US man and wife commit suicide with gas canister in Chiang Mai hotel

[webfact]

US man and wife commit suicide with gas canister in Chiang Mai hotel

 

Caption: Pair gas themselves to death

 

A maid was sent to a Chiang Mai hotel room after an American man and his wife were not heard from in several days and it was time to check out. 

 

She knocked at room 3207 but there was no reply. She decided to use the spare key and saw a sign on a curtain in the room.

 

It read: 

 

"Do not enter - call police".

 

She went in anyway and found 75 year old  American James Louis Hamilton and his wife on the bed. 

 

They were dressed in white shirts with brown shorts. 

 

They had plastic bags around their heads that were connected by a pipe to a gas canister. 

 

Picture: Sanook

 

Police and medical staff from Maharat Nakorn Chiang Mai were called to the hotel situated near the Tha Phae gate. It was ascertained that the couple had been dead about two days. 

 

The nationality, age and name of the wife was not given. 

 

Hotel manager Preecha Maijandaeng said that the couple had checked in on April 13th and were due to check-out yesterday so they were called at 11.30 am but there was no answer. 

 

The maid said that the two guests were a jolly couple and gave no indication they were going to commit suicide. Three days prior they had greeted her in a friendly manner and asked not to be disturbed. 

 

The American authorities in Chiang Mai have been informed, reported Sanook. 

 

Police did not state what kind of gas was used. They are treating the case as one of suicide. 

 

Source: Sanook

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-04-26

 

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[neeray]

10 minutes ago, webfact said:

"it was time to check out." 

 

Sad. They decided to do "self check out".

 

How can life be that bad?

[Happy Grumpy]

7 minutes ago, neeray said:

How can life be that bad?

At 75 ears old it could have been an excruciating terminal illness.

 

In such a case, I would rather go relatively peacefully of my own accord, than suffering 24/7 for months or years.

[Razek]

saw a sign on a curtain in the room.

it was very small no one can see it for 2 days

[MickeyDelux]

They chose to leave the planet together and wore the same outfits. white shirt and brown shorts? and they put up a make shift curtain with a warning sign?  I do admire their comradery but that's about it. imho, I think wearing a brightly colored shirt or like an Hawaiian style flower shirt is more appropriate. Along with wearing an adult diaper with loosely fitting pants, like elephant pants.  Maybe draw a happy face on the plastic bag covering my face or use some type of festive or ornamental plastic bag? Of course make sure the air conditioning fan is set to high and to its lowest temperature setting. An air freshener would also be a nice touch.  And finally, instead of a warning sign, like death is such a horrible and surprising consequence to life, I would leave a note saying sorry about the inconvenience and the mess and most assuredly I would leave a really, really nice (cash) tip.

[KittenKong]

14 minutes ago, Razek said:

saw a sign on a curtain in the room.

it was very small no one can see it for 2 days

The sign can only be seen when the door is opened.

[THAIJAMES]

1 hour ago, Happy Grumpy said:

At 75 ears old it could have been an excruciating terminal illness.

 

In such a case, I would rather go relatively peacefully of my own accord, than suffering 24/7 for months or years.

I agree with going down peacefully of your own accord instead of suffering for years.

They couldn't have been both in excruciating pain and if they were how do they travel to Chiang Mai.  and why not do it in the US why come all the way to Chiang Mai to do this.

if they have relatives back home won't this caused a lot of problems to bring them back?

It all sounds strange to me.

Maybe one had a terminal illness and the other one also wanted to die together instead of both having to face the problems ahead.

 

 

Edited April 26, 2019 by THAIJAMES

[Tradewind777]

16 minutes ago, MickeyDelux said:

They chose to leave the planet together and wore the same outfits. white shirt and brown shorts? and they put up a make shift curtain with a warning sign?  I do admire their comradery but that's about it. imho, I think wearing a brightly colored shirt or like an Hawaiian style flower shirt is more appropriate. Along with wearing an adult diaper with loosely fitting pants, like elephant pants.  Maybe draw a happy face on the plastic bag covering my face or use some type of festive or ornamental plastic bag? Of course make sure the air conditioning fan is set to high and to its lowest temperature setting. An air freshener would also be a nice touch.  And finally, instead of a warning sign, like death is such a horrible and surprising consequence to life, I would leave a note saying sorry about the inconvenience and the mess and most assuredly I would leave a really, really nice (cash) tip.

What a nice guy you are. If ever I need an exit strategy I’ll be sure to call you for advice!

[Genmai]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

"Do not enter - call police".

 

She went in anyway

 

If the gas used was carbon monoxide this could have ended exceptionally badly for her. Best to leave messages like this in the local language when you go.

[Puchaiyank]

Meaning no disrespect to the deceased...but, I am surprised the Tourist Ministry has not ceased upon this opportunity to tout Thailand as leading the world in foreigners committing suicide...

 

Like throwing themselves off of highrise hotels and condos, slashing their own throats, and swimming away from their anchored boat to cut their own heads off...amazing Thailand...???? 

[Happy Grumpy]

38 minutes ago, THAIJAMES said:

They couldn't have been both in excruciating pain and if they were how do they travel to Chiang Mai.  and why not do it in the US why come all the way to Chiang Mai to do this.

if they have relatives back home won't this caused a lot of problems to bring them back?

It all sounds strange to me.

 

Who said they lived in America?

 

Who said the wife wasn't Thai? 

[masvil]

Does anyone know what's the hotel?

[1FinickyOne]

2 hours ago, neeray said:

How can life be that bad?

Terminal painful illness looming? Finances finished? Severe depression? 

 

On the positive side, maybe hopes for a brighter future?

 

As others have said, growing old is not for sissies... 

 

RIP to the deceased... 

[luckyluke]

4 minutes ago, masvil said:

Does anyone know what's the hotel?

What's the relevance? 

[donnacha]

If they came a month or so earlier they could have just slept with their windows open.

[Lucius verus]

Could be a local couple. A yank and Thai wife who lived in an isolated area but wanted to be found quickly especially in this heat. 

Impossible to know why people suicide unless they leave a note and many don't.

[Emdog]

I don't have any white shirts: it's Hawaiian or nothing for this kid. My wife would wonder what's up if I bought a white shirt.

Just sayin'

[elektrified]

Sounds just like the same method the guy used who used to be a regular on this forum. I think they use helium but I could be wrong. Supposed to be completely painless. Like the other guy, they probably had severe illness.

[atyclb]

any info as to whether they were on holiday from usa or lived in thailand?

[steven100]

They did check-out .... 

[watcharacters]

5 hours ago, Happy Grumpy said:

6 hours ago, THAIJAMES said:

They couldn't have been both in excruciating pain and if they were how do they travel to Chiang Mai.  and why not do it in the US why come all the way to Chiang Mai to do this.

if they have relatives back home won't this caused a lot of problems to bring them back?

It all sounds strange to me.

 

Who said they lived in America?

 

Who said the wife wasn't Thai? 

 

 

Poster THAIJAMES is bristling with speculation and hypothesis.      And that's a nice way to say it.

[Sparkles]

Endless speculation,without any knowledge, serves no purpose. Remember that their families might happen to come across this thread. RIP

[Krataiboy]

40 minutes ago, elektrified said:

I think they use helium but I could be wrong. Supposed to be completely painless. 

Only balloons prefer helium. If you want to die with a smile on your face, nitrous oxide (laughing gas) is your poison.

 

According to an article I've just read on the subject: "With nitrous oxide, what tends to happen to people is that they become quite euphoric and quite relaxed, giggly. . . "

 

Must have a word with my friendly local dentist, just in case!

 

 

 

Edited April 26, 2019 by Krataiboy

[howbri]

No one has mentioned the consequences of killing yourself. A seat at Satan's table is awaiting them.

[Odysseus123]

7 minutes ago, howbri said:

No one has mentioned the consequences of killing yourself. A seat at Satan's table is awaiting them.

Really?

 

One sick puppy of a Christian...

[55Jay]

7 minutes ago, howbri said:

No one has mentioned the consequences of killing yourself. A seat at Satan's table is awaiting them.

If he was terminally ill, then I would rather wind up there ^ than with the creep who "designed" the illness in the first place.  To add insult to injury, the creepy designer had the power to intervene with a miracle, but didn't.   

[Just Weird]

7 hours ago, Razek said:

saw a sign on a curtain in the room.

it was very small no one can see it for 2 days

Is the font of the OP so small that you cannot read it?  The sign was inside the room, she saw it after she'd opened the door with her pass key.

Edited April 26, 2019 by Just Weird

[MickeyDelux]

28 minutes ago, howbri said:

No one has mentioned the consequences of killing yourself. A seat at Satan's table is awaiting them.

That's true.

Nevertheless, being the optimist you all know me as, I must point out, that if it's Satan's dining table you have an eternal seat at, that perhaps Anthony Bourdain will be doing the cooking?

[MickeyDelux]

and one other thing...

 

It's common to focus on the man and his age. However, maybe the woman was diagnosed with some terminal disease, and Mr James Hamilton knowing his passion, the woman that was the love of his life, was going to being leaving the planet much too soon and only after enduring a painful and humiliating end of life experience, decided to take a path less traveled. Instead of watching helplessly, he chose to accompany his partner,  to give her strength in what has to be a terrifying departure from this existence.  Death is an experience one can only have after living. ... and one more thing.. Jesus said, "I did not come to condemn the world, I came to save it". from that scripture, it can be deduced, that judging others is not the Christian thing to do.

Edited April 26, 2019 by MickeyDelux

[THAIJAMES]

7 hours ago, Happy Grumpy said:

 

Who said they lived in America?

 

Who said the wife wasn't Thai? 

good point