Phuket police open inquest into the death of Australian tourist found at Patong Police Station

[webfact]

Police oversee the removal of the body of 31-year-old Matthew Winder from the holding cells of Patong Police Station on Monday afternoon and their removal to Vachira Phuket Hospital for an autopsy.

 

by James Morris and Son Nguyen

Body was removed on Monday by emergency services from the second-floor holding cells area of Patong Police Station and taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital for an autopsy.

Phuket’s provincial police chief has promised a full investigation into the death of an Australian tourist in detention in Phuket whose body was found hanging from bars in his cell by the duty sergeant at Patong Police Station on the island on Monday afternoon last.

Police in the Patong Beach resort in Phuket are conducting an investigation after the body of an Australian tourist, arrested on Sunday for causing a disturbance and being drunk on the Bang La road nightlife district, was found dead in his cell at Patong Police Station.

 

31-year-old Matthew Winder was arrested at an entertainment venue and taken to the station where he was held in the holding cells situated on the second floor of the facility. 

 

Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2023/04/27/phuket-police-inquest-aussie-tourist-matthew-winder-death/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2023-04-27

 

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[ThailandRyan]

This clipped from the linked article is also interesting. So it appears there is confusion about his arrest location.  On top of that the on duty police sergeant is stating he went out for lunch and brought back food for Mr. Winder

 

There are contradictory statements as to where the Aussie was arrested with other reports suggesting that he was picked up by police at where he was staying which was also located on the Bang La road.

The arrest occurred early on Sunday morning. 

 

After midday on Monday, the on-duty police sergeant left for lunch and later brought back something to eat for Mr Winder.  He discovered the Australian hanged with his shirt tied to an iron bar in the cell where he was being held.

[smedly]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Vachira Phuket Hospital

will say and do exactly what they are told

[TheFishman1]

I’m sure the Police here not cover up anything and it will show that he hung him self. TIT

[Ginner]

34 minutes ago, TheFishman1 said:

I’m sure the Police here not cover up anything and it will show that he hung him self. TIT

The first report says he was found hanging by a cord from his pants. Tracksuit bottoms. now it states he was found hanging from his shirt.

[Blaxland]

There is a Go Fund Me Page set up in Australia to assist in the repatriation of the remains.AUD14 K was raised by this morning.

 

[hotchilli]

The holding cells have CCTV surely?

 

[Mywayboy]

But feet flat on the ground 55

[thailand49]

Better get Big Joke on this one!  In the end, regardless of the stories and contradiction he will determine he hung himself regardless and that is the end. This was the other explanation to another hanging the Joker investigated with also a lot of contradictions. We all know how this is to end!

 

????

[Pmbkk]

2 hours ago, Ginner said:

The first report says he was found hanging by a cord from his pants. Tracksuit bottoms. now it states he was found hanging from his shirt.

 

In the reports it also said it was on CCTV...

 

Show it to the Oz relevant authorities to clear-up any misunderstandings over reports - even though they were all from the police apparently.

[Bangkok Barry]

3 hours ago, Ginner said:

The first report says he was found hanging by a cord from his pants. Tracksuit bottoms. now it states he was found hanging from his shirt.

Neither actually quoted anyone as far as I know, so put it down to the usual standard of Thai journalism. Even if there were officers who gave such statements, it's very well known that people here like to shoot their mouth off over something they know nothing about, so the only real source should be from one senior officer making a statement.

 

Again, as far as I know, that hasn't happened yet while enquiries are on-going. The only brief from the police to the media that is mentioned in the linked article is saying that is what is happening. Everything else is hearsay.

[brianthainess]

4 hours ago, smedly said:

will say and do exactly what they are told

Should be sent to BKK forensic police department for maybe an unbiased autopsy. 

[oldestswinger]

19 minutes ago, Pmbkk said:

In the reports it also said it was on CCTV...

 

In Thailand, the first immutable rule is that the CCTV is either never working or any coverage has been erased "accidentally".

[brianthainess]

An inquest will that be after the autopsy ?

[Pmbkk]

31 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Neither actually quoted anyone as far as I know, so put it down to the usual standard of Thai journalism. Even if there were officers who gave such statements, it's very well known that people here like to shoot their mouth off over something they know nothing about, so the only real source should be from one senior officer making a statement.

 

Again, as far as I know, that hasn't happened yet while enquiries are on-going. The only brief from the police to the media that is mentioned in the linked article is saying that is what is happening. Everything else is hearsay.

 

 

See: https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/australian-man-dies-in-police-detention-in-phuket-thailand

 

The officers on duty went out for lunch at 11.30am and left Winder alone. When they returned, they found that Winder had committed suicide, they said. Police said they examined the CCTV cameras and saw Winder, alone in the room, crying out for help before hanging himself with the rope from his shorts, reports KhaoPhuket.

 

 

 

[Bangkok Barry]

2 minutes ago, Pmbkk said:

 

 

See: https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/australian-man-dies-in-police-detention-in-phuket-thailand

 

The officers on duty went out for lunch at 11.30am and left Winder alone. When they returned, they found that Winder had committed suicide, they said. Police said they examined the CCTV cameras and saw Winder, alone in the room, crying out for help before hanging himself with the rope from his shorts, reports KhaoPhuket.

 

 

 

And 'Police said' is attributed to what high-ranking officer? None. Which was the point of my post, which you appear to have ignored or not understood. No member of the force has made any such official statement to the media. The only attributed quote says the enquiry is still on-going. Why do I have to repeat myself?

[metisdead]

An off topic post trolling about Jeffrey Epstein has been removed.

[Pmbkk]

38 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

And 'Police said' is attributed to what high-ranking officer? None. Which was the point of my post, which you appear to have ignored or not understood. No member of the force has made any such official statement to the media. The only attributed quote says the enquiry is still on-going. Why do I have to repeat myself?

 

The police that were there - not the "high ranking officer" who was brought in to manage the death of a foreigner.

If someone gets murdered by a hi-so do we only believe what the hi-so says after speaking to their lawyers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bignok]

Why do you guys care so much? 

[transam]

19 minutes ago, Pmbkk said:

 

The police that were there - not the "high ranking officer" who was brought in to manage the death of a foreigner.

If someone gets murdered by a hi-so do we only believe what the hi-so says after speaking to their lawyers.

Strange how these threads, from many, always seem to accuse the BiB of wrong doing.............  ????

 

[Eloquent pilgrim]

We all know how deceiving appearances can be; however, that notwithstanding, he doesn’t look like someone that would hang themselves, but he does look like someone that would go down swinging, if you get my gist (no pun intended)

[JensenZ]

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

Should be sent to BKK forensic police department for maybe an unbiased autopsy. 

I'm sure they'll be doing another autopsy when the body arrives in Australia, if there's anything left over after they cut him up here.

 

The Police "promise" to investigate? The police should not be investigating this. Where is the Australian Embassy on this? Just reporting the death to his family? Talk about lame. Someone outside the police departement needs to investigate. It should be considered an International incident and treated accordingly.

[JensenZ]

6 minutes ago, bignok said:

Why do you guys care so much? 

Why don't you care, is more the question. It's a tragedy. I don't even know the guy, but I'm upset about this.

[Surasak]

If he hung himself with a cord from his shorts, why was said cord not taken from him before being placed in a cell? It is not difficult to hang ones self if determined enough, but to assist by leaving a cord to do so beggars belief.

[transam]

4 minutes ago, JensenZ said:

I'm sure they'll be doing another autopsy when the body arrives in Australia, if there's anything left over after they cut him up here.

 

The Police "promise" to investigate? The police should not be investigating this. Where is the Australian Embassy on this? Just reporting the death to his family? Talk about lame. Someone outside the police departement needs to investigate. It should be considered an International incident and treated accordingly.

"Where is the Australian Embassy on this"...Are you saying you have info that they are not....?

[transam]

1 minute ago, Surasak said:

If he hung himself with a cord from his shorts, why was said cord not taken from him before being placed in a cell? It is not difficult to hang ones self if determined enough, but to assist by leaving a cord to do so beggars belief.

Do they do that for sleeping it off drunks............?  ????

[JensenZ]

1 minute ago, transam said:

"Where is the Australian Embassy on this"...Are you saying you have info that they are not....?

No, I did not say that.

[transam]

2 minutes ago, JensenZ said:

No, I did not say that.

Have you read reports in Aussy papers on the Embassy not doing anything, or other dodgy stuff...?

[Surasak]

8 minutes ago, transam said:

Do they do that for sleeping it off drunks............?  ????

I didn't want to put into words what I was thinking, but the implication is there nevertheless. Reading between the lines has its advantages as well as disadvantages.

[JensenZ]

2 minutes ago, transam said:

You quoted the Embassy stuff, yet it seems you don't know what's going on behind the scenes.................????

 

Active defending the BiB....????....I am active laughing at blokes here hanging the BiB when they know sod all about it..........????

You're a weird one - getting upset that people are suggeting possible foul play by the BiB... even the police department are investigating the incident to rule out foul play. There will be no fair investigation because the police department should not be investigating themselves.

 

One correction, the Embassy are also coordinating with the deceased family back at home to have the body repatriated. they have been a great help.