george Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 Briton falls to his death from 21st-floor condominium room BANGKOK: -- A Briton fell from his death from his room on the 21st floor of a condominium in the heart of Bangkok. Police said the body of Waltman Stephan Ronald, 49, was found dead on the floor of the car park of a condominium on Silom road at 3:30 pm Friday. Police said the man might commit suicide. -- The Nation 2007-11-03 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazeeboy Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 Briton falls to his death from 21st-floor condominium roomBANGKOK: -- A Briton fell from his death from his room on the 21st floor of a condominium in the heart of Bangkok. Police said the body of Waltman Stephan Ronald, 49, was found dead on the floor of the car park of a condominium on Silom road at 3:30 pm Friday. Police said the man might commit suicide. -- The Nation 2007-11-03 seems this is happening once a week at the moment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaiRawnNitNoi Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 Case closed. Another farang suicide.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YangYaiEric Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 LOS; Land of Smiles(or is it Suicde now ?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
on-on Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 Police said the man might commit suicide.Darn that reincarnation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PadThaiGuy Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Almost 300 Brits died in Thailand last year. You don't usually hear about it. Bad for Tourism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seonai Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 I worked as editor for Pattaya Today and it happens three or four times a week there... did he jump or was he helped...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suszzy Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Almost 300 Brits died in Thailand last year.You don't usually hear about it. Bad for Tourism. that's quite a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryHacker Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 I worked as editor for Pattaya Today and it happens three or four times a week there... did he jump or was he helped...? 3 or 4 jumpers a week in Pattaya? If true that is a big wow, something should be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backflip Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 "Almost 300 Brits died in Thailand last year. You don't usually hear about it. Bad for Tourism. " If you don't hear about them, how is it bad for tourism - except, of course, for those 300 Brits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percy2 Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 3 or 4 jumpers a week in Pattaya? If true that is a big wow, something should be done. Like what? Put trampolines on all pavements? If somebody wants to kill themselves , they will find away. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbk Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Almost 300 Brits died in Thailand last year.You don't usually hear about it. Bad for Tourism. that's quite a lot. According to the TAT Arrivals from the UK to Thailand reached a notable 745,525, a 9.48 per cent increase on the previous year’s statistics according to figures releases by the Tourism Auhtority of Thailand. Arrivals from Ireland increased by 13.97 per cent over last year’s statistic to 56,994, giving a combined total of 802,519 visitors from the UK and Ireland. 300 out of 745,525 is a lot? Sorry, my mathematics skills are not the best, but somehow one death in over 2000 visitors doesn't seem that high. One would have to factor in all causes of death, of course. Not just murder and suicide but natural causes as well. Indeed, the death rate in the UK would make one think that perhaps Thailand is safer than home: 10.09 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) Source: CIA factbook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percy2 Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 300 out of 745,525 is a lot? Sorry, my mathematics skills are not the best, but somehow one death in over 2000 visitors doesn't seem that high. One would have to factor in all causes of death, of course. Not just murder and suicide but natural causes as well. Indeed, the death rate in the UK would make one think that perhaps Thailand is safer than home: 10.09 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) Source: CIA factbook Of the 745k how many spend two weeks in Thailand and 50 weeks in the UK. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbk Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 And how many spend 4 or 6? The point is, I don't know that 300 in 745,000+ qualifies as "alot" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percy2 Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 And how many spend 4 or 6? The point is, I don't know that 300 in 745,000+ qualifies as "alot" I didn't sat it was alot. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbk Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 And how many spend 4 or 6? The point is, I don't know that 300 in 745,000+ qualifies as "alot" I didn't sat it was alot. Cheers Thats ok, I didn't quote you originally I wonder, are there some official statistics for tourist death rates of British citizens by country? Not that I am British but since the deceased was British and there is the perception that 300/year British dead in Thailand is alot, makes me wonder where the number came from and the perception that it is high? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PadThaiGuy Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 A doctor friend told me close to 300 Brits died last year. I was shocked. I read 2 newspapers everyday and don't see these deaths mentioned often. My guess would have been 20 or 30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
game4shame Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 I worked as editor for Pattaya Today and it happens three or four times a week there... did he jump or was he helped...? exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumnien Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 "Suicide" is often just a socially acceptable word for alcoholism and addiction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithson Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 3 or 4 jumpers a week in Pattaya? If true that is a big wow, something should be done. Like what? Put trampolines on all pavements? If somebody wants to kill themselves , they will find away. Cheers Surely things can be done, netting for example. Maybe there could be a campaign to stop ppl 'helping' them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thaiman Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Almost 300 Brits died in Thailand last year.You don't usually hear about it. Bad for Tourism. How many brits die in UK each year. Bad for tourism? Nothing will shake tourism? Tsunami, sars, and coup: only a little. A few dead farnag? NObody cares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cclub75 Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 (edited) Put trampolines on all pavements?If somebody wants to kill themselves , they will find away. Too easy... The point is : there is a statistical anomaly in Pattaya. People in western countries do not commit suicide by jumping. Check datas for US here (or here for the search page of this great database). But they seem to do it in Pattaya. Now, we can argue, blabla, but still something is not normal. All western men willing to commit suicide in Pattaya might be addicted (on powerfull LSD), alcooholic, depressed, or with a terminal illness (cancer + aid sounds good). Now, that would be also a statistical anomaly. Comment to the Pattaya Mail Editor : you should just maintain a list of "jumpers". Something very simple : date + nationality + age + sex. And after a few month, that could maybe open some eyes... Edited November 7, 2007 by cclub75 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxexile Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 i would suggest that the high figures are more to do with the low balcony rails and the slippery tiling that are the norm here than suicide. so easy to slip and go over if you have had a bit too much to drink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suszzy Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 300 out of 745,525 is a lot? Sorry, my mathematics skills are not the best, but somehow one death in over 2000 visitors doesn't seem that high. One would have to factor in all causes of death, of course. Not just murder and suicide but natural causes as well. Indeed, the death rate in the UK would make one think that perhaps Thailand is safer than home: 10.09 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) Source: CIA factbook i didn't know that 300 out of 745,525 that's why i said quite a lot. Thanks for the information! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krub Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Briton falls to his death from 21st-floor condominium roomBANGKOK: -- A Briton fell from his death from his room on the 21st floor of a condominium in the heart of Bangkok. Police said the body of Waltman Stephan Ronald, 49, was found dead on the floor of the car park of a condominium on Silom road at 3:30 pm Friday. Police said the man might commit suicide. -- The Nation 2007-11-03 A close friend knew this guy very well. He had a health and drink problem but nothing serious enough to justify suicide. He lived in Silom Suite and was an english teacher with a very very good salary at a prestigious school. Extremely sad RIP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawpcorn Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 (edited) Briton falls to his death from 21st-floor condominium roomBANGKOK: -- A Briton fell from his death from his room on the 21st floor of a condominium in the heart of Bangkok. Police said the body of Waltman Stephan Ronald, 49, was found dead on the floor of the car park of a condominium on Silom road at 3:30 pm Friday. Police said the man might commit suicide. -- The Nation 2007-11-03 A close friend knew this guy very well. He had a health and drink problem but nothing serious enough to justify suicide. He lived in Silom Suite and was an english teacher with a very very good salary at a prestigious school. Extremely sad RIP I'll be honest here, and say that after 4 days here... (in Bangkok) I too contemplated jumping from the 18th floor, after finding out that the person I met on the internet, in the states, and after many many long conversations and letters, who had committed to me, saying "I'll love you forever"... was in the bed of another man after I was here just 4 days. The fact that I had given up (or given away) everything I had in the states to come here to live in the LOS apparently meant nothing. Seems... 1) I didn't bring enough money 2) I didn't understand that "forever" can mean 4 days, in Thailand 3) I didn't realize that MOST of our previous dialog was right out of the "Snag That Farang" phrase book 4) I didn't understand the realities (and desparation) of Thai life for a Thai. 5) I didn't understand Thai Love, and was playing by the old (now obsolete) Farang Love rules. I'm glad I didn't jump. It was my first lesson, and my first real test, as an American trying to adopt a new homeland, in a foreign land and foreign culture. After 8 days of being in Thailand, (and still alive!) I started to feel more at home here on this soil than I'd felt my whole adult life in the states, and started to understand and appreciate (and, yes, love again, under the much more practical Thai rules) the Thai people and this wonderful country of Thailand. I'm VERY happy now, 1 1/2 years later, a successful teacher, in a solid relationship, in a beautiful condo... And I prefer "The Balcony" to the "Telephone Bar" (although I rarely visit either, since I rarely drink). May Buddha bless this previous unhappy soul, who either couldn't make the transition, or was killed trying. Pawpcorn Edited November 7, 2007 by Pawpcorn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazeeboy Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Briton falls to his death from 21st-floor condominium roomBANGKOK: -- A Briton fell from his death from his room on the 21st floor of a condominium in the heart of Bangkok. Police said the body of Waltman Stephan Ronald, 49, was found dead on the floor of the car park of a condominium on Silom road at 3:30 pm Friday. Police said the man might commit suicide. -- The Nation 2007-11-03 A close friend knew this guy very well. He had a health and drink problem but nothing serious enough to justify suicide. He lived in Silom Suite and was an english teacher with a very very good salary at a prestigious school. Extremely sad RIP if people want to top themselves there is nothing you can do to stop them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geriatrickid Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Yes there is something that can be done to prevent suicide. It's called mental health care. Not all suicides arise from behavioural issues. Rather, they can be rooted in organic disturbances that bring about depression. Or, the physical pain of some injuries can be so overwhelming, that the only perceived escape for the tormented is suicide. Although I am a cold and heartless fellow when it comes to the emotional problems of the "teacher" community, I do recognize that those teachers are someone's son/daughter, brother/sister etc. and are often taken advantage of. No family deserves the torment, shame and pain that a suicide brings. As for there being a perceived higher than expected number of suicides in Pattaya, I'm not surprised. The population demographics support it; Older (susceptible to alcohol or other health induced suicide), financially precarious positions for some, limited social circles including being cut off from community and family, and a large starting pool of dysfunctional people to start off with. I think if you distributed the ages, the Pattaya stats would show a concentration of suicides with the 50+ crowd, vs the usual expected under 30 yrs. group of the total population because it reflects the actual suicide pop pool. Look at it another way. The reason alot of people in geriatric care facilities die of cancer or heart disease is due to the fact that the places are filled with old folks, not because the nursing homes cause cancer or heart disease. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ijustwannateach Posted November 8, 2007 Share Posted November 8, 2007 Well, I think the news value of this topic has been exhausted- no one else seems to have new information- so I am closing it under this article of the rules: 1) You will not use thaivisa.com to post any material... referencing suicide... If you believe you have more informatiop on this specific case as a news topic, PM me and we'll update the thread. "Steven" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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