A 71-year-old British tourist is under investigation after the decomposing corpse of a Thai prostitute was discovered four days after entering his hotel room – but he insists he ‘didn’t know not that she was dead.”

A 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.

Bearach Beataidh, 71, was allegedly seen kissing and holding hands with Duangta Khampongsom, 45, as he took her to his room at a guesthouse in “Sin City” Pattaya, in eastern Thailand, December 18. She was never seen alive again.

Bearach, from County Down, Northern Ireland, 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 holidaymaker, who also holds an Irish passport issued in Ireland, in a nearby bar.

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

Police Captain Puttharak Sonkhamhan of the Pattaya City Police Station said officers were still questioning Bearach 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 in a bar along Jomtien beach. He was reportedly dazed and confused during his arrest.

Bearach claimed he invited Duangta, a prostitute 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 the Duangta dressed in a black shirt and white cap walking with the tourist along the hotel corridor on the evening of December 18.

Bearach was then seen on December 22 emerging from the room alone. He was captured checking both sides of the corridor before taking a stroll down the beach.

He was quoted as saying: “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.

Bearach claimed he didn’t 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 vacationer reject Duangta on the night of December 18.

Duangta’s former colleague Pim, 46, also said she had a drinking problem.

She said: “Duangta had known the Brit for less than two weeks. I don’t think he killed her, but I find it strange that she died in her room.

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 the video surveillance is being verified.

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

In the following years, the resort became a mecca for sex tourism.

The embarrassed authorities managed to restore the region’s reputation through family tourism projects, but the nightlife industry remained and continues to attract men from all over the world.