6 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

Thailand must be the global capital for falling from high floors.....!

Yes. I always wonder how many die due to falling or maybe being pushed off balconies each year. Anyone know. Especially in Phuket and Pattaya being the hot spots.

Seriously, they should as a minimum raise the height of balustrades on new buildings as a minimum to match western standards and maybe, dream on, for full safety replace existing balustrades height to match the western standards

6 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Nah, it´s probably an accident. However, a very avoidable one. I agree 100% with Point 2. Why in the world must a retired person at the age of 77, do paint work? They come to live in Thailand, and should have as small money it really takes to get the job done, while looking on and relaxing with a good book in the sofa together with aircon.

So many stupid things happen all the time. This guy, as he was doing paint job at 77 was probably kind of fit and had good health. He could surely have had 10-15 years left. Very sad.

It probably has to do with the sheer boredom that can come with living in Thailand and not having anything to do?

I can relate to that, the last 3 years of the 20 that I lived there I had nothing to do and was living on savings. (I wasn't screwing around any more, the upside to that was that I wasn't spending (alot!) of money on that) Also sliding into spending much of my time drinking in bars.

The sheer boredom of it can be very real!

(Edit: Fully understood that different people will have had different (boredom-free) experiences.)

9 hours ago, save the frogs said:

Could be an accident.

Elderly folks especially should just entirely avoid balconies altogether.

Go get fresh air at the beach.

RIP.

An accident for sure.

Mrs Nan has banned me from using stepladders and I'm not yet 70.

10 hours ago, Woke to Sounds said:

It's entirely possible the fumes from the paint made him dizzy, he was reaching around to dab the outside facing rails and accidentally went over the edge.

Not at all unlikely that he fell as a result of his decorating work but, as he was working outside, it's highly unlikely that dispersed paint fumes caused it.

6 hours ago, rramsey said:

Things that make you go hmmm

Here's something that makes one go "hmmm"... your comment.

5 hours ago, jjbeta said:

Another sad tragedy. Why aren't the building code authorities addressing the elephant in the room? Increase the balcony railing heights, damn it!

And why do the rules of the road not say you must wear a helmet when riding a motor bike. /S

Or keep dogs on a lead on the beach!

5 hours ago, jjbeta said:

Another sad tragedy. Why aren't the building code authorities addressing the elephant in the room? Increase the balcony railing heights, damn it!

Stipulated minimum railing heights in Thailand are, as near as dammit, the same as Europe and the US, why does it have to change? Are the European and US standards too low also?

2 hours ago, cynic1 said:

Seriously, they should as a minimum raise the height of balustrades on new buildings as a minimum to match western standards

With which standards do you want them to comply? They're already just about the same as US, European, Australian and Japanese standards for minimum railing height.

Does any other city in the world have a higher FFC (fall from condo) rate, than Pattaya?

This is a classic story. The old retired Cheap Charly didn't have the money to renovate his apartment. So he took it upon himself to do it at his own risk. RIP

14 hours ago, Mindful Spender said:

Could not pay back a maffia loan?
Had a mental crazy jealous woman?

Would not be the first.

Yeah, and please notice: You are not the first with such a crazy comment

All the talk about dangerously low balcony railings and how Thailand should impose "mandatory" balcony railing makes laugh. Even if Thailand had mandatory height requirements for balcony railings, it would be like all the other "rules and requirements" in Thailand - cause everyone wears motorcycle helmets, underage kids never drive and no one ever drives the wrong direction on the road.