Murder Of Briton In Hua Hin

[MoiraA]

acerhodes, I appreciate you keeping me informed of any developments, even when it can't have been easy to write that knowing the people closest to Nick were going to be reading it with very mixed feelings ..... but I am partly hoping that by posting here, someone may be able to find out more information for us back in England. I hope, but suspect that there was nobody at the funeral, which given we have only just found out about this, I am sure will have taken place by now. If not, we would like to send a wreath, as for Nick, the church and the people in it were his family and his life.

Many thanks for all your comments, they were appreciated.

[SaenYim]

My condolences as well.

If you must/want to live in Thailand, then as a westener, you must take extra precautions to protect yourself from the many envious Thais. Whilst a secure condominium is not fool proof, it does offer greater levels of security.

Along with all the sadness brought by this pointless tragedy, please remember that Thailand is no longer a carefree paradise where we can ignore the same preventions we would take in our home countries. Real security measures are needed in every home, and not just an alarm system or a couple of soi dogs.

[Nirvana]

My condolences as well.

If you must/want to live in Thailand, then as a westener, you must take extra precautions to protect yourself from the many envious Thais. Whilst a secure condominium is not fool proof, it does offer greater levels of security.

Along with all the sadness brought by this pointless tragedy, please remember that Thailand is no longer a carefree paradise where we can ignore the same preventions we would take in our home countries. Real security measures are needed in every home, and not just an alarm system or a couple of soi dogs.

agree , its definately changing and very sad to see.Difficult where to see where to start and stop these measures and then way up if its worth it, if we then have to live in prisons of our own making.

[MoiraA]

Police have phoned my female partner for a further "meeting" tomorrow.( See previous posts)

Nicks partner ( Sadly he is likely to be a suspect) has also phoned her.......................my partner wants to confirm to the Police that she has never been

aware of any conflict between them (we have lived here for nearly 5 years).

Apparently this is contradicted by a neigbour. This is all based on what I am told by my Thai partner.

Its a bit of relief to post about all this.

I must have glossed over this earlier without really reading it. Now I know what all the "lover's tiff" comments were about ........ when you said Nick's partner I assumed business partner or something. I don't think anyone in the UK knew Nick was gay! It wasn't public knowledge that's for sure, and he hadn't confided in the minister I know that, because we were talking about Nick maybe having nobody at his funeral and Nigel saying that he had one brother who was in South Africa, but even then they didn't get on very well. If he had told anyone Nigel is someone he could have at least kept a confidence. Knowing his surgery, I very much doubt he told anyone there. It just goes to show that you think you know someone but you can never be sure they haven't got a hidden life somewhere. He's just about the last person I would ever have thought was gay - no wonder he ran away from this single mother at church who thought a wealthy GP would make a nice catch ....

acerhodes I don't mind being updated with news on this. I'd like to see justice done and know what's going on, when the funeral is/was and any more you can learn. You're welcome to PM me instead with details of the investigation, but I wouldn't worry about whether or not you should post it. If the police know that even just one person has been given some of the facts, they won't expect anything to remain secret.

So did they live together? Everyone just thought he had bought a house for himself.

[acerhodes]

Police have phoned my female partner for a further "meeting" tomorrow.( See previous posts)

Nicks partner ( Sadly he is likely to be a suspect) has also phoned her.......................my partner wants to confirm to the Police that she has never been

aware of any conflict between them (we have lived here for nearly 5 years).

Apparently this is contradicted by a neigbour. This is all based on what I am told by my Thai partner.

Its a bit of relief to post about all this.

I must have glossed over this earlier without really reading it. Now I know what all the "lover's tiff" comments were about ........ when you said Nick's partner I assumed business partner or something. I don't think anyone in the UK knew Nick was gay! It wasn't public knowledge that's for sure, and he hadn't confided in the minister I know that, because we were talking about Nick maybe having nobody at his funeral and Nigel saying that he had one brother who was in South Africa, but even then they didn't get on very well. If he had told anyone Nigel is someone he could have at least kept a confidence. Knowing his surgery, I very much doubt he told anyone there. It just goes to show that you think you know someone but you can never be sure they haven't got a hidden life somewhere. He's just about the last person I would ever have thought was gay - no wonder he ran away from this single mother at church who thought a wealthy GP would make a nice catch ....

acerhodes I don't mind being updated with news on this. I'd like to see justice done and know what's going on, when the funeral is/was and any more you can learn. You're welcome to PM me instead with details of the investigation, but I wouldn't worry about whether or not you should post it. If the police know that even just one person has been given some of the facts, they won't expect anything to remain secret.

So did they live together? Everyone just thought he had bought a house for himself.

I think it would be best if I contact you directly. I am now back in the UK (Just literally 20 minutes ago) but there is so much more and Nick deserves the truth or at least what is known. There have been further developments.

The problem with this forum is that often its just points scoring...................you do not get much support for taking the trouble to post and your motives are always questioned.

The whole thing has been a terrible shock and upset for me.....................how often do you ever experience such things in a life??? I have had some relief posting but what I have seen will be with me for ever. I am seriously thinking of selling up.

I will try to contact you soon.

This forum seems happier to gossip. Facts are resisted. I will try to PM you.

This has been a deeply upsetting experience for me and I am still reeling...........hope we can make contact.

[lioness]

A very sad ending. RIP

[MysteryPlane]

It was a lover's tiff.

Ahh, so you were there, were you?

I was not there, but I have 2 friend's one who live's within 100 meter's of Nick's house, the other on the same road. The whole of Khao Tao know's what happened.

Where do you live GungaDin?

I was really moved by the posting of MoiraA many thanks for this post I am so pleased someone who knew the real Nick( I did not) has posted.

As for the lovers tiff remark I WAS there shortly afterwards and no one in the village "Knows" what happened. I repeat (See my earlier posting) its not clear. I live directly opposite Nicks house.

I question the references to knowing 2 people 100 metres away..................... I live opposite .

There are only three houses in the street or nearby..............one house is mine & one neighbour next door has been away for sometime.

But this is so petty when a good man has been killed.

Less of this please.

After reading all your posting's I question your input, its all gossip and assumption's.

My "Lovers Tiff" quote was subtle and correct, his partner, the cotoey, and the catoey's boyfriend. There given you all you need.

[MoiraA]

I think it would be best if I contact you directly. I am now back in the UK (Just literally 20 minutes ago) but there is so much more and Nick deserves the truth or at least what is known. There have been further developments.

The problem with this forum is that often its just points scoring...................you do not get much support for taking the trouble to post and your motives are always questioned.

The whole thing has been a terrible shock and upset for me.....................how often do you ever experience such things in a life??? I have had some relief posting but what I have seen will be with me for ever. I am seriously thinking of selling up.

I will try to contact you soon.

Please do, as soon as you can as it would be much appreciated! I have had friends of Nick's notice the blog I posted on my site and have offered me the email address of Nick's brother. I have sent this to the minister who won't do anything yet as I have to receive the email address first. As I heard they didn't get on I am wondering if an approach would seem more appropriate from Nigel, but either way, someone will try to find out more, so if there is anything you can tell me it could be important to know so that I don't unwittingly hurt people or shock them etc.

I look forward to hearing from you, but don't worry, I do understand that a few days is quite understandable as people are busy and I don't know how easy it is for you to contact me

This forum seems happier to gossip. Facts are resisted. I will try to PM you.

This has been a deeply upsetting experience for me and I am still reeling...........hope we can make contact.

So do I .... the most frustrating thing for us in the UK is that nobody has any real information! Not knowing plays worse tricks with what your imagination which starts working overtime.

Edited April 20, 2009 by MoiraA

[acerhodes]

MoriaA

I have sent you a very detailed PM.

Please confirm receipt.

[whitfield]

It appears that he went to Sao Paulo Hospital but refused to let them operate. He died about 14 hours later. We all know Sao Paulo isn't great but surely being a doctor he must have known he was seriously injured.

Many condolences to his many friends

[whitfield]

For those of you in the UK who may not be aware. NIgel is here in Hua Hin and is working closely with the best lawyer in town. He speaks every good English and if the Police won't act then he won't hesitate to bring on a private prosecution. Justice will be done, but as in all things in Thailand - slowly.

[sam33]

Hi

I'm posting on behalf of a group of people who knew Nick in the UK, there has been nothing in the press about this so the only information we have is from you guys.

Has there been any developments, are the police any closer to apprehending anyone? There seems to be alot of conflictual information from these posts and those on another forum which is very confusing for us.

We all knew Nick was gay but we didn't know he'd been living with anyone in Thailand or had bought a business. I can't believe he refused surgery, he should have had, by the sound of it, everything to live for but I suppose you never know. Does anyone know if the funeral has taken place?

[MoiraA]

Hi

I'm posting on behalf of a group of people who knew Nick in the UK, there has been nothing in the press about this so the only information we have is from you guys.

Has there been any developments, are the police any closer to apprehending anyone? There seems to be alot of conflictual information from these posts and those on another forum which is very confusing for us.

We all knew Nick was gay but we didn't know he'd been living with anyone in Thailand or had bought a business. I can't believe he refused surgery, he should have had, by the sound of it, everything to live for but I suppose you never know. Does anyone know if the funeral has taken place?

Hi sam33 how did you come to know Nick? I'm glad to see other people are doing their best to find out what is happening, and I agree there has been a lot of conflicting information as well as some that is just plain weird. I too would like to know if the funeral has taken place, and I'm having difficulty believing that a doctor, and an intelligent man, would insist on discharging himself when he had been told the extent of his injuries and that he needed life saving surgery. He must have known the risks ..... I suppose this is easily confirmed by the neighbours who heard the commotion and the date that the papers reported his death, alongside that awful photo of him being taken out of the house.

Of course I had no contact with him during the 2 years he was in Thailand, and I was not as regular an attender at church for some years prior to that, but I saw him regularly as he was my GP until he left. I know that advertising the fact he was gay wouldn't be the sort of thing anyone would have done, but as far as I'm aware, while he might have confided in one or two people at church, and Nigel must know now, nobody else was aware of it and certainly he never had a "partner" over here. Nor did he have any of the mannerisms of a gay man and this was a discovery that came as a complete shock, that something so contributory to his personality was something I was completely unaware of (and so were many other people).

I was wondering whether to email Nigel to update him, but I'm glad to hear he's already gone out to Thailand. I presume he has some free time in between leaving our church as minister and taking up his new post. He was quite amazed when I showed him how quickly I'd tracked down a forum with information on how Nick had died and I hope his visit to Hua Hin is productive. I have to say I'm rather surprised that Nigel has the capacity to go out there right now and hire expensive lawyers - are you sure this is Nigel the minister, from Newcastle upon Tyne?

acerhodes as you may well be aware now, I have replied to your PM, giving you my email address and other details for getting hold of me. Thank you for taking the trouble to write.

[MoiraA]

I received this email from someone called Julie, who would like to know if Nick had a favourite charity as she would like to make a donation in his memory. If anyone knows something he supported and was interested in, please let me know.

Dear Moira

I had recently heard that Dr Knight had passed away but it was only when I was searching for an obituary I learnerd of the tragic nature of his death.

Dr Knight was my GP for around 22 years, from when I was 22 to when he retired, he also treat me for arthritis as well as minor skin cancer (he telephoned me personally rather than have the receptionist do it) and the results of various mishaps. I also remember his red sports car, he cut quite a dashing figure in the medical practice which I believe was in Saxon House at the time.

I am very surprised there has been no reporting of this in the local press, after all he was a respected GP and surgeon who touched many people's lives which I feel should be acknowledged.

Life seems very cheap in Thailand and from other articles I have read there seems to be an appalling number of westerners killed without adequate investigation, I was also very shocked by the photograph which accompanied the newspaper article which seemed to remove any last dignity.

Whilst I agree that certain aspects of the investigation should not be discussed in a public forum, there is also the danger that this could be swept under the carpet, keeping it in the public arena may be a way of forcing the Thai authorities into action, no violent death should go unanswered.

Do you know of any charity Dr Knight favoured as I would like to make a donation in his memory.

Kind Regards

Julie Hood

There are many of us in the UK determined that the death of this extraordinary man will not just fade into obscurity.

[MoiraA]

Sorry for three posts in a row! This is now the third email I have had from complete strangers who have seen what I put in here and on my blog when they were searching for news of Nick's death:

Hi Moira ,

I came across your blog while researching the death of Nick Knight.I am representing my family who all knew Nick both as a GP and as a friend for many years.When Nick came to Newcastle my grandmother Doreen Cussins was asked by a friend of her's , Jean Monro - who I assume was a family friend,to 'look after' Nick.My grandmother dutifully did so and Nick was a regular visitor to her house.He would come round on a monthly basis for dinner - and a drink of course!

We are all deeply shocked at the recent events in Thailand and are keen to find out what happened and the status of the ongoing police investigation.As we do'nt know any of Nick's friends we would all greatly appreciate it if you would keep us 'in the loop'.I have read the relevant posts on the Hua Hin forum but the picture is somewhat unclear.Is it true that someone has gone to Thailand to find out what happened?Did Nick refuse surgery?

Yours

Sacha Lourenco

These people have followed my link to this forum and I can't send them anything back ..... I wouldn't know how to contact Toby Charnaud's family, who some years ago employed a private detective as they were frustrated by the lack of police action in uncovering his killer, and it took the intervention of the Thai Prime Minister to get the police to do anything in the case of Donald Whiting, who was recently killed in a shooting. Apparently even when the culprits are apprehended, while they ought to be killed by lethal injection, this doesn't worry them too much as they seem to almost always use money to talk themselves out of any serious punishment which is appalling. I will email Nigel tonight and ask if he is in Thailand, as this seems an extraordinary move but would be a very comforting one. I've no doubt someone has gone to Thailand, but it could be his brother is called Nigel or another close friend. It's frustrating not being able to reply to these emails with answers to questions about funerals and charities and what the police are doing

I am grateful to acerhodes for offering to keep in touch privately by email and phone - I am comforted to know that whatever else happened to Nick out in Thailand, he didn't lack compassionate, kind and pleasant neighbours. I hope his final two years were good ones but now I know he was surrounded by good people at any rate.

FYI, there was a report in the UK papers - the local Journal anyway. No details, just a small paragraph giving the facts. I didn't see it, but apparently my Dad did. One thing is certain, there are enough determined people in the UK who thought very highly of this man and will not allow his awful, shocking death to fade away from public memory, and threads about him to become pushed further and further back in forums which might be able to give more information over time. I have promised to keep these people "in the loop" as it were, and will carry on trying to find out as much as possible.

Edited April 30, 2009 by MoiraA

[chemtech]

firstly please let me apologise for the late posting of this message.

on behalf of all at the previously known st stevens pharmacy heaton i would like to offer my condolences to all friends and family of dr knight.

the reason for this late posting is that i have only found out yesterday the circumstances of the death of dr knight. we (and other members of the community who knew dr knight) had been told his death was due to a heart attack. it was only by chance i asked a member of his surgery what happened and was told ' we arent allowed to say'. this propmpted me to do a little internet research, which led me here. many many others simply didnt (and still dont) know what had happened and therefore have been unable to offer support and sympathy until now.

any further information would be appreciated

chemtech

[britishrobert]

RIP

[acerhodes]

RIP

Well it's nearly two years now and nobody has been charged. However I won't forget.

[scooby1955]

RIP

Well it's nearly two years now and nobody has been charged. However I won't forget.

Can't believe nobody has been charged, was any progress made? Must be devistating for family.

[ableguy]

The police will say its the worst case of suicide they have ever seen.

RIP

This happened in the house directly opposite mine and I was awoken by a noise and went over in my dressing gown about 2.00am in the morning.

The front door was wide open all the lights were on and there was blood everywhere at the porch entrance . I did not go into the house.

I gather from the Thai locals a few who were standing outside that someone had just taken him to hospital.

It was horrific.

There were no Police about and I can honestly say I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY POLICE PRESENCE although I have not been in my own house solid.

I am on holiday from UK I have had a house here for about 4 years. There have been many break-ins I lost about £10,000 worth last time.

When the police turned up they wanted 20,000 baht before they would investigate my breakin ( We made a formal complaint about this)

I am still shocked about the surreal nature of this murder...................there is no on site forensics and its like it never happened.

I love Thailand but you need to be careful........................... and the Police................................ well enough said

I knew the guy to say Hi too he was well educated and seemed to be well off financially and ??? was a ex surgeon??

A real nice guy

I could go on and on..........................

Thanks for an honest post.