American Shot Dead In Chiang Mai

[Bagwan]

A waste of life.

If he had been up all night drinking it seems to me that the Aussie space cadet had wasted his life long before this unfortunate event.

[gburns57au]

Whatever.......

The guy was carrying a loaded weapon and drinking......a recipe for disaster.....we have a word for this sort in Oz.......wanke_r !!!

Deserves all he gets

[PadThaiGuy]

My understanding is there are allot of guns around.

Easy to end up dead around here.

People used to think Thailand was safe.

It's an illusion.

With the communication age upon us, we are starting to get the 'rest of the story'.

[Dakhar]

I don't do the bar scene much. Been here maybe 2 years and been to a pool hall a few times. But I met a guy that tells his (comforters) he is a govt. employee of the US (military,cop) etc. He says he does so, so no one will try to rob him etc.

Trouble is, he says it so much, I think he believes it.

TIT

[Heng]

"...saw the man showing off a gun to the dead man. ''

What a dork.

[Somtamnication]

11mm handgun ,......

Quite a cannon for an undercover cop . MK85? there was one making the rounds in CM a couple months ago , offered to me for 20k b. I declined .

If you do the math, you will find that 11mm is close to .45 inches and the Thai police and military, for some reason, always like to refer to a .45 semi-autos as an 11mm, although they refer to a .22 as a .22, .38 as a .38 and a .357 as a .357. The gun was almost certainly a .45 semi-auto which is also quite large for an undercover officer, although some might choose it, if they really think they need the extra stopping power.

Undercover narcs from the US DEA have been given licences to carry concealed weapons in Thailand but it required a lot of diplomatic negotiation and was not an easy thing. The licenses were only valid for a year at a time and I can't say if there are any out there now. I doubt very much if the Aussies have ever negotiated licenses for their narcs in Thailand, or if they even have any in field, rather than just assigned to police HQ and doing their fieldwork in go-go bars. Anyway this guy doesn't sound as if he had anything to do with the Australian government, except perhaps for drawing his welfare payments - more likely some demented idiot who thought it was cool to carry an unlicensed weapon around. He will now rot in the sardine can as he deserves.

My sympathies to the family of the deceased.

The license is irrelevant. I carried firearms in Guadalajara. We were never allowed to, but you are issued diplomatic passports, to avoid bull with the local boys. Glock 22s were enough.

[gpdjohn]

The story is less odd than you think. Australians are deploying lots of informers annex retired cops in countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. They do not work for the Thai but for the Australian authorities.

If that is the case, why did he have a weapon?

What law enforcement authority did he have hear? I presume none.

Just a snitch.

He is a done deal

[Krungthepian]

http://www.dailyxpress.net/2008/03/24/expat/expat_943.php

Expat page in Xpress has yarn on this today; pics, but not much new info.

CHIANG MAI

American shot dead

Australian, 60, held for murder of Hawaiian in restaurant

Published on March 24, 2008

An Australian man faces a murder charge over the fatal shooting of an American in northern Thailand early on Saturday.

William Thomas Douglas, aged 60, is reported to have admitted shooting Gary Booth Poretsky in a restaurant in Chiang Mai town.

The reason for the shooting is unknown, but Douglas was said to have been drinking and showing off a handgun he was allegedly carrying. The two got into an argument, which ended with the American shot dead.

Poretsky, 46, was shot once in the head and twice in the body at about 8am.

A Chiang Mai police spokes-woman was quoted saying that Douglas had lived in Thailand for 28 years and spoke Thai well. A local woman had witnessed the shooting, she said.

"A woman saw the man showing off a gun to the dead man. They had a dispute. The Thai lady watched. The Australian guy was trying to say he was a big guy in Chiang Mai," she was quoted as saying.

Douglas is alleged to have run out of the Khoei Chiang Mai (In-law from Chiang Mai) restaurant on Sriphum Road straight after the incident but surrendered to police shortly after.

He was being held in Chiang Mai police headquarters from Saturday, but is due to be transferred to the local prison today.

Douglas is said to have been living in Sansai and working as an English teacher.

There have been unconfirmed reports he was a veteran from the Vietnam War and may have been an informant for the Thai police.

However, some people who have had dealings with him have questioned his sanity. He allegedly told police he was doing work for the Thai Narcotics Suppression Bureau and that he had links with senior police generals.

A spokesman for the Australian embassy in Bangkok said they were aware of the case.

"An Australian consular official has visited the man [Douglas] at Chiang Mai police station. Police are continuing their investigations into the matter," the spokesman said.

Douglas, who is from the town of Northam in Western Australia, could also face charges for firearms offences. Police said the weapon used in the shooting was registered, but they were checking to see who the legal owner of the gun was.

The policewoman said Douglas would appear before a court at a date yet to be fixed.

By Jim Pollard

Daily Xpress

[bonobo]

Allegedly drinking all night , 60 yrs old and 28 yrs in Thailand, carrying a gun and a former or current narcotics cop. All sounds a bit suss.

Ho hum just another shitty day in the place some folks refer to as Paradise. No symapthy for either party from me.

IIam a retired cop ( less than 8 mos. ) and when I retired, so did the weapon. If I cannot protect myself with my mouth or my fists, then my feet will do the work ...in the other direction. ( not scared, just smart..nutin worth dying for)

Last thing I would ever do now is carry a gun...but that's just me.

Let it rip..

Quite a sane attitude.

[adjan jb]

However, some people who have had dealings with him have questioned his sanity.

A TV member ?

[BigSnake]

Sad, Thais killing Farang, now Farang killing each other.

[wintermute]

http://www.dailyxpress.net/2008/03/24/expat/expat_943.php

Expat page in Xpress has yarn on this today; pics, but not much new info.

CHIANG MAI

American shot dead

Australian, 60, held for murder of Hawaiian in restaurant

Published on March 24, 2008

An Australian man faces a murder charge over the fatal shooting of an American in northern Thailand early on Saturday.

William Thomas Douglas, aged 60, is reported to have admitted shooting Gary Booth Poretsky in a restaurant in Chiang Mai town.

The reason for the shooting is unknown, but Douglas was said to have been drinking and showing off a handgun he was allegedly carrying. The two got into an argument, which ended with the American shot dead.

Poretsky, 46, was shot once in the head and twice in the body at about 8am.

A Chiang Mai police spokes-woman was quoted saying that Douglas had lived in Thailand for 28 years and spoke Thai well. A local woman had witnessed the shooting, she said.

"A woman saw the man showing off a gun to the dead man. They had a dispute. The Thai lady watched. The Australian guy was trying to say he was a big guy in Chiang Mai," she was quoted as saying.

Douglas is alleged to have run out of the Khoei Chiang Mai (In-law from Chiang Mai) restaurant on Sriphum Road straight after the incident but surrendered to police shortly after.

He was being held in Chiang Mai police headquarters from Saturday, but is due to be transferred to the local prison today.

Douglas is said to have been living in Sansai and working as an English teacher.

There have been unconfirmed reports he was a veteran from the Vietnam War and may have been an informant for the Thai police.

However, some people who have had dealings with him have questioned his sanity. He allegedly told police he was doing work for the Thai Narcotics Suppression Bureau and that he had links with senior police generals.

A spokesman for the Australian embassy in Bangkok said they were aware of the case.

"An Australian consular official has visited the man [Douglas] at Chiang Mai police station. Police are continuing their investigations into the matter," the spokesman said.

Douglas, who is from the town of Northam in Western Australia, could also face charges for firearms offences. Police said the weapon used in the shooting was registered, but they were checking to see who the legal owner of the gun was.

The policewoman said Douglas would appear before a court at a date yet to be fixed.

By Jim Pollard

Daily Xpress

Ah so basically he was just like every other aging "former SAS or special forces" claiming delusional geriatric expat in Thailand.

[Bluelotus]

11mm handgun ,......

Quite a cannon for an undercover cop . MK85? there was one making the rounds in CM a couple months ago , offered to me for 20k b. I declined .

FYI the MK-85 is a nominal 50 cal and also black powder, and certainly not for carrying, and I doubt very much if you were offered one

Quite right thank you however the mk85 was a hunting scope not a muzzle loader and the pistol a m1911- model 1985 which is a .45 cal. often reffered to as a 11mm possibly because of the model #

[photojourn]

From yesterday's filing:

American tourist not liked - killed

A 60-year-old former Perth resident faces the death penalty in Thailand after he was arrested over the fatal killing of a 46-year-old Hawaii resident in the northern Thailand city of Chiang Mai over the weekend.

William Thomas Douglas, who claims to be a Vietnam War veteran, handed himself in to Chiang Mai police one and a half hours after shooting dead 46-year-old American tourist Gary Booth Poretsky in an all-night Thai restaurant popular with local Chiang Mai citizens.

Poretsky, a native of Massachusetts is reported to have gone to the Keari restaurant with a Chiang Mai female who he had befriended on his visit to the the northern Thailand city.

According to police Captain Sonsak Pamthong, Poretsky's arrived in Thailand two weeks ago with the main objective to receive dental treatment in Bangkok, where high quality dentistry is considerably less expensive than in the US or Europe.

"After he had the dental treatment he came here for a holiday," Captain Pamthong said.

According to restaurant staff the victim was introduced to the Douglas by the the girl who was accompanying him, on the mistaken belief that one foreigner would enjoy talking to another.

Douglas, a long-term resident of Chiang Mai, is fluent in the Thai language and has a Thai wife.

According to Douglas he has been "working for the police" during his period in Thailand, though Captain Pamthong said there was no evidence to support this claim.

Other sources in Chiang Mai describe Douglas as somewhat of a loner and perhaps even a little unbalanced. He is known to have taught English at a number of local schools, though he does not have a work-permit to do so, and is not believed to hold any formal qualifications as a teacher.

Eye witnesses say the two men began talking and the discussion rapidly escalated into an argument. Douglas is alleged to have then withdrawn a 9-mm pistol and shot Poretsky three times in the head and upper body.

Following the shooting Douglas fled the scene but a short time later handed himself in to Chiang Mai police.

According to Captain Pamthong, Douglas has admitted shooting the American but claimed he had no intention of killing him. "He said he disliked American's and thought 'they talk down to everyone and consider themselves better than everyone,'" Captain Pamthong said.

This view was substantiated by Douglas who said from the Chiang Mai police lockup that he had shot Poretsky, "because I didn't like him – he was crazy."

From his lock-up cell Douglas maintained his story that he was some kind of informer or under-cover operative for the Thai police.

Thai police have placed the Australian on suicide watch and said he is currently taking medication, though they would not disclose what that medication was or for what purpose.

Douglas will be formerly charged with premeditated murder at a formal sitting of the Chiang Mai court on Monday, March 24, a charge which carries a maximum penalty of death by lethal injection.

He will also be charged with failing to have a permit to carry a firearm, and not having a licence for a firearm.

He is expected to be remanded in custody at Chiang Mai Remand Prison pending the outcome of a ballistics report on the gun, bullets and casings found at the scene.

He will be the only white prisoner in the jail.

ENDS:

Edited March 24, 2008 by photojourn

[photojourn]

From court appearance today:

Perth man held in Thai shooting

A 60-year-old Australian man has been remanded in custody and formerly declared a suspect in the fatal weekend shooting of a 46-year-old American tourist in the northern Thailand city of Chiang Mai.

William Thomas Douglas, a former resident of Willetton in Western Australia, surrendered to Thai police on Saturday one and a half hours after he is alleged to have shot and killed Hawaiian resident Gary Booth Poretsky in a Chiang Mai restaurant following an altercation.

In a video conference hearing at Chiang Mai Local Court, Chiang Mai police captain Somsak Pamthong requested Douglas be held without bail to allow police to conduct forensic investigations into the shooting.

Captain Somsak said that even though Douglas had admitted shooting the American and had surrendered himself with the weapon to Chiang Mai district police, Thai law required bullets and casings found at the scene to be matched to the weapon surrendered by Douglas.

"We do not expect this case to take a long time. Mr Douglas has already admitted he shot the American tourist, but he said he did not plan to kill him," Captain Somsak said.

According to Captain Somsak, Douglas said he shot the tourist "because he doesn't like Americans. He thinks they talk down to everyone and consider themselves better than everyone else."

Douglas, who claims to be a Vietnam War veteran and former member of the 5th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, was not represented at the brief hearing.

After the hearing Douglas said he had "no regrets" over killing the American, who was visiting Thailand on a two week trip to receive dental treatment in Bangkok where high quality dentistry is considerably less expensive than in the US or Europe.

Local reports have indicated that Mr Poretsky was a frequent visitor to Thailand and to Chiang Mai and at the time of his death he was found to be carrying US$6,000 in US$100 notes.

Restaurant staff where the shooting occurred said Mr Poretsky had arrived at the restaurant in the company of "a dark skinned Thai woman."

They were drinking and the girl invited the man who did the shooting to join them.

According to restaurant staff Douglas had shown Poretsky he was carrying a gun earlier in the evening and Poretsky had berated the Australian for carrying a weapon. An argument then ensued but this was earlier than when Poretsky was shot.

When asked in the court holding cells why he had shot the tourist, Douglas said, "because I didn't like him - he was crazy."

Police have said they intend to charge Douglas with premeditated murder, a charge which carries a maximum penalty of death by lethal injection in Thailand. He also faces a number of firearms offences.

Douglas said he plans to plead guilty to the charge of murder when he is formerly charged in the hopes of receiving a lighter sentence.

ENDS:

[Maejo Man]

Quite right thank you however the mk85 was a hunting scope not a muzzle loader and the pistol a m1911- model 1985 which is a .45 cal. often reffered to as a 11mm possibly because of the model #

Tony Knight created the MK85 muzzleloader in 1985, and it's a black powder muzzel loading rifle with a nominal calibre of .50 period. Where you got this misguided information about a hunting scope from I'm not quite sure

Your post makes no sense at all!! What has a pistol a m1911- model 1985 got to do with anything? There is no such pistol. Maybe you are confusing this with the Colt firearms M1911 and M1911A which starangely enough was actually produced in the year 1911. The army do silly things like this when giving a weapon it's nomenclature.

As a fully qualified firearms instructor and S&W accredited gunsmith of some 40 years, I feel I have some insight into these things.

I might also add that I have never heard anybody refer to a Colt .45 as an 11mm except by some uneducated people in Thailand. I suppose now you are going to tell me that the M1896 is a 96mm just because of it's model number.

11mm is actually closer to the .44 but in this instance I doubt very much if the assailant was carrying such a weapon, and was in all probability a common or garden Colt .45

Also bear in mind that with the legislation introduced some years ago regarding "weapons of war" he could serve longer on that charge, than the one of murder, seeing that being in illegal possesion of military weapons carries a mandatory 25 year jail term. That's of course if the .45 pistol was military issue.

[slapout]

Maejo; The first resonable post, concerning the so called 11 mm handguns. The only 1896 weapon that came to my mind was made by a company called Winchester. Next time we see each other we can discuss firearms of the world.

[Brewsta]

http://www.dailyxpress.net/2008/03/24/expat/expat_943.php

Expat page in Xpress has yarn on this today; pics, but not much new info.

CHIANG MAI

American shot dead

Australian, 60, held for murder of Hawaiian in restaurant

Published on March 24, 2008

An Australian man faces a murder charge over the fatal shooting of an American in northern Thailand early on Saturday.

William Thomas Douglas, aged 60, is reported to have admitted shooting Gary Booth Poretsky in a restaurant in Chiang Mai town.

The reason for the shooting is unknown, but Douglas was said to have been drinking and showing off a handgun he was allegedly carrying. The two got into an argument, which ended with the American shot dead.

Poretsky, 46, was shot once in the head and twice in the body at about 8am.

A Chiang Mai police spokes-woman was quoted saying that Douglas had lived in Thailand for 28 years and spoke Thai well. A local woman had witnessed the shooting, she said.

"A woman saw the man showing off a gun to the dead man. They had a dispute. The Thai lady watched. The Australian guy was trying to say he was a big guy in Chiang Mai," she was quoted as saying.

Douglas is alleged to have run out of the Khoei Chiang Mai (In-law from Chiang Mai) restaurant on Sriphum Road straight after the incident but surrendered to police shortly after.

He was being held in Chiang Mai police headquarters from Saturday, but is due to be transferred to the local prison today.

Douglas is said to have been living in Sansai and working as an English teacher.

There have been unconfirmed reports he was a veteran from the Vietnam War and may have been an informant for the Thai police.

However, some people who have had dealings with him have questioned his sanity. He allegedly told police he was doing work for the Thai Narcotics Suppression Bureau and that he had links with senior police generals.

A spokesman for the Australian embassy in Bangkok said they were aware of the case.

"An Australian consular official has visited the man [Douglas] at Chiang Mai police station. Police are continuing their investigations into the matter," the spokesman said.

Douglas, who is from the town of Northam in Western Australia, could also face charges for firearms offences. Police said the weapon used in the shooting was registered, but they were checking to see who the legal owner of the gun was.

The policewoman said Douglas would appear before a court at a date yet to be fixed.

By Jim Pollard

Daily Xpress

Ah so basically he was just like every other aging "former SAS or special forces" claiming delusional geriatric expat in Thailand.

ain't it the truth - the old " I could tell you, but then I will have to kill you!" mantra.....

Well.......unfortunately, by discouraging the backpacker community through recent years, more and more 'slack-bladder' wannabees with the 'retirement funds' seem to be decamping to ChiangMai...........

I have a house in Amphoe Sansai with my wife and young kids - so am not unhappy that this wank_er is history..... I wonder what his school and students experience was of him in his teaching capacity?

Edited March 24, 2008 by Brewsta

[Johpa]

Interesting side note that when Farang guns down Farang in middle of major city there are 2 pages of posting within 48 hours as compared to the 19 pages of postings when Thai guns down Farang in far smaller and more remote tourist town of Pai.

[trader1]

I wonder what the police conspiracy crowd is gonna say about this one.

I'm waiting for that too.

off topic: the (alleged) killer looks like he is in his seventies -not 61. His time in Thailand has not been easy for him by the looks of those photos.

[Blinky Bill]

11mm handgun ,......

Quite a cannon for an undercover cop . MK85? there was one making the rounds in CM a couple months ago , offered to me for 20k b. I declined .

FYI the MK-85 is a nominal 50 cal and also black powder, and certainly not for carrying, and I doubt very much if you were offered one

Quite right thank you however the mk85 was a hunting scope not a muzzle loader and the pistol a m1911- model 1985 which is a .45 cal. often reffered to as a 11mm possibly because of the model #

Bloatus, I think you are talking through an oriface that wasn't meant for talking from.

So someone offered you a telescopic sight? Your little story makes no sense. Get it right mate.

[LaoPo]

Interesting side note that when Farang guns down Farang in middle of major city there are 2 pages of posting within 48 hours as compared to the 19 pages of postings when Thai guns down Farang in far smaller and more remote tourist town of Pai.

You have to remember it was:

1. Saturday (always quiet on TV) and at the same time it was:

2. Easter weekend.

In the murder case of the Canadian in Ranong (by his Thai wife and hired gunmen) it took days before the news came out, via Canada, as it wasn't even reported immediately in Thailand.

LaoPo

[geriatrickid]

In the interest of accuracy, if this fellow was a "teacher" why is the heading still using the phrase aussie cop surrenders to police? How about self described police informer? Must have a death wish if he intends to plead guilty, since informers have short life expectancies in prison.

Another negative story associated with "teachers". I don't know how the real teachers cope with all the bad press.

[CTM]

What is it with Aussies and guns? Can’t they fisticuff under Queensberry rules like real men?

Seriously, if things were reversed and a drunk American shot an Aussie for no reason this thread would be 25 pages of ranting.

Douglas said, "because I didn't like him - he was crazy." That's the pot a calling the kettle black isn't it.

[chlear909]

the shooter and gary ,,, http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/5000/40/

Does anyone have a URL for pics of the people involved. I think I might know them or know of them anyway. And for those in CM, where is Koi restaurant?

[Regardie]

Alcohol+medication+lack of sleep and a loaded handgun in the hands of a phsychotic old fart.

By all accounts this was his big moment . Deport him for trial by Media to Australia , as the Aussies have just set the precedent by sending a pedophile to the UK.

[LaoPo]

the shooter and gary ,,, http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/5000/40/

Does anyone have a URL for pics of the people involved. I think I might know them or know of them anyway. And for those in CM, where is Koi restaurant?

Thanks for the link; allow me to post the article, OK?

Hawaii Tourist Killed in Thailand

Written by Lisa Kubota -

March 23, 2008 06:39 PM

An Australian man is behind bars for allegedly killing a Hawaii resident in a restaurant in Thailand.

Gary Poretsky, 46, reportedly arrived in Bangkok two weeks ago for dental work which is considerably cheaper there than in the United States.

He then traveled to the northern city of Chiang Mai for vacation. He went to a 24-hour restaurant on Saturday morning.

"It's not in the tourist area. It's a place where local Thai people go to eat and drink beer," said freelance video journalist John Le Fevre.

Le Fevre said Poretsky went to the restaurant with a female guide.

"She seemed to think that it was a good idea that one foreigner would want to talk to another foreigner so brought the shooter over to the table and then the discussion apparently became heated according to the restaurant staff," Le Fevre said.

Australian William Douglas allegedly shot Poretsky three times and ran away. He later turned himself in. Le Fevre said Douglas, 60, confessed to the shooting while in jail.

"That's basically what he's told police - he doesn't like Americans and he thinks Americans talk down to people, flout their superiority, so he shot this poor fellow," Le Fevre said.

Douglas is taking medication and is on suicide watch, according to Le Fevre.

Douglas is a long-term Chiang Mai resident.

He said he has been doing undercover police work but authorities denied that claim.

He is scheduled to appear in court on Monday in Thailand.

From:

http://kgmb9.com/main/content/view/5000/40/

LaoPo

[LaoPo]

TwoDogs: please calm down.

IF you have doubts about the role the Lady tour guide is/was playing during the meeting/shooting maybe you should go to the police...or in case you are not in Thailand, inform your local police or Embassy in Hawaii/Bangkok ?

I think the United Nations is not exactly the correct institute to write to about a murder in Thailand.

LaoPo

[LaoPo]

I can honestly say alot of hawaii residents are nolonger going to come to thailand because of this

good job William

I think I can speak for more people here and understand your emotions but you can't blame 'Thailand' or the Thai people for this sad murder.

He was murdered by an Australian, in Thailand...but it is not fair, in this case, to blame a complete nation or their citizens.

At the same time it wouldn't be fair to blame 'Australia' for this murder. Just one man is to be blamed, the murderer.

But, again, we feel very sorry for your terrible loss and may your friend RIP

LaoPo

[Bagwan]

What is it with Aussies and guns? Can’t they fisticuff under Queensberry rules like real men?

I see nothing manly, and certainly not civilised, in resorting to violence over anything. It proves nothing except perhaps a degree of brutishness and a lack of education and maturity. Anybody that resorts to violence has lost any argument.