ASOS co-founder Quentin Griffiths, 58, died after falling from a 17th-floor Pattaya balcony. Police say the room was locked from the inside. Ongoing Thai court cases, fraud allegations and legal disputes form part of the official investigation record and a suicide theory proposed by investigators at Pattaya Police Station.
British fashion tycoon Quentin Griffiths took his own life on Monday, February 9, at a high-end apartment tower in Pattaya, falling from a 17th-floor balcony. Senior police believe the 58-year-old was under intense pressure from legal cases before Pattaya Provincial Court and a fraud and forgery prosecution following his arrest last year after a complaint by his Thai wife. News of the entrepreneur’s death stunned friends and associates in the United Kingdom and was first reported in British media around 10 days later. Griffiths’ rags-to-riches rise drew attention when he secured £15 million from a share sale in ASOS, the company he co-founded and in which he retained shares, but his death in Pattaya leaves stark questions about wealthy Western men who relocate to Thailand.
Friends and acquaintances of UK tycoon Quentin Griffiths were left reeling when news of his death emerged. The 58-year-old businessman died in Pattaya, Thailand. According to police, he fell from a 17th-floor balcony on February 9. Initially, the case drew little attention locally. However, international coverage intensified after British media reports.
Griffiths was a co-founder of ASOS, the British online fashion retailer, which was launched in 2000. At first, the business traded as As Seen On Screen. Later, in 2003, it rebranded to ASOS. Over time, it evolved into a global online fashion marketplace. At its peak, the company was valued at more than £6 billion.
He founded the company alongside Nick Robertson, Andrew Regan and Deborah Thorpe. Initially, Griffiths served in a senior marketing role.
Share sales, Thailand relocation and personal upheaval and legal woes before fatal balcony fall in Pattaya
However, he stepped down after four years. Nevertheless, he retained a significant shareholding. Consequently, he benefited as the company expanded into over 150 markets.
In 2010, he reportedly received £15 million from the sale of shares. Subsequently, he realised further gains in 2013. In 2015, he sold additional shares worth £15 million, or about ฿640 million. Despite these disposals, he remained financially linked to the retailer for years. Meanwhile, ASOS grew into one of Britain’s largest online fashion platforms.
However, his personal life shifted to Thailand in 2007. After divorcing his first wife in the United Kingdom, he relocated permanently. Thereafter, he married a Thai national. The couple had a son and a daughter. Later, they separated and eventually divorced.
On February 9 at approximately 8:30 pm, Pattaya City Police received a report of a foreigner falling from a height. Officers were dispatched to a condominium in Soi Kasetsin 7, Moo 12, Nong Prue Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province. Upon arrival, rescue workers found Griffiths lying face down beside the building. He was wearing a white short-sleeved collared shirt and blue shorts.
Moreover, officers observed multiple severe injuries consistent with a high fall. His limbs were broken. His face was fractured. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Immediately, police cordoned off the area and began a detailed examination. Subsequently, the body was sent to the Forensic Institute of the Police Hospital for autopsy.
Locked room, CCTV evidence and forensic review shape early police findings in Pattaya
Police Colonel Anek Sarathongyoo, Superintendent of Pattaya City Police Station, confirmed the core findings. According to him, Griffiths had been staying alone in a 17th-floor room. Crucially, the door was double-locked from the inside. Therefore, it could only be secured internally. Furthermore, CCTV footage showed him entering the apartment alone. No other person was seen entering or leaving before police arrived.
Investigators then searched the room. They found no signs of forced entry. Likewise, there was no evidence of a struggle or ransacking. However, they noted signs of alcohol consumption. In addition, a chair was positioned on the balcony near the railing. Police believe it may have been used to climb over the barrier.
Initial investigations indicate suicide. Nevertheless, police have not formally ruled out foul play pending final forensic results. According to officers, there were no immediate signs of third-party involvement. Still, the autopsy findings will determine the official cause of death. That process could take several months.
During the search, officers also examined Griffiths’ vehicle, registered in Chonburi. Inside, they found documents relating to legal proceedings. Specifically, the papers referred to two cases before the Pattaya Provincial Court. These were case number A310/2568, known as a black number, and A1355/2568, known as a red number.
Court cases, fraud allegations and estranged wife disputes form part of the investigation record
According to police, a red number indicates that judgment has already been handed down. By contrast, a black number indicates a case that remains pending. Furthermore, additional documents relating to lawsuits were discovered inside the apartment. These concerned disputes with his estranged Thai ex-wife over a jointly managed company.
Last year, Griffiths was arrested following a complaint from his ex-wife. She accused him of misappropriating approximately £500,000 from their business. Additionally, she alleged he had forged documents. Specifically, she claimed he forged documents to sell land and company shares without her knowledge. Griffiths denied the accusations. After questioning, he was released, but the investigation continued.
Police cited a Thai friend of Griffiths during their briefing. According to that source, he had been concerned about the lawsuits. Therefore, investigators considered the legal disputes relevant to their inquiry. Police Colonel Anek Sarathongyoo stated that Griffiths may have been under stress due to the ongoing cases.
Ongoing forensic review, UK response and unresolved questions as the investigation remains open
Meanwhile, background checks confirmed he had conducted business in Thailand for many years. In fact, he had been based there since 2007. After the breakdown of his first marriage, he established his life in Pattaya. Subsequently, he married and later divorced his Thai wife. At the time of his death, at least one legal case remained active before the court.
Initially, the death attracted limited coverage in Pattaya, a city with a large expatriate population. However, the case gained wider attention after reports appeared in the British press. On February 20, 2026, Reuters reported the death, citing Thai police. According to the agency, CCTV footage showed no one entering the apartment after Griffiths. Moreover, the room was found locked from the inside.
Nevertheless, forensic examinations remain ongoing. Police emphasised that while initial findings suggest suicide, they have not conclusively ruled out other possibilities. The final determination will depend on the autopsy and forensic analysis.
An ASOS spokesperson later issued a statement. The company said it was saddened to hear of Griffith’s passing. It described him as one of its original co-founders and acknowledged his early contribution. Meanwhile, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed it was assisting the family and liaising with Thai authorities.
Legal action against BDO over tax advice linked to ASOS share sales and retail venture liabilities
Separately, Griffiths had previously launched legal action against BDO over tax advice. He alleged he had received incorrect guidance on tax mitigation strategies linked to share sales. As a result, he said he was required to pay more than £4 million in tax. Those liabilities arose from the sale of ASOS shares and another online retail venture.
However, at the time of his death, police focus remained on the balcony fall and the ongoing Thai court cases. Officers have documented the locked apartment, the CCTV footage, and the physical evidence at the scene. They have also recorded the presence of alcohol and the chair on the balcony. In addition, they logged the legal documents found in the apartment and vehicle.
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For now, authorities state that the evidence points toward suicide. However, they continue to await final forensic confirmation. Until then, the investigation remains formally open under Thai law. Quentin John Griffiths, 58, co-founder of ASOS, died after falling from a 17th-floor balcony in Pattaya, with legal disputes and court proceedings forming part of the official record.
This is a running news story. However, it immediately raises questions about the fate of some Western men who sell up and move to Thailand, often linked to a relationship change. Certainly, the story of how a 58-year-old successful tycoon could be driven to suicidal despair in the sun-kissed resort of Pattaya is a question that should be answered.
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