A 71-year-old British tourist questioned by police after a Thai sex worker was found dead in a hotel room by a cleaner who noticed a horrible smell.

A BRITISH tourist is being investigated over the death of a Thai sex worker who was found dead in her hotel room – claiming he did not notice her decomposing corpse for four days.

The 71-year-old was last seen kissing and holding hands with Duangta Khampongsom, 45, as he took her to his room at a guesthouse in “Sin City » Pattaya, eastern Thailand, December 18.

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She was never seen alive again, but the Briton was filmed on CCTV leaving the room, looking nervous, four days later, on December 22.

The building’s caretaker, Prayoon Chinsai, 57, called police later that morning when he noticed a foul odor coming from the room.

When he knocked and no one answered, he used a spare key to open the door – only to find the woman’s half-naked body rotting on the bed.

Officers arrived at the building and found the Briton in a nearby bar.

He said he was aware of the body but did not file a police report because he claimed he “didn’t know she was dead.”

Police Captain Puttharak Sonkhamhan of the Pattaya City Police Station said officers were questioning him further over his bizarre statements.

He said: “The woman had been dead for at least three days. His body had begun to decompose and swell, releasing a foul odor throughout the room.

“She was wearing only denim shorts and nothing on her upper half. An inspection of the room revealed no signs of a struggle or trashing.

“It would be hard not to notice that she was dead because her body was already decomposing.

“There was also fluid and blood on the bed.”

Cops searched for the British pensioner and found him drinking at a bar along Jomtien beach.

He was reportedly dazed and confused during his arrest.

The Briton claimed he invited Duangta, a sex worker from a nearby bar, to stay in his room after she was allegedly attacked by an unknown assailant on December 18.

CCTV footage obtained by police shows Duangta wearing a black shirt and white cap walking with the tourist along the hotel corridor on the evening of December 18.

The 71-year-old was then seen on December 22 leaving the room alone.

He was captured checking both sides of the corridor before heading towards a row of beach bars.

He reportedly told police: “She kept throwing up and sleeping all the time, but I didn’t think it was anything unusual. I understood that she felt weak and exhausted. We last spoke on December 19th.

The Briton claimed he did not realize she was dead “because there was no unusual smell” in the room.

He denied hurting or killing the victim.

Bar owner Kaew, 65, described the late Duangta as an “alcoholic” and a “regular heavy drinker”.

She claimed to have seen the British holidaymaker reject Duangta on the night of December 18.

Duangta’s former colleague Pim, 46, also called her a bar fly.

Duangta’s body was taken to Bang Lamung Hospital for an autopsy.

Doctors have not clarified the cause of his death.

Police Captain Puttharak added: “We have summoned the British man to the police station for further questioning.

“The judicial police are continuing to collect fingerprints and DNA because we do not believe his testimony. All CCTV cameras are being checked.”

The former fishing village of Pattaya became popular with American troops for “rest and relaxation” stays in the 1960s, when the American military had bases in Thailand.

In the years that followed, the resort became a mecca for semi-barbaric sex tourism.

Embarrassed authorities moved forward in gentrifying the area with family tourism projects, but a voracious nightlife industry remained and continues to attract men from around the world.