According to Drescher\u2019s social media, she was originally from Stratford, in Taranaki, but lived in Darwin, in Australia\u2019s Northern Territory.<\/p>\n
News.com.au reported she had lived in Australia for 25 years.<\/p>\n
In another tribute post, she was remembered for her \u201cbeautiful smile\u201d.<\/p>\n
Drescher\u2019s son, Travis Deveraux, 21, said he started to worry about her when he didn\u2019t receive a text message for multiple days, news.com.au reported.<\/p>\n
He said they would typically talk several times a day.<\/p>\n
\u201cSadly, the way I found out was very wrong,\u201d Deveraux told news.com.au.<\/p>\n
\u201c[I received] no contact from police or anyone \u2026 [I was] worried about her as she messages me every day, [but] she didn\u2019t reply for 2 days so I called her hotel where she was staying and they said \u2018have the police not contacted you? Sadly she has passed\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Local police officers in Phuket were called to the hotel about 2.45pm after reports from staff.<\/p>\n
Police Lieutenant Phirawat Yodtor said forensic investigators and a doctor were immediately dispatched.<\/p>\n
Police confirmed to Phuket News that the dead woman was a New Zealand national.<\/p>\n
According to the outlet, Karon police said several prescription medications, including antidepressants, as well as two cocktail glasses and three open bottles of alcoholic beverages, were found in her room.<\/p>\n
A preliminary forensic report suggested a reaction between the alcohol and medication possibly led to respiratory failure, officers said.<\/p>\n
The woman was found dead in a hotel room near Phuket’s Kata Beach. Photo \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n
A 49-year-old German man, who was a friend of the woman, alerted hotel staff after he found she was not breathing.<\/p>\n
The man told police the two of them were out drinking before returning to the hotel room at 1am (local time).<\/p>\n
The German was awoken by the cleaning staff around noon when he realised she was not breathing and called hotel staff.<\/p>\n
CCTV footage and hotel entry records confirmed his story, police said.<\/p>\n
Bar staff where the pair were drinking reportedly told investigators that no unusual incidents or disputes occurred before they left.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) told the Herald, \u201cThe New Zealand Embassy in Bangkok is providing assistance to the family of a New Zealander who died in Thailand.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe extend our sympathies to the family at this sad time.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Herald has approached the family for comment.<\/p>\n