Swiss Tourist Found Strangled On Krabi Beach

[Maestro]

Translation of German-language article in a Swiss newspaper

2009-05-07 17:40

Dead Swiss in Thailand

Slovenly work by Thai police?

The 40-year-old Swiss E.J. was confused, probably on a drug trip. Today she was found strangled on the beach in Krabi. The police knew of the troubled woman, but did not respond in time.

EJ is dead. The 40-year-old Swiss woman was this morning found on the beach in Krabi, Thailand. Apparently strangled: her handbag was wrapped around her neck.

The tourist spent the night from Tuesday to Wednesday still in a nearby hotel spent. There she makes a stir. A hotel employee reports: "She was drunk and everything suggests that she was on a drug trip."

The staff is worried and contacts the Swiss Embassy. The responsible persons act promptly, as Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Andreas Stauffer confirms. "After receiving the report from the hotel the embassy contacted the local tourist police with the request to look for the Swiss citizen and send her to the nearest hospital because she urgently needed care.”

But the police does not respond fast enough. E.J. disappears from the hotel on Wednesday morning. Then, her track is lost. This morning she is found on the beach. Dead.

This raises the question: could E.J. still be alive if the police had acted more quickly? The fact is that eyewitnesses describe the investigation as "very chaotic". This throws a bad light on the Thai guardians of the law.

Source: Blick – 2009-05-07

[coconutmonkey]

Something is common in all these posts, and all these cases of accidents/deaths/tragedies involving foriegners in Thailand........

POOR REPORTING. And this is what nearly all people try to clarify in their posts; ideas and thoughts due to poor reporting.

While I may be way out of line to suggest this, in this thread, some of these articles come from The Nation. Now, I haven't checked The Bangkok Post for any news as yet, though is it possible through the relationship TVisa has with the Nation, that somehow we could raise the issue to The Nation that commonly their reports are misleading, inaccurate, and plainly lack alot of esential information........?

This may help The Nation to gain greater credibility, especially amongst many members of Thaivisa, who seem to feel that The Nation could improve its reporting...........

I intend this post to be constructive for both foriegners seeking quality news, Thaivisa and The Nation alike.

Admin?

[mauGR1]

RIP EJ.

Condolences to her Family and friends.

The article on "The Nation" is confused indeed,but i think it depends on the poor quality of writing.If the reportings are accountable, the case is enigmatic,and the Police is at work to find out more, of course is anybody's guess about the quality of the investigators.Nobody should jump to conclusions too early,but it seems that the poor Lady was afraid of something could happen to her.Many options are still open.Finally, it doesn't seem to me that Thailand is more dangerous than other countries in the world,but many people,specially women travelling alone can be misleaded in thinking that here is paradise.Another sad story.

[angiud]

For everybody posting here. The thread is "Swiss Tourist Found Strangled On Krabi Beach" not if Thailand is safe or unsafe, wiki statistic, polemics, etc.

I'd like to read more updates about this homicide and not the usual nothing-else-to-do posts.

Or open a new thread "Concernings about safety of turists and expats in Thailand"

[LivinginKata]

For everybody posting here. The thread is "Swiss Tourist Found Strangled On Krabi Beach" not if Thailand is safe or unsafe, wiki statistic, polemics, etc.

I'd like to read more updates about this homicide and not the usual nothing-else-to-do posts.

Or open a new thread "Concernings about safety of turists and expats in Thailand"

Agreed. A number of off topic posts have been weeded out and deleted.

[sriracha john]

Swiss Tourist's Autopsy Reveals No Traces of Abuse

The autopsy on the body of a Swiss woman found dead on a beach in Krabi province has revealed no trace of rape or abuse.

Deputy Governor of Krabi province, Chailert Pinyoratthanachote, and the medical team of Krabi hospital revealed at today’s press conference that the autopsy on the body of 41-year-old Edis Jungen - who was found dead on Nopparutthara beach in Muang district yesterday morning- revealed no traces of rape or abuse.

She is believed to have been dead for some six to eight hours before her body was discovered.

The medical team however, have not ruled out drowning and the woman's remains will be forwarded to the forensic science department for further clarification. An examination of her possessions is still incomplete as it is still unclear where she was staying before she was found dead .

However, investigators have disclosed that an unidentified foreigner apparently picked her up when she checked out of a hotel in the Nopparutthara beach area.

The authorities are now investigating the exact cause of her death to avoid any negative effects on the province’s tourism industry.

-- Tan Network 2009-05-08

[sbk]

Lets try to show some consideration for this woman's family, as has been seen in numerous other threads, Thai Visa is often the place people find information.

Discussing political riots, discredited murder statistics etc etc really contribute nothing to this thread. I would rather hear from some of the members who actually live in the area and have posted previously if they have heard anything new there.

[Freddie_fly]

condolences to the young lady's family

regards Freddie

[brahmburgers]

there were reports, from hotel staff (where she stayed) and others, that the woman was distraught, perhaps ranting about something or other. I submit that her ranting might be key to shedding light on her demise later that day. If I, and others, speculate on events, that's because we get so little from authorities, and what we do get - often turns out to be deceptive or wrong. Often the lies from authorities are designed to avoid further besmirching Thailand's fast tarnishing reputation as being a haven for tourists. The truth gets trampled underfoot.

So, here I go speculating: Perhaps the woman was ranting about some person (people) who 'had it out for her' or had threatened her. Hotel staff didn't like the noise, thought it was another farang ba (crazy foreigner) ranting, ....yet failed to ascertain the meat of the matter. All of us who've spent time in Thailand have experienced it: we have a serious concern, we make an emphatic mention, .....yet we're met with endless choruses of 'mai pen rai' and 'jai yen' (stay cool) from Thais within earshot.

[angiud]

I (and I guess most of readers of this thread too) don't care about safety in Thailand. I care to be informed about the developing of this terrible case.

I please again moderators to do something about this.

And I find not so respectful about the victim and her family write only about futile disquisitions.

[Electra]

One wonders about the preliminary autopsy but then, this is Thailand.

It is reported that there are no signs of assault, sexual or otherwise, and that the authorities have not yet ruled out drowning but have submitted the remains for further forensic examination.

Death by drowning is generally evidenced by water found in the lungs. Either it was found or it was not.

If not, then death was from another cause. Why on earth do they need further clarification or can we logically assume that she did not drown but finding the cause of death is beyond the ability of the local medical staff?

The mind boggles at their competence.

[JR Texas]

Please, we should refrain from trying to convince people Thailand is safe or unsafe.

The family of the deceased is reading this. Imagine what they think when someone says "it is safe here."

If someone wants to start a different thread on whether or not Thailand is safe, do so. But lets avoid the subject here.

The family needs answers.......they want justice........they want the truth.

[Svetlana]

My sincere sympathy to the family... RIP

[madcatlady]

My sympathies go out to the poor woman's family. RIP.

It's such a shame when an incident like this becomes open season for people to slag off Thailand and declare it incredibly dangerous for tourists, especially women. I've lived here for 5 years now and find it no more dangerous than most places in the West, including London, my home town.

I first travelled here alone, starting off in Krabi, and never felt vulnerable. I had just arrived from Sri Lanka and Malaysia, both of which I found far more threatening as a solo woman traveller. Most of the guys were charming but not dangerous.

I live in Chiang Mai now and rarely give safety a thought. It's true that I don't travel alone late at night in certain areas, but that's no different to the way I behaved in London as a resident, or other places as a tourist. I've occasionally heard rohypnol stories but they all seem to involve farang men and bar girls with their eye on a wallet!

I guess you just gotta be careful and take reasobale precautions whoever and wherever you are.

Would be interesting to find out what really happened to this poor woman but that's fairly unlikely...

MCL

[LivinginKata]

Lets try to show some consideration for this woman's family, as has been seen in numerous other threads, Thai Visa is often the place people find information.

Discussing political riots, discredited murder statistics etc etc really contribute nothing to this thread. I would rather hear from some of the members who actually live in the area and have posted previously if they have heard anything new there.

A number of members seen to have taken no notice of sbk's post (above).

A number of posts discussing UK murder stats in Thailand have been removed. Start a new topic, and show some consideration in THIS topic.

[nontabury]

as a long time resisent of ao-nang i would like to tell you that i have been informed by thai friends that this ladies body was discovered by someone out walking/running. she was found with her wrists and ankles tied and the thais who where there when the police appeared where instructed by the police to keep this secreat. i notice in a few of the post people suggesting that we should not pretend these things do not happen,i can only assume that some of these people earn their bread and butter in the tourism business,is it any wonder that many of the local thais look down on us with contempt

[brahmburgers]

as a long time resisent of ao-nang i would like to tell you that i have been informed by thai friends that this ladies body was discovered by someone out walking/running. she was found with her wrists and ankles tied and the thais who where there when the police appeared where instructed by the police to keep this secreat.

If what 'nontabury' attests to is true, it's hard to tell who is the more damnable: the cops or the people who found her. However, it's totally believable. If there was an international rating system for crime inspecting prowess, Thai 'experts' would have to rank near the bottom.

[EndofDays]

Woman mysteriously dies in Thailand

A Swiss woman was found dead early yesterday on a popular beach at Krabi.

The body of Edith Jungen, aged about 30, was found in shallow water on Noppharat Beach in Tambon Ao Nang in Krabi's Muang district. The strap of Jungen's handbag was tied around her neck.

Krabi's Deputy Governor Chailert Pinyoratchote told a press conference yesterday afternoon the case did not appear to be a murder. An initial medical examination found no trace of physical assault or rape.

Officials would wait for autopsy results in two days.

Dr Kamolrat Jintanawilas from Krabi Hospital said an initial examination found no major wounds, except a slight scratch on the woman's forehead, thus it was more likely to be a drowning.

Lt-Colonel Wittaya Meklai said Jungen arrived at Andaman Sunset Hotel on Tuesday and checked out a day later before she was found dead not far from the hotel.

Inquiries revealed a male foreign friend picked her up from the hotel after she checked out, he said.

Police were looking to see if young thugs may have come to rob her valuables, as tourists often sit near the beach in the evening. She may have resisted and been strangled with the bag strap before thieves fled with her belongings.

Witnesses told of seeing her in an agitated state. There had also been a report of a phone call from Switzerland allegedly asking the hotel to open her room and take care of her because she feared someone would attack her.

Police were also probing to see if Jungen may have committed suicide.

-- The Nation 2009-05-08

Can you strangle yourself to death?

[chiang mai]

Actually, from the stories I have heard, the same rules apply to dealing with western men as well. Predators are everywhere and come in all races and colors.

Unfortunately alot of people (men and women) come to Thailand and see what appears to be a Paradise, with no rules. If they behaved in the same cautious manner here as they did back home, there would be less issues. But, holiday mode starts, enter the Paradise theory, and common sense often goes out the window.

I am not saying this happened in this poor woman's case, and neither am I saying that she somehow "deserved" what happened to her. Nobody ever does. And whoever did this to her deserves the full punishment of the law. I find it very sad that women cannot feel safe, even on a beach in the daytime.

But to warn women solely against Thai men is disingenuous at the least and possibly dangerous at the worst.

Absolutely agreed.

[LaoPo]

Thanks to new member Jif:

http://www.bernerzeitung.ch/region/thun/Ke.../story/23776760

The article describes that it is certain that Edith Jungen, 41 was killed by means of violence; she was found in the early morning of May 7th on the beach of Noppharat, near Krabi/Thailand.

It's strange that the article mentions that family of Mrs Jungen as well as staff members of a hotel in the neighborhood, run by Swiss, informed the Swiss Embassy, days before she was found dead, that Mrs. Jungen needed urgent help. It doesn't say why she needed such urgent help.

A medical report by the university of Songkhlanakharind in Songkhla Province showed that she showed no signs of any alcohol or drugs in her bloodstream but several wounds and extravasations were found.

A sister of Mrs. Jungen said that she and her family were suffering from rumors, spread by several people, including staff members of the Swiss-run hotel about her sister that she was using drugs and/or alcohol; she said she's happy now that the contrary has been proved and that she was free of alcohol and drugs.

But the mystery remains about what exactly happened to Mrs. Edith Jungen.

Further the article describes about the other unsolved deaths on Koh Phi Phi, earlier this year where two young female tourists died under mysterious circumstances.

Note: this is a free interpretation of the article by the undersigned.

LaoPo

[Scott]

Thanks LaoPo. It's helpful.

These things are agonizing for the family and my thoughts continue to be with them.

[neverdie]

My thoughts are with the family and friends of this poor unfortunate woman. May she Rest in Peace.

I also hope that the Thai authorities act swiftly and bring the low-lifes responsible before the courts.

[mahtin]

Let's not give up hope, even after nearly 7 months.

A crime of violence against a young member of my family was resolved after more than 3 years, when the Thai police finally caught the known perpetrator.

Edited November 25, 2009 by mahtin

[aussiejosh]

Woman mysteriously dies in Thailand

Police were also probing to see if Jungen may have committed suicide.

I hope they don't just write this up as another tourist suicide. Like so murders do here...