South Wales Man's Thai Kidnap Ordeal

[phutoie2]

so whats wrong with being welsh?

please enlighten me

My Granny used to say " until the English arrived the Welch! used to hold their trousers up with string", Mind you that was said in the 1950's and she was from Swansea.

[lazeeboy]

South Wales man's Thai kidnap ordeal

May 31 2007

by Abby Alford, South Wales Echo

this stoey insults my intelligence , theres no where just outside pattaya that you could'nt walk for an hour to get help.sounds like he opened a couple of bars lost all his money (as most do) and was embarrassed to go home and tell the truth

Edited July 13, 2007 by Maestro
Quoted text reduced. Unnecessary to quote the entire post.

[Jimjim]

After the marriage broke down, Gareth began a relationship with a 28-year-old Thai woman who had worked for him as a cashier in one of his bars.

They married and she persuaded him to move to her home village in a remote area outside Pattaya, where he built a new home for himself, his wife and her three children to live in.

this stoey insults my intelligence , theres no where just outside pattaya that you could'nt walk for an hour to get help.sounds like he opened a couple of bars lost all his money (as most do) and was embarrassed to go home and tell the truth

Perhaps you need to read closer. It says they lived in a remote area outside Pattaya. The story doesn't indicate how far outside Pattaya. It could be 50 miles, 100 miles, 10 miles? Who knows. It doesn't say "just outside" Pattaya. So much for your insulted intelligence.

And as to your second sentence, yes it seems perfectly credible that he stung himself with a scorpion due to his hurt pride and ultimately killed himself. On second thought, that sounds like quite a stretch.

Life is unbelievable. I don't see why this couldn't have happened.

[RagingBrit]

What a sad sad loser.

But all may not be lost, has this los--- whoops sorry, guy, thought about selling his story to columbia pictures and turning this heart wrenching ordeal into a movie?

[qwertz]

Brit, read back a bit, he died.

[mrtoad]

What a sad sad loser.

But all may not be lost, has this los--- whoops sorry, guy, thought about selling his story to columbia pictures and turning this heart wrenching ordeal into a movie?

Brit, If he is able to do that he will certainly be able to do almost anything. I think they would call it the second coming.

[Edonista]

I think people who get married are stupid.

www.nomarriage.com

[mrtoad]

After coming across this little script about Gareth, it appears that maybe things were not all that they seemed. After reading this, you'll probably have less sympathy. As they say, there are always two sides to a story, and this is quite interesting.

Taken from Bangkok girls website in response to the dramatic story

What a load of crap is talked sometimes by people whose only source of information is the press!

Who on this board knew him or the women he was involved with?

What gives you the right to call his female companiond slappers?

Here’s another side to it:

I knew Gareth fairly well.

I knew him in Barry and was with him when he stepped off the plane in 2004.

He had no business left then; was divorced or divorcing; and had sold or was selling his flat and was living in a lovely caravan.

He had a return ticket but he didn’t use it as far as I remember.

He loved it here and decided to settle here so he maxed out his credit cards taking cash rather than goods.

Sometimes he would admit to £50k other times to £70k (3.5 - 5 million baht).

He sold his caravan so it couldn’t be confiscated (another £26k).

He also brought £30k over from a stash in Spain.

This was all within a few months. In that time he had also bought a house, a bar and an a motorcycle.

He had a girlfriend, Lam, whom he moved in and soon thereafter, Thai-married.

Around about this time both his parents died within 7-8 days and he wanted to to home and take Lam with him so they married in the British embassy and went back for a week or so. While there he retrieved and sold various items from an ex-girlfriend and others.

He came back ASAP, because he was worried about retribution from the banks.

(None of the reporters have done a financial scan on him that I know of).

He got back and gave up the bar because the location was no good.

I think Lam wanted to get rid of it too because she suspected he was shagging the staff ( a dozen or more girls).

He languished a while and then bought another 50%-50% with a friend.

He got up to his old tricks with the staff and Lam beat him up one night when he was drunk, which was a daily norm.

He was in hospital with a broken hand and other injuries for 3-4 days.

They tried to make a go of it for a while, but Lam no longer trusted him and, to be honest, her judgement was correct.

They proceded to divorce and Lam tried to take everything, but Gareth had cleverly (and rightly) put the house and bar in a company name.

She took the car, furniture and two motorcycles and had the house trashed.

Suspecting more reprisals, he sold the house and moved into the bar with the head girl, Erna.

Gareth sold the bar, but conned the purchaser out of 100% of the key-money and took of with Erna to her home village in Korat, Isaan.

He probably had 1.3m Baht (£18k).

He bought a car to go there and that’s where I lost touch.

A mutual friend, however, kept me informed.

He arrived there and built a house-shop or a house and shop; he was vague.

They were happy for a while, but it seems that the villagers didn’t patronise his shop and soon he didn’t have much money left.

His visa was close to expiry too. He had been relying on monthly extensions until the law changed last October (so that you could only have three in a row and then get out for 90 days), because he didn’t have the 800,000 (£12k) to get a 12 month visa.

With his last 16,000 Baht he phoned our friend and asked what we thought about him using that to bribe the border guards into giving him a 12 month stay.

He was also ill by now with “black blood coming out of his nose” (quote Jan 2007). I advised that he give himself up at the embassy and go home.

He signed the car over to Erna and told her to go back to Pattaya to earn some money in a ‘massage parlour’.

I don’t think he ever heard from her again. She took his mobile phone too and stopped taking our friend’s calls and we never heard from him again.

#The next thng we heard he was back in the UK and then, sadly, that he had passed away.

He did NOT go to ‘live in the jungle’; it seems that he had untreated Hepatitis (’B', I think) for at least several months and eventually died of it. He could have infected 100’s as it is very contagious. He never ‘invested’ in health insurance, despite being advised to and in the end probably could not afford to go to a doctor.

Nobody but Gareth and Erna know exactly what happened after he left Pattaya and I don’t think Gareth would have told the whole truth anyway - he went back on a sympathy ticket.

Erna might be more forth-coming if anybody’s really interested.

1] A couple or random points, though, I’m pretty sure he never married Erna; Lam, his real wife was the injured party, so all this talk about his Thai bitch-wife are rubbish.

2] He did NOT come out here because he had fallen in love while on holiday.

3] The only real visas he had were his first 30 days and a couple of Cambodia extension runs - he paid for a fake 12 month visa in Pattaya (his one & only) and thought he could do it again in Isaan.

4] When he got home he was on about 4 months overstay.

His sister, probably does not know 10% of what went on and I haven’t said everything here; she loved him and I understand that, but she lived 120 miles from Barry and 5,500m from Pattaya. she is not doing him or herself any favours by trying to whitewash his name, because sooner or later someone, or most likely, dozens who knew him better will want their say.

Maybe his ex-wives in the UK; his ex-business partners in the UK; his brothers and his kids; “friends” in Barry; his only Thai wife, Lam; Erna and the dozens of other girls; his parter in the bar, whose key-money he kept; and last but not least the Isaan family he went to live with.

Tom -

Edited August 22, 2007 by mrtoad

[meemiathai]

Nothing is going to convince me! I know for sure that farangs are always the victims in thailand! Poor guy.

[tijnebijn]

Doesn't take away it is still a sad story .

What is the truth ? I don't care really . Even he was a soso expat and not too smart in choosing his ways to stay here ,

its all gone and in the past now . We all make mistakes , others bigger ones whatsoever . still doesn't mean

anyone deserves what happened to this man , whatever the truth is.

[Jimjim]

If you're right Mrtoad I really wanted to believe that kidnapping and jungle scorpion bite story, as it was really quite interesting.

[Edonista]

He got up to his old tricks with the staff and Lam beat him up one night when he was drunk, which was a daily norm.

He was in hospital with a broken hand and other injuries for 3-4 days.

Are you suggesting here that if you cheat on your wife or get drunk then she has the right to beat you to the point you need to get hospitalized to treat your injuries and broken bones ?

They tried to make a go of it for a while, but Lam no longer trusted him and, to be honest, her judgement was correct.

The same thing could be spoken the other way round. Can you afford to stay with a women that threatens you phisically ?

They proceded to divorce and Lam tried to take everything, but Gareth had cleverly (and rightly) put the house and bar in a company name.

She took the car, furniture and two motorcycles and had the house trashed.

Suspecting more reprisals, he sold the house and moved into the bar with the head girl, Erna.

Indeed a nice lady. She took whatever she could and trashed the remnants.You have to recognize that this part of the story is not much different from the original.Unless you are again suggesting that a cheated woman has the right to get unlimited revenge because there's no worse offence in the whole universe.

He signed the car over to Erna and told her to go back to Pattaya to earn some money in a 'massage parlour'.

I don't think he ever heard from her again. She took his mobile phone too and stopped taking our friend's calls and we never heard from him again.

Also this part of the story is not so different from the original. She took his car and mobile phone and realizing there was nothing more to take she moved on the next fool.

3] The only real visas he had were his first 30 days and a couple of Cambodia extension runs - he paid for a fake 12 month visa in Pattaya (his one & only) and thought he could do it again in Isaan.

4] When he got home he was on about 4 months overstay.

Aahhhh...here we come at last for the worst sin of them all...that hateful bloke had a fake 12 months visa and was 4 months overstay. Indeed he deserved to have his hand broken, car taken (twice) , house trashed, and finally die so that his impure feet cannot walk the sacred soil of Thailand again !

Now assuming the above is the truth I agree that this guy was far from being a good and wise one, but please can we think out of the Thaivisa stereotypes than cheating on your wife or overstaying your visa are the most dreadful things for your soul ?

Edited August 22, 2007 by Edonista

[mrtoad]

Eudonista, I'm not sure if you are suggesting that these my own facts about the situation and justifying the reasons why he deserved to end up where he did. I have tried to make it clear that this was taken from a post on another website.Henece the referenceto it. Please don't quote me as the source in the way that you have as it could quite easily be misconstrued.

I am not saying how much fact is actually in this story, it is interesting that their appers to be another side to the story. In the end it was still a very tragic outcome. However, this side doesn't suggest that he was such a victim as was initally portrayed in the Welsh press.

I still beleive that there is a lot more to this story than we know or really will ever know.

[November Rain]

Edonista, did you get out of bed the wrong side this morning or something?

Nobody has said he was having a great time of it. mrtoad has just given a new take on the story from someone that allegedly knows. That's all.

I must say it sounds a lot more likely than the scorpion & imprisoned in the jungle story...

[mrtoad]

Edonista, did you get out of bed the wrong side this morning or something?

Nobody has said he was having a great time of it. mrtoad has just given a new take on the story from someone that allegedly knows. That's all.

I must say it sounds a lot more likely than the scorpion & imprisoned in the jungle story...

Thanks NR, maybe Eudonista misread my initial post.

I thought that it was interesting angle, given all the interest about this story a few months ago. I have to agree with you, that certain elements of this story do seem a little more believable.

[Edonista]

Edonista, did you get out of bed the wrong side this morning or something?

Nobody has said he was having a great time of it. mrtoad has just given a new take on the story from someone that allegedly knows. That's all.

I must say it sounds a lot more likely than the scorpion & imprisoned in the jungle story...

Thanks NR, maybe Eudonista misread my initial post.

I thought that it was interesting angle, given all the interest about this story a few months ago. I have to agree with you, that certain elements of this story do seem a little more believable.

Sorry Mr. Toad I had the impression you subscribed the "moralistic tones" of the original author of the post.

[mrtoad]

Edonista, did you get out of bed the wrong side this morning or something?

Nobody has said he was having a great time of it. mrtoad has just given a new take on the story from someone that allegedly knows. That's all.

I must say it sounds a lot more likely than the scorpion & imprisoned in the jungle story...

Thanks NR, maybe Eudonista misread my initial post.

I thought that it was interesting angle, given all the interest about this story a few months ago. I have to agree with you, that certain elements of this story do seem a little more believable.

Sorry Mr. Toad I had the impression you subscribed the "moralistic tones" of the original author of the post.

Apology accepted

[qwertz]

Edonista, did you get out of bed the wrong side this morning or something?

Nobody has said he was having a great time of it. mrtoad has just given a new take on the story from someone that allegedly knows. That's all.

I must say it sounds a lot more likely than the scorpion & imprisoned in the jungle story...

And nobody deserves to die for being a loser.

[mrtoad]

Edonista, did you get out of bed the wrong side this morning or something?

Nobody has said he was having a great time of it. mrtoad has just given a new take on the story from someone that allegedly knows. That's all.

I must say it sounds a lot more likely than the scorpion & imprisoned in the jungle story...

And nobody deserves to die for being a loser.

Correct, but that is not what was said. It was only quouted....

[qwertz]

^

And my footnote wasn't aimed specifically at you, Mr. Toad but rather at the lack of sympathy expressed so vociferously by the usual suspects.

I've seen people die there, friendless and unwanted and that always saddens me, regardless of what rogues they'd been.

[mrtoad]

^

And my footnote wasn't aimed specifically at you, Mr. Toad but rather at the lack of sympathy expressed so vociferously by the usual suspects.

I've seen people die there, friendless and unwanted and that always saddens me, regardless of what rogues they'd been.

Okay, maybe I'm a touch sensitive this evening (long day). I should know better, as I have read plenty of your balanced posts.

[qwertz]

^

No probs, Mr. T, I get those days too.

[deankham]

"There, a woman who could not speak any English put him in touch with her lady boy son in Bangkok who rang some of Gareth’s friends, who then reached his sister Pam Roberts at her Southampton home."

Lets not forget the real hero in this story; The old women who could not understand him, but contacted her lady boy son in Bangkok (probably via Satellite phone, due to remote jungle location). By sheer good luck the lady boy happened to know all of Gareth's friends and gave the sis a quick bell.

..Now that's amazing luck!

[Suszzy]

so what's the true story...anybody?????

[November Rain]

^

And my footnote wasn't aimed specifically at you, Mr. Toad but rather at the lack of sympathy expressed so vociferously by the usual suspects.

I've seen people die there, friendless and unwanted and that always saddens me, regardless of what rogues they'd been.

So, I'm assuming (from the fact my post was quoted) that I'm a "usual suspect"? I have never said I'm unsympathetic to the man. I do, however think the story is one huge smelly crock, which the British media were more than happy to print, probably without checking any facts. I also, in this thread have asked why his family (while complaining bitterly about his treatment) didn't do something themselves?

Qwertz, you should know that "sympathy" is no earthly use to anyone, alive or dead. Empathy & compassion - yes, they're useful. His own family didn't give those to him, how can I (a complete stranger) feel empathetic to someone when I don't even know what their story is?

Yes, it's sad he's dead. It's sad when anyone dies. But this is another "Thailand is such an awful scary country - all jungle & lawlessness" story perpetuated by the UK media. That's what I'm p!ssed off about. I get offered 'help' by UK family members all the time, because "we're worried about you there, all alone". I'm sick of having to say I'd be a million times more unhappy & worried living on my own on a council estate in some UK inner city. This sort of cr@p, just perpetuates the stereotypical view many Brits have of Thailand. OK, rant over.

[qwertz]

Not aimed at you, NR, I didn't know it was your post anyway (blame it on my limited attention span), although I read it with interest.

I was just aiming a scatter gun at the hang 'em high brigade.

[Tinkelbell]

Not aimed at you, NR, I didn't know it was your post anyway (blame it on my limited attention span), although I read it with interest.

I was just aiming a scatter gun at the hang 'em high brigade.

Hi 'qwertz',

Everytime when I want to see the soft side of another human, I always looking paricularly through your threads cos I'm certain I would sure find them.

I also found some posts that you seem coming a bit harsh, but it is to be my liking as I would said the same too.

Always taken by your posts; styled with class.

[canadiangirl]

Not aimed at you, NR, I didn't know it was your post anyway (blame it on my limited attention span), although I read it with interest.

I was just aiming a scatter gun at the hang 'em high brigade.

Hi 'qwertz',

Everytime when I want to see the soft side of another human, I always looking paricularly through your threads cos I'm certain I would sure find them.

Always taken by your posts; styled with class.

Completely agree Tinkelbell. I like qwertz' posts too!

[qwertz]

Well thank you CG and Tinkelbell, you both read me right

The harsh side of me is my alter ego; my somewhat ironic humour is a sad result of life's lessons.

I have a very hard but thin outer skin and a big soft heart within, or so I'm often told.

I just can't condone unnecessary suffering in man or beast and I hate preaching and self righteousness (no names here lest I get a holiday).

That poor sad guy paid dearly for his folly and worst of all, he died unhappy; I just hope there's something better in store for me when I shoot through.

This innate compassion for the plight of others has caused me some grief in the past but I'm too old to change now (even if I wanted to).

Sorry about the profusion of I and me, I can't describe how I am without using them.