Quentin Griffiths, who co-founded British fast-fashion retailer Asos, has died after a fall from a balcony in Thailand, Thai police said on Friday (Feb 20).
Police told Reuters that Griffiths, 58, had fallen from the 17th floor of an apartment block in the seaside resort city of Pattaya on Feb 9.
The police went to the scene and found the body of a British national, whom they identified as Quentin John Griffiths, on the ground directly below the balcony.
Initial investigations suggest suicide, and there are no indications of foul play, police said. CCTV showed no sign of anybody entering his apartment, where he had lived alone, but his body has been sent for an autopsy, they added.
The police also quoted a Thai friend of Griffiths as saying the Briton had been worried about lawsuits from his former wife, a Thai national.
Documents related to those lawsuits were found in his apartment, the police said.
Griffiths had entered Thailand on a tourist visa. When asked about the case, Britain’s foreign office said it was supporting “the family of a British national who has died in Thailand” and was in touch with the local authorities.
The case did not initially attract media attention in Pattaya, which has a large contingent of foreign residents, until The Sun newspaper in Britain reported it on Thursday.
The BBC said Griffiths had been alone in his unit, and his room was locked on the inside. It added that Thai police said Griffiths had been involved in two ongoing court cases that might have caused him stress.
News outlets The Sun and Daily Mail said the millionaire had been accused by his Thai ex-wife of stealing £500,000 (US$672,000) from a company they operated together.
The reports said Griffith was arrested last year over the matter and released after questioning, as police continued their probe.
ASOS’ SUCCESS
Asos was founded by Griffiths and Nick Robertson in 2000, when the website retailed imitations of clothing worn in movies and on TV – its acronym name standing for “As Seen On Screen”.
The company transitioned to its present name in 2003.
The company defied the wave of failures that hit other web-based companies after the Internet bubble burst and emerged as a standout success in the British retail scene, selling established brands as well as its own low-cost line of garments with next-day delivery.
Asos expanded rapidly into new countries and moved quickly to capitalise on the rise of social media. According to its website, the fashion giant has 17 million active customers in over 150 markets.
Griffiths was marketing director at Asos before he left the firm in 2004. He remained a large shareholder for nearly another decade.
In recent years, the online retailer has struggled with profitability against a backdrop of rising costs and stiffer competition from cheaper Chinese rivals.
In the 2025 financial year, the London-headquartered firm reported revenue worth about US$3.2 billion.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/world/asos-co-founder-dies-fall-thailand-condo-balcony-quentin-griffiths-5942481
