Wanphen Pienjai Murder: American Expat Arrested In Phuket

[thaiguy55]

a murder is a murder and deserves capital punishment unless attenuating circumstances can be proven.

this is one of the most laughable things i've ever heard.

edit: laughable isn't the best word

Edited July 18, 2010 by thaiguy55

[way2muchcoffee]

a murder is a murder and deserves capital punishment unless attenuating circumstances can be proven.

this is one of the most laughable things i've ever heard.

I'm surprised you could here it at all as the signal was surprising unclear. LOL

[Snowdog]

Tokay, the story has been all over the news in the Phuket Gazette and other local papers. I suggest you check the PG site for details.

It's gratifying to find that the BiB finally caught this individual - he has been the hot topic of conversation amongst Phuket expats and Thais alike for weeks. He has apparently confessed to the killing, so if he is indeed the killer, I hope he suffers the full force of Thai law.

I really hope if he did it that he is put to death by her familly.that would be justice.he treated her like a wild animal and he should be treated the same.he denied her her right to live peacefully.now let the familly take out their rage on him

Edited July 18, 2010 by Snowdog

[Chunky1]

anyone consider the obvious, that he asked "any katoeys" to make sure that he wasn't ending up with one?

has the press posted a motive?

[mark2552]

very good hopefully they have the correct man. He behaved like a beast so treat him like one

[mark2552]

Since when is murder a crime in Thailand! I am really confused on this issue..

Is that when a Thai person murders a foreigner or is it the other way around....I forgot!

[moskito]

anyone consider the obvious, that he asked "any katoeys" to make sure that he wasn't ending up with one?

has the press posted a motive?

since when the press is intrested in a motive? FAT HEADLINES COUNT

The whole story is a bit fluffy he took a hooker because there was no Kathoy available? He also look not very much like the pictures they painted before, with or without beard. Anyway, I hope the catched the right guy and not just one because they were in need for a fast result.

Btw, Phuket Police work very good atm. Just came back home and they stopped a lot of motobikes in Nai Harn area and checked the drivers for everything, they even have to lift t-shirts ....ok not the females, otherwise i am not home yet

[Chunky1]

there are many confessions because they get half off the sentence. that is a big discount. this guy could be out of jail in 10-15 years or something, and he would only be 50 yo.

[Chunky1]

anyone consider the obvious, that he asked "any katoeys" to make sure that he wasn't ending up with one?

has the press posted a motive?

since when the press is intrested in a motive? FAT HEADLINES COUNT

The whole story is a bit fluffy he took a hooker because there was no Kathoy available? He also look not very much like the pictures they painted before, with or without beard. Anyway, I hope the catched the right guy and not just one because they were in need for a fast result.

Btw, Phuket Police work very good atm. Just came back home and they stopped a lot of motobikes in Nai Harn area and checked the drivers for everything, they even have to lift t-shirts ....ok not the females, otherwise i am not home yet

i bet they gave their wallets extra attention.

[ilyelol]

anyone consider the obvious, that he asked "any katoeys" to make sure that he wasn't ending up with one?

has the press posted a motive?

since when the press is intrested in a motive? FAT HEADLINES COUNT

The whole story is a bit fluffy he took a hooker because there was no Kathoy available? He also look not very much like the pictures they painted before, with or without beard. Anyway, I hope the catched the right guy and not just one because they were in need for a fast result.

Btw, Phuket Police work very good atm. Just came back home and they stopped a lot of motobikes in Nai Harn area and checked the drivers for everything, they even have to lift t-shirts ....ok not the females, otherwise i am not home yet

he lost a lot of weight because of hepatitis last year.. he might also have aids? that one im not sure... but living on 15 000baht a month, he cant stay fat.. as you can see his rental house looks worse than what ud get in a ghetto 20years ago in NYC

[block2]

if i was in the country right now, id def goto the police and provide them proof of his dangerous behavior that i have saved over the years

Proof..or should that be puff....come on then we are all ears...whats the proof/puff?????

[Tracechain]

Man, this reads like a who's who on some late nite TV cop show. Let's not lose fact that the girl did not deserve to die like she did, whatever the situation.

[tracer5050]

He may have stuck around because he thought he was bullet proof. If he guilty give him fill justice.

[nimrod74741]

I just want to remind everybody from the states that every time an american does something in this country or any other country it will be scrutinized and added to the already infamous rep we have as a nation. We are already disliked by the majority of euro's I dont want to start being disliked by thais.

I hear sentiments like this a lot across a lot of expat groups but it always seems curious to me. I mean, the type of person who would read that reminder and think to themselves "I must really remember I am representing myself, my family, my profession and my country whilst I'm here"....they're not the guys that stab or kill or fight or steal, right? The guys that would do any of those...are so not thinking about the fact that their actions could impact negatively on others. They're trying to stab / kill / fight / steal or whatever....

I dunno. I might be being retarded. But whenever I hear that sentiment, I am always bemused.

TOO LATE, you're already disliked by the thai's......wake up, majority of the world can't stand america or what it stands for.

[pmarlin]

Former soldier. Some mental health issues. Something about his wife leaving with his son...?

http://www.siangtai....p?News_ID=25006

Just did a check on this, No one with that name has served in the US military since the Vietnam war. Un;ess he is one of those wannabes who served in a unit that was so screat that all records were destroyed like the numerous so call ex US military found in Thailand.

[Beetlejuice]

I hope it is really the guy who killed her but anyway, before not proofed 100% guilty, NOBODY has a right to blame him for anything but taking a hooker from a bar.

After all I know the poor girl was found 6 days after he took her from a bar, so there are a lot of other possibilitys!

If he is the murderer of the girl I am glad Phuket Police worked so fast and hope he will rot in a Thaijail.

A long term tourist...too many of them here!

RIGHT

[TheyCallmeScooter]

[

Former soldier. Some mental health issues. Something about his wife leaving with his son...?

http://www.siangtai....p?News_ID=25006

Just did a check on this, No one with that name has served in the US military since the Vietnam war. Un;ess he is one of those wannabes who served in a unit that was so screat that all records were destroyed like the numerous so call ex US military found in Thailand.

That's what I've been hearing actually. On his blog, he claims he was in the military. To be honest, the guy sounds like someone who should have murdered...himself, if he had to kill someone. <deleted>

[katana]

i know this guy.

For a long time i have been waiting for something like this to happen.

He's a delusional guy living on barely any money. Impregnated a hooker ... hangs with people that have money which probably drives him crazy.

He threatened me on the internet many times, he walks around with a machete all day long. He loved to start rumors about me because he couldn't handle having a baby with a hooker.

Dangerous guy, should of been put behind the bars many years ago when he caught hepatitis after doing hookers without protection for so long.

Buddah is behind this.. karma always gets the bad guys.

I guess he won't be using you as a character reference.

lol

[katana]

Former soldier. Some mental health issues. Something about his wife leaving with his son...?

http://www.siangtai.com/TH/newspage1_detail.php?News_ID=25006

Reading through that quickly, it gives a few more details. Says he's confessed and he claims to be a former US soldier and contract killer.

Before the incident, his wife, whom he had one child with, had left him after an argument. On the night of the killing, he'd been out to a party and on returning home had passed the bar and popped in, taking the girl back to his apartment.

While there, she picked up a knife she found that he'd hidden in a pile of clothes and started play-acting with it. He became frightened and stabbed her. He said he'd been under a lot of stress, abandoned by his friends and even his boss, which I took to mean he'd lost his job recently.

[anotheruser]

I was in Chumphon a few months ago and heard about another american that stabbed this expat over a dispute about the king.... we'll actually the american was talking really bad about the king and some brit expat punches him in the face. The american comes back and stabs this guy up (he did not die from the stab wounds), and is release after a few weeks. I just want to remind everybody from the states that every time an american does something in this country or any other country it will be scrutinized and added to the already infamous rep we have as a nation. We are already disliked by the majority of euro's I dont want to start being disliked by thais. May god's hand act swiftly and justly upon the murderer of this innocent lady.

The Thais won't differentiate him as being an American. He is first and foremost a Farang in their eyes. There are so many shady, messed up Farang in Thailand that I doubt this will make any difference as to how Americans are perceived.

[ryladie99]

Remember innocent untill proven guilty .

I for one think they may have the wrong man . I mean if you did what he did , surly you would leave the country ?

I agree with you until the Thai Government had enough proved about the killer...we do not know until the end...

The same situation was happening in the town near by my home. The lady met this killer at the bar and she went back to his place. He finished her off and hid the body. Fortunately, he threw a bloody rug in the apartment trash's bin. Someone, recognized a rug in picture of a crime scene from news.. and called the detective. This man denied left and right. He did have a lawyer to defend him before the cop pressed any charge. I felt so good for THIS CASE AND ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO HARMS A WOMAN SHOULD DIE IN JAIL FOR LIFE. This is not one case. There are so many Rape cases happens and the Victims never report to the polices because of fear about their lives. Good News the DNA can prove every single thing at the Crime scene...many garbage criminals who abused Women go to jail like crazy in California. Recently one guy raped 9 women and got caught. Now he is in jail. The American taxes payers have to feed him for $ 45,000 per year...it cost less than a dead roll. Well this is my take and personal opinion.

Edited July 18, 2010 by ryladie99

[truethailand]

NEWS from Phuket Gazette

American confesses to murder of Phuket bar hostess

At least six top-ranking Region 8 police officers were present for the arrest, which followed the issuance of a court warrant earlier the same day.

The Gazette has as yet been unable to independently confirm that the suspect also goes by the name of Ronald "MadYank" Fanelli and is a poker player with a blogsite containing several posts about his life in Phuket.

However, posters who expressed shock at the arrest on one online discussion forum dedicated to poker have confirmed that the man pictured was a regular contributor who went by the user name "NewTeaBag".

Mr Fanelli told police upon his arrest that he carried out the murder while under work-related stress.

After the murder, at his home in Wichit Village 1, he rented the new home in Karon, police said.

More details about the arrest are expected at a police press conference scheduled for 10am tomorrow.

link here http://www.phuketgaz...ail.asp?id=8966

Why is it that when somebody gets arrested the big boys moved their butts from the golf course to be photographed doing some work. Saw it in Khon Kaen last week, must have been at least 50 bobbies surrounded some land where two fugitives were hiding( stolen gold, car chase). Helicopter with spotters flying low to seperate the trees with the air from the rotor blades, coppers in bullet proof vests and arm with rifles. I am standing about 80 meters from the action with a crowd of people and a fortuner, with chaffeur pulls up behind us. The passenger appears to be a big copper who stands near the car, I see the fugitives being nicked and then the big boy goes over to join in (he was waiting near me for 5 mins and in contact with nobody). The coppers did a great job considering the possibility the fugitives were armed but the big boy waited until the game was up. Not unusual until next day I saw a photo of the big cheese escorting the villians into the police station yet the little boys did the dangerous work. Pinching the limelight

[marc11864]

TROLL - Please don't feed!

I'm not familiar with this story. How did they know he killed her? Or did he just go crazy in a bar and stab her to death?

Or was he defending himself from a crazed, drugged up, drunken bar girl and things got out of hand?

[chargers2011]

It sounds like the guy hit rock bottom and went psycho on that girl. He was at the top of the world. A professional poker player and making a lot of money. I think he went on a long losing streak at poker when he got Thailand fever. A previous poster said he was now living off 15000 baht/month and still hanging out with the rich crowd. Don't know if that's true, but it seems that he did have money troubles, emotional problems, and sexual problems. The higher you go, the lower you can fall (example: Mel Gibson).

[asiawatcher]

Former soldier. Some mental health issues. Something about his wife leaving with his son...?

http://www.siangtai....p?News_ID=25006

Unfortunately there are quite a few expat 'soldiers' from all countries with a 'screw' loose. Something about being in the military I believe.

Sad but a fact of life. More sad for this victim.

[thaiedward]

i know this guy.

For a long time i have been waiting for something like this to happen.

He's a delusional guy living on barely any money. Impregnated a hooker ... hangs with people that have money which probably drives him crazy.

He threatened me on the internet many times, he walks around with a machete all day long. He loved to start rumors about me because he couldn't handle having a baby with a hooker.

Dangerous guy, should of been put behind the bars many years ago when he caught hepatitis after doing hookers without protection for so long.

Buddah is behind this.. karma always gets the bad guys.

I think your post is 'best-of-breed' on this thread.

[jackinbkk]

certainly some strange things in this case.

Having lived in Phuket for a while I question how a long term guest in somewhere like Phuket wouldn't know where to find a lady boy

or possibly wouldn't be able to identify one?

A lot of people are painting bad pictures about this guy. I would also point out the innocent until proven guilty aspect of this kind of thing.

I'm also a bit worried about the possible coercion of a confession knowing how this country can operate. We don't know if this guy was

interrogated. If he was what mehods were used and what state of mind he was in before/during/afterwards. If I was told after hours

of stressful interogation that I should confess or i'd face a death sentence I don't know how i'd react. I'm not saying that happened, it's just a thought.

I certainly hope they get to the bottom of all this...

[MegaMik]

This was right in the bulls eye man. The problem is STERETYPE about farangs(foreigners)here. Thais think it is common thing farangs are interested for sex with Thai ladyboys and that is the problem. When you say you are not interested, they will look at you like something is wrong with you or they will not believe you at all. Here, it is NOT abnormal thing at all. All is used to see. I saw a lesbian couple in Lotus kissing. Farang woman is almost a teenager but Thai woman was definetely under age. I was shocked i saw it but after that i saw around me Thai faces and all of them saw but were cold blood. No reaction at all. That is expected, right? They think all of us are freaks and we are in Thailand just about sex or pervert sex. makes me so sick but it is like it is.

Wow, how anyone can get kissing into a sex act? In Thailand it's not common to show affection in public but here in Phuket the locals are used to it. To express they are abnormal or perverts is outdated, go back to 1800 whomever you are. Next time ask of their age before assuming too much and we only have your wild guesses to rely on here. Why do people have the urge to be moral about other people's life and sexual preferences? As long as violence (not conscented of course), threats or domination isn't part of the relationship everything is in order, has to be legal though. Don't worry, I have "normal" preferences, am hetrosexual.

[OzMick]

i know this guy.

For a long time i have been waiting for something like this to happen.

He's a delusional guy living on barely any money. Impregnated a hooker ... hangs with people that have money which probably drives him crazy.

He threatened me on the internet many times, he walks around with a machete all day long. He loved to start rumors about me because he couldn't handle having a baby with a hooker.

Dangerous guy, should of been put behind the bars many years ago when he caught hepatitis after doing hookers without protection for so long.

Buddah is behind this.. karma always gets the bad guys.

"....... he caught hepatitis after doing hookers without protection for so long."

Exactly how does a condom prevent you catching hepatitis? Or were you referring to some other form of protection; Listerine perhaps?

[moetownblues]

Curious, as I was told by a mod in another thread I could not name and shame a violent Thai contractor (attacked me with a shovel with a few other Thai guys) because he was innocent until proven guilty. Was tolf a police report does not prove anything, even though he admitted to attacking me.

Yet this guy, along with everyone else arrested or accused in Thailand, are also innocent until proven guilty. Why can these stories be posted time and time again for people are are also innocent until proven guilty, if we can not name and shame the locals in the same manner?

If someone pleads guilty to a crime they no longer are innocent until proven guilty, they admit the guilt, so they are guilty. End of argument.

That is not always true. It is up to the courts and his peers to confirm guilt. What crime is he guilty of in this case? murder? manslaughter? disposing of a body? The courts will determine what crime he is actually guilty of after all the evidence and facts are presented. Yes he allegedly admitted killing her but doesn't everyone admitt guilt in the 1st instance when arrested by Thai Police.