msdt

I am a Koh Phangan resident since 5 years and I can say that the mentality between southern Thais and Thais living in Central Thailand and in the North is different. The southern mentality is - as it is in any other country the same on this planet - much more controlled by emotions. I believe this is a result of the individual amount of sun which each single region receives. In addition Thai mentality is an explosive mixture which is fundamentally based on personal pride and honor. Why is Thai mentality an explosive mixture? Because of the "mai bock" thing. "Don´t speak! Particularly: Don´t speak bad! Do not criticize!" Means do not to bother anybody with your negative personal issues. Thus: swallow it and thats what the younger generations have to do and learned to do. By a certain time after smiling and bewaring face all the time inner pressure needs ventilation and then a small nuisance - whatever it could be - is enough that somewhere someones fuses plug off and someone else gets seriously injured or killed - mostly in the heat of the moment.

This also happens in the western world but not at a comparable ratio as western education does not allow us easily to attack one physically out of emotional hurt. The emotional barrier for feeling ready to do comparable things like what happened here again is in Thailand lower than in the western world. In fact Thailand is under the top ten countries with the highest murder rate in the world. I believe that a big number of killings in Thailand are caused by emotional rejection, unanswered emotions or one has found out that he/she got betrayed by their partner. The answer of why Thai people can potentially turn quicker to emotionally controlled violation is given by the combination of nationwide low quality school education and social integration of the individual.

what makes me worry is that this crime did not happen in the heat of the moment but was premeditated carried out by the culprit.

The KPG scene of expats is shocked. the murder of Astrid is theme no.1 here at the moment and I guess some farang ladies who are together with a Thai man might review their relationship carefully in order to make sure that emotionally controlled violence won´t be an issue at all. I know more examples of healthy relationships between Thai women and farang men rather than the other way around. last way out for anybody: run away now!

Living a peaceful life on Koh Phangan means to live a low profile life. As a foreign resident you should never give Thais a reason for being jealous about you - never in material things nor in emotional issues. Do not get frequently involved in KPG night life as Haad Rin, the red light girlie bar zone and the Baan Tai road are the places where the most people die weather by accident or being victim of violence. it makes me very sad that Astrids attempts to get involved into Thai culture and society has cost her life.

My condolences to her family and friends.

Rest in peace, Astrid

I cant agree with you more. Keep a low profile and smile alot. Stay away from Drop In Bar and full moon parties.

So very sad..

Condolances to her family and friends.

I do hope they find the killer/killers but that is perhaps to much to ask for..

When they find the killers, how often is it in fact the real killer and not just someone they get to admit to a crime they did not do?

Just to make it look good, i mean and for the tourists to see that they actually can find criminals.

Girlx:

Did they really say "mai pen rai" to a crime like the one you mentioned about your friends mother?????

That is so sick!

Then, what does it take to make them do their job properly?

Is it lack of incompetence and knowledge or lack of resources??

Honestly, I would really like to know.

I remember when we lived in Lamai a few years back. There was a man being killed at a hotel nearby.

So many people was running in and out of that hotelroom touching his body, his things, the glass doors, etc... so when the forensics finally came from Suratthani all evidence were ruined. They said it was suicide but everyone knows that he could not have comitted suicide by strangeling himself (unless he hung himself which they say he didn´t) and then put a seveneleven plastic bag over your head afterwards. The cleaning lady found him laying on the bed with a plastic bag on his head.

The autonom nervalsystem just doesn´t work like that that is basic biology for heavens sake!

So weird..

Take care.

/comehome

My friend and boss Samm pitts was murdered a few years ago on Koh phagan. I dont even think there was an investigation. Myself and a few other instructors got questioned but that was it. we never really did find out what happened. I left the island a short while after that having spent 3 years there. Such a dodgy place, even if you do have your wits about you.