reveal any evidence of foul play, the authorities stated. Officers also noted that he was involved in two ongoing court cases that might have caused stress, a factor investigators are considering while the inquiry continues.

Asos ties and legal pressures

Quentin Griffiths co-founded the online fashion retailer Asos in 2000 and left the company five years later; he remained a significant shareholder after his departure. The business grew into a large online marketplace and at one time was valued at more than £6bn. He co-founded the company with several partners and retained ties to the firm through his shareholding.

Authorities and other reporting indicate Griffiths was separated from his second wife, a Thai national, and was reportedly engaged in a legal dispute with her over a business they had run together. Those legal matters, plus the two ongoing court cases mentioned by police, are being treated by investigators as possible sources of pressure but their direct relevance to the death is not publicly confirmed.

Looking ahead, investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances of the fall while the Foreign Office provides consular support to the family. If the court cases and the reported business dispute remain active, they may affect how Griffiths's estate and shareholdings are handled going forward; any such consequences will depend on the outcomes of those legal proceedings.