Hanged Man Once A Wealthy Phuket Expat

[george]

Hanged man once a wealthy Phuket expat

The beach-side shack where a once wealthy yachtie

sometimes lived in the months before his death.

PHUKET: -- The body of a man found hanged in a wooded area of Rawai last Wednesday has been identified as a Mr ‘Laurence Klaus’, from Hamburg, Germany.

Police have so far been unable to confirm the exact spelling of his name, or his age, as no documents identifying the deceased have been found.

Friends of Mr Klaus who spoke to the Gazette said he was once a wealthy expat who had lived in Phuket for several years and once owned a yacht.

However, for several months before he died, Mr Klaus had been penniless and homeless, sometimes staying in a driftwood and corrugated-iron shack with a local Thai man in a secluded spot near Leam Ganoi Beach in Rawai.

According to one of Mr Klaus' friends, fifty-year-old local fisherman Richard Kongmuang, Mr Klaus had been missing for about three months but had been seen walking along the beach the morning of the day his body was found.

The deceased was hanged from the neck by a long, blue, nylon packing cord tied to a low branch.

Mr Richard said that Mr Klaus had been troubled for quite some time. “He used to have Thai girlfriend and he lived near Chalong Circle,” he said.

He was a heavy smoker and frequent drug user, said Mr Richard, adding that if Mr Klaus had cigarettes, he would get through a packet in an hour.

“I think he [Mr Klaus] had been tricked out of all his money by his girlfriend,” said Mr Richard.

Chalong police informed the German consulate this morning of Mr Klaus’ identity.

Mr Klaus’ body was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital, where an autopsy revealed that he died of asphyxiation.

The German Consulate is currently attempting to contact Mr Klaus’ next of kin.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-01-11

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[JUDAS]

Sad indeed. RIP

[Africanteacher]

That's really sad. RIP Klaus

[F1fanatic]

What's even more sad is that nobody responded to the original post about how a man hanged himself in Rawai until the news came out that he used to be a wealthy ex-pat.

I used to know him, but only found out this a.m. what had happened and provided info as soon as I heard.

Rest in peace Lawrence, you were a good guy and didn't deserve what happened.

[bkkjames]

What's even more sad is that nobody responded to the original post about how a man hanged himself in Rawai until the news came out that he used to be a wealthy ex-pat.

I used to know him, but only found out this a.m. what had happened and provided info as soon as I heard.

Rest in peace Lawrence, you were a good guy and didn't deserve what happened.

I wouldn't go that far mate. All we had to go on was a guy named Lawrence. For those of us not from that area that's not a lot to go on. I visited that original post as you mentioned earlier today and this one now. A little more info about the person in question has come out. His financial status was not the issue.

Sad to read that the circumstances in the clipping and if true - the reason for taking his own life.

Anyways, RIP Laurence.

Edited January 12, 2010 by bkkjames

[F1fanatic]

What's even more sad is that nobody responded to the original post about how a man hanged himself in Rawai until the news came out that he used to be a wealthy ex-pat.

I used to know him, but only found out this a.m. what had happened and provided info as soon as I heard.

Rest in peace Lawrence, you were a good guy and didn't deserve what happened.

I wouldn't go that far mate. All we had to go on was a guy named Lawrence. For those of us not from that area that's not a lot to go on. I visited that original post as you mentioned earlier today and this one now. A little more info about the person in question has come out. His financial status was not the issue.

Sad to read that the circumstances in the clipping and if true - the reason for taking his own life.

Anyways, RIP Laurence.

I know and I'm sorry. When I posted my response I was v upset (and feeling guilty), so was lashing out at everyone. Sorry.

He was a good guy (as I said before) and really didn't deserve what happened.

I hope the woman who took all his money rots in hel_l. (And I'm calmer now!).

If anyone finds out whether his family are informed, please let me know by PM - it would make me feel a lot better knowing his brothers/sisters (?) know what happened. If they want to talk to me obviously I will do so, but I doubt it will make them happier.

Edited January 17, 2010 by F1fanatic