The life of Quentin Griffiths ended suddenly and mysteriously when he fell from the balcony of his 17th floor condominium in the heart of Pattaya, Thailand. Only 58, the British entrepreneur’s name still resonates through the global online shopping scene, but recent years saw him fighting very public, and private, battles. Friends, family, and former colleagues are left asking how the co-creator of ASOS—a three-billion-pound fashion powerhouse—met such a tragic fate.
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On the night of 9 February, Thai police were called to Griffiths’ upscale apartment. Investigators found his body at the foot of the building, alone and behind a door locked from the inside. According to officers, there were "no signs of a struggle" and the circumstances at first glance pointed towards suicide. Yet, crucial details—the timing, ongoing legal feuds, and the millionaire’s high-profile past—have fuelled doubt and speculation.
Who was Quentin Griffiths? From fashion innovator to expat entrepreneur
Griffiths made his fortune after co-founding ASOS in 2000 alongside Nick Robertson and Andrew Regan. For years, he remained the company’s marketing maestro, guiding it from startup to global retail leader. When he left in 2005, Griffiths didn’t abandon the business world—he invested in other digital ventures, including Achica, and sold his ASOS shares for around £15 million in 2010.
His lifestyle changed dramatically after a move to Thailand in 2007. There, Quentin married Ploy Kringsinthanakun, with whom he had two more children, adding to the three from his previous marriage. But after years together, the marriage soured amid allegations of infidelity, and what followed was a drawn-out battle for custody and assets. Despite relocating thousands of miles from Britain, scandals and disputes seemed to follow, complicating his later years.
Legal turmoil, unanswered questions, and a shadow over his final days
Still reeling from the news, both Thai and British authorities are picking apart the tangled web surrounding Griffiths’ life. In recent months, court cases with his ex-wife loomed large. She claimed he had transferred more than £500,000 out of their joint business using fake documents—a charge that led to his arrest, though he denied wrongdoing and was released while awaiting appeal. Another legal headache involved the accounting group BDO, whom he blamed for a four-million-pound tax loss following the sale of his company shares.
The Thai police said Griffiths had been alone, with no evidence of a break-in, and the autopsy so far shows “no evidence of foul play.” But his ex-wife, Ploy, has questioned both the circumstances and the limited publicity in local media. As she put it:
“I had absolutely nothing to do with his death. How could I kill him? How would I know anything about it? I live in Bangkok — I wasn’t in Pattaya.”
She also described the situation as deeply suspicious, telling reporters:
“I find it very suspicious that there has been no news in Thailand about his death. It makes me question whether someone influential is suppressing the story.”
Among family and friends, the mystery remains unresolved. As one close source told The Sun:
“It’s a real mystery. The phrase ‘suspicious circumstances’ has been used but we just don’t know yet.”
Even the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office felt compelled to issue a statement:
“We are supporting the family of a British national who has died in Thailand and are in contact with the local authorities.”
Shockwaves in fashion: ASOS and the search for closure
Inside the company he helped build, Griffiths’ death prompted an outpouring of support and nostalgia. An ASOS spokesperson reflected:
“We’re saddened to hear about the passing of Quentin, one of our original co-founders. He played an important role in ASOS’s earliest days and we’re forever grateful for his contribution. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”
Yet neither his business legacy nor the international scope of his adventure has provided clarity. No suicide note was discovered, though police did find an unsealed letter on the passenger seat of his McLaren 570S. A simple wicker chair near the balcony rail offers more questions than answers. And the post-mortem, which could take months to conclude, may not dispel the doubts swirling around his life’s final days, especially as his legal affairs were anything but settled.
For now, the world waits, hoping forensic results and investigative efforts will bring the certainty so many around Quentin Griffiths crave—a final chapter that does justice to both the man and the mystery.
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Sources used:
Founder of online fashion giant Asos 'plunges to his death' in Thailand: Millionaire, 58, dies in mysterious fall
ASOS founder Quentin Griffiths' net worth and legal turmoil with ex-wife revealed after horror balcony fall
Ex-wife of Brit ASOS founder killed in balcony fall says she ‘didn’t murder him’ as four key questions hang over case
Asos pays tribute to founder Quentin Griffiths after 58-year-old millionaire fell to his death from building in Thailand
