Gulf War veteran, 55, was killed by a single punch from a bouncer in Thailand who claimed he tried to leave go-go bar without paying his bill

[snoop1130]

Gulf War veteran, 55, was killed by a single punch from a bouncer in Thailand who claimed he tried to leave go-go bar without paying his bill

By JOEL ADAMS

 

Former army officer and Gulf War veteran Michael Jones-Mathias with his wife Veronica

 

A Gulf War veteran was killed in a one-punch attack by a security guard in Thailand, an inquest heard.

 

Former Army officer Mike Jones-Mathias, 55, was on a work trip and had finished dinner with colleagues when he dropped into a bar in Pattaya on his way back to his hotel on May 17, 2018.

 

But he dialled emergency number 911 in the early hours of the morning - just five minutes before CCTV captured him being punched to the floor.

 

Security guard Phumphat Tanosingh was charged with grievous bodily harm for the punch and faced a trial in Thailand.

 

Full Story: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7634531/Gulf-War-veteran-55-killed-one-punch-attack-outside-Thai-bar-security-guard.html

[DaRoadrunner]

High Season: "Tourists will be safe and we will be good hosts" says tourist police chief

[mok199]

My deepest regards for the grieving family...

[z42]

Feel bad for the victim's family For him to lose his life (indirectly or not) from something so trivial as an unpaid bar bill is a really tragic waste.

I actually find that most door staff in Thailand are pretty decent, but also realise that things can escalate in an instant here.

 

For just how crazy a place Pattaya is, it speaks volumes just how good a job security staff do to keep it mostly in reasonable order.

[Yinn]

He throws a punch to the air as he is approached by two Thai men - and is then hit to the floor with one horror punch.

 

 

[donnacha]

That he tried calling 911 just minutes before the attack suggests that he was the victim of a billing scam. As certain parts of their tourism industry collapse, desperate bars seem to be resorting to this stuff more frequently, and asking for evermore ridiculous amounts.

These thugs are a tiny minority that ruin it for the vast majority of decent people. Sadly, in Thailand, the entire society is structured along those lines too.

I no longer expect any common sense from the authorities in Thailand, but a smart country that did not take its tourism industry for granted would crack down hard on this stuff. Each of these reports in the victims' home countries sends a deeply negative message about Thailand, reversing millions of dollars of "Amazing Thailand" marketing. Look at that photo, he looks like a decent, happily married guy and is a veteran to boot. This story, including the shameful Thai court verdict, will run in almost every American newspaper and news channel, ten of millions of people will hear about this. These incidents are expensive for Thailand.

On entry, I would give every tourist a welcome card containing 24hr emergency numbers manned by competent English / Mandarin / Korean speakers. Hell, I would even offer an "Emergency Button" app that would instantly send their location to the local police.


 

[from the home of CC]

13 minutes ago, Yinn said:

He throws a punch to the air as he is approached by two Thai men - and is then hit to the floor with one horror punch.

 

 

so you're saying he swung first? hence the acquittal..

[Orton Rd]

26 minutes ago, mok199 said:

My deepest regards for the grieving family...

You know them then? Really outrageous, now a tourist can be murdered for an argument over a bill, likely padded if he had a problem with it.

[Destiny1990]

He walks backwards never touches his attackers. However their deadly punch is being labeled as self defense !

[Kadilo]

29 minutes ago, Yinn said:

He throws a punch to the air as he is approached by two Thai men - and is then hit to the floor with one horror punch.

 

 

Your point is.??

[wisperone]

If he hadn't gone down with the first punch, there would have been kicks to the head soon to follow, not just from the bouncer, but from others joining in. Typical Thai wai way.

[sanemax]

53 minutes ago, Yinn said:

He throws a punch to the air as he is approached by two Thai men - and is then hit to the floor with one horror punch.

 

 

Why did he throw a punch though ?

Even if he was at fault for attempting to throw a punch , the bouncers need to act with more restraint and not using violence , saying that though, it was just one punch and as this case shows, even one punch can be fatal

[marqus12]

I've been thinking for some time now that international tourism

is not a suitable industry for Thais.

They should do something else for a living.

[tifino]

... could have been shaking a fist at 'em

[sanemax]

9 minutes ago, marqus12 said:

I've been thinking for some time now that international tourism

is not a suitable industry for Thais.

They should do something else for a living.

I think that you will find that bouncers in all countries can behave violently , not just Thailand  

[CNXexpat]

In a civilized country: customer refuses to pay - manager is calling the police to clarify the case. 

In Thailand: customer refuses to pay: staff is beating the hell out of him.

[looking for LIFE insurance]

14 minutes ago, wisperone said:

If he hadn't gone down with the first punch, there would have been kicks to the head soon to follow, not just from the bouncer, but from others joining in. Typical Thai wai way.

So true.  So typical of these cowardly runts.

That's why I have a baseball bat in my car.

 

[sanemax]

9 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

In a civilized country: customer refuses to pay - manager is calling the police to clarify the case. 

In Thailand: customer refuses to pay: staff is beating the hell out of him.

No need for Thai bashing , bouncers behave violently in every country , 

[mauGR1]

1 minute ago, sanemax said:

No need for Thai bashing , bouncers behave violently in every country , 

No need to deflect, this happened in Thailand. One man died, and the "bouncer" has been acquitted.

[CNXexpat]

3 minutes ago, sanemax said:

No need for Thai bashing , bouncers behave violently in every country , 

I lived for 50 years in Hamburg, where the famous St. Pauli district and the Reeperbahn is. Many normal bars and clubs and also a red light district. I have NEVER EVER heard about a case like that. NEVER. But I heard many times that it happens in Thailand. 

[sanemax]

8 minutes ago, mauGR1 said:

No need to deflect, this happened in Thailand. One man died, and the "bouncer" has been acquitted.

My reply was to the bit about Thailand being uncivilised , whereas violence by bouncers happened in every Country and thus Thailand is as "civilised" as all other Countries

[from the home of CC]

12 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

In a civilized country: customer refuses to pay - manager is calling the police to clarify the case. 

In Thailand: customer refuses to pay: staff is beating the hell out of him.

in the western case, you're also dealing with civilized customers (if not drunk), here, not so much.. 

[billd766]

45 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

You know them then? Really outrageous, now a tourist can be murdered for an argument over a bill, likely padded if he had a problem with it.

IMHO he was not murdered which is deliberately setting out to kill a person. Manslaughter possibly but more likely death by misadventure. No I have not seen a video, so I have no idea what really happened.

[sanemax]

12 minutes ago, CNXexpat said:

I lived for 50 years in Hamburg, where the famous St. Pauli district and the Reeperbahn is. Many normal bars and clubs and also a red light district. I have NEVER EVER heard about a case like that. NEVER. But I heard many times that it happens in Thailand. 

Reallly , bouncers in Hamberg dont get violent ..................?

[mauGR1]

Just now, sanemax said:

My reply was to the bit about Thailand being uncivilised , whereas violence by bouncers happened in every Country and thus Thailand is as "civilised" as all other Countries

 I don't think it's normal for bouncers to punch customers in the head

[billd766]

4 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

in the western case, you're also dealing with civilized customers (if not drunk), here, not so much.. 

Not always.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-dorset-46520000/bournemouth-nightclub-crash-cctv-shows-car-hitting-doorman

[Yinn]

52 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

so you're saying he swung first? hence the acquittal..

Maybe. 

 

Also “‘The judgment was handed down without them knowing that Mike was dead. Had they known I wonder whether or not the conclusion would have been different.’

 

So the judge think it as a “fight”. The English guy punch first, thai guy return punch. = self defense. On video.

 

Maybe that. Or maybe mandarin guy/boss/friend pay money. 

I not trust court system.

 

i not know, I not there. I search for video, can not find. I search court thing, can not find. 

I not know. 

 

But I think this story have some detail that nobody will know what really happen. eg. Why not pay the bill? Why ring 911? 

Is not full story. Also because he army, maybe can defense himself well. Maybe to drunk? I not know.

 

He write this book....

 

 

 

 

[Kinnock]

29 minutes ago, sanemax said:

I think that you will find that bouncers in all countries can behave violently , not just Thailand  

True - but the behaviour of the Courts can vary a lot.  

 

The Coroner's comment of 'a trial as such' speaks volumes.

[marqus12]

11 minutes ago, Yinn said:

Maybe. 

 

Also “‘The judgment was handed down without them knowing that Mike was dead. Had they known I wonder whether or not the conclusion would have been different.’

 

So the judge think it as a “fight”. The English guy punch first, thai guy return punch. = self defense. On video.

 

Maybe that. Or maybe mandarin guy/boss/friend pay money. 

I not trust court system.

 

i not know, I not there. I search for video, can not find. I search court thing, can not find. 

I not know. 

 

But I think this story have some detail that nobody will know what really happen. eg. Why not pay the bill? Why ring 911? 

Is not full story. Also because he army, maybe can defense himself well. Maybe to drunk? I not know.

 

He write this book....

 

Another proof that the tourism industry is not suitable for Thais.

50 years of experience in international tourism, 95% don't know

foreign languages...and 5% know at Yinn "level".

[LomSak27]

1 hour ago, Yinn said:

He throws a punch to the air as he is approached by two Thai men - and is then hit to the floor with one horror punch.

 

Is that whats going around on thai media as "justification " for the Killing. Fantastic  ????

 

No wonder Tourists do not want to come here anymore. Get scammed or get killed and what fun.