Foreigner Got Stabbed To Death At Rachada

[Curt]

Now we would all be safer if we never went anywhere or did anything. The fact is that most people are out and about after dark at some time or another and as such are increasingly more likely to be a victim of violence.

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Hanging out in and around bars, that risk grows exponentially, as the evening passes into morning.

When the goblins start wholesale attacks at Tops or Lotus, then I will start worrying.

[siamesekitty]

So sorry to hear about your friends, hUsh. My condolences..

As in my signature below, "I do hope that there is such a thing as karma."

[Tolley]

Interesting article in Stickmans column this week.

It seems to reinforce the view that indeed Thailand is becoming a more violent place.

http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/Weekly/weekly222.htm

[Curt]

It seems to reinforce the view that indeed Thailand is becoming a more violent place.

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A weblog, based on anecdotes.

Now we have the definitive statement from a pundit from the environment proposed in "Population #1".

After reading Stickman, one would also assume all Thai girls are hookers.

Edited August 7, 2005 by Curt

[Tolley]

From Stickmans a couple of selected quotes

"I do voluntary teaching to policemen from three different police stations. After the lesson ends the cops usually hand around and chat and we chat about life in Thailand... These cops, the very guys who are right there at the coal face, told me that violent crime is on the increase in Thailand."

My students were horrified. They couldn't believe what they were hearing and they disagreed strongly, saying that Bangkok was dangerous, and that the city is full of criminals, many of them violent. ...two of the female students stayed behind to give me some advice. "Please do not do what these people do. Bangkok is very dangerous. We are Thai people and we know. We do not want you to have a problem."

[Firefan]

Overall; I believe even the official stats says that crime is on the rise - bad economy Etc. My Thai friends tell me the same thing.

So % wise we will also see more crime directed towards foreigners due to that.

I also tend to agree with the fact that foreigners are now such a normal sight (and considered to have money) that the "oddity"-protection we had before is gone.

Stickmans comments seem fair and to the point to me.

I do however not believe that there is a specific, targetted anti-foreigner crime wave, but the above points is enough for us to see the increase.

Cheers!

[Butterfly]

Thais do seem to get more nervous recently. Thaksin failing to deliver on his fairy tales is probably making them trying to blame someone for it. Might it be farangs or their neighboors (Abuse of cambodians and burmeses by Thais)

I guess the message of the day is to get more caucious now with those recent incidents.

It's easy for foreigners who have been in Thailand too long to miss the changes of attitude of locals and to miss changes of the society in general.

Thailand has changed and it's time we realize this.

[greenwanderer108]

I personally knew the victim, Yeshey. Not close friends or anything but I've been acquainted with him and the Bhutanese guys at uni for a few years. (I was studying C.A. at Bangkok University International College)

It hits harder when it's someone you knew. I've partied on several occasions with the international student crowd, including the Bhutanese. They're fun characters, and Yeshey for the most part was qiuet, and needed a few drinks and/or a smoke before he was socially energized, but not on the obnoxious sense. Anyway, I can tell you from lots of exposure with the international Uni crowd in Bangkok, that Friday and Saturday nights are ritual party evenings...and it shouldn't be surprising that a few international students were on their way home at 4.30 am.

Had it been some dispute or mistaken identity, I wouldn't be surprised as the Bhutanese have strong Asian features and could easily pass for a Thai, especially so late. So really, it's not a matter of Thai on forienger violence because I doubt that these thugs knew that Yeshey was from Bhutan. If you remember, the actual student friend who was with him P, survived the incident without any serious injuries, and I can tell you he's obvious farang/foreigner in any hour's shade of light.

Speaking of P, this must be a very difficult situation to deal with. Such incidents will stay vivid in one's memory, whether intoxicated or not. By the time all the blood made aparent in your conscious, I'm sure it was one of those forced sobering reality checks.

I don't know the motives, leads, prevention, specific details, and doesn't sound like any one will ever be able to clear it up. Bottom line, a fourth year student close to graduating was murdered. His Karma gave in, and his cycle continues. As for these thugs, they're karma speaks for itself...

I have some video clips on the last occasion I was drinking/socializing with the Bhutanese crowd at a friend's birthday party a few months ago. It's haunting to watch Yeshey drunk and partying with his Bhutanese pals smiling and shootin the &lt;deleted&gt; with the other guys on my video camera. I've only talked to one of the other Bhutanese friends who was there on that occasion. I'd like to contact the other guys cause I'm sure they'd like a copy of this occasion in Yeshey's memory.

If any relatives, friends, or Bhutanse students in Thailand who knew Yeshey want a copy of Yeshey drinkin it up with his Bhutanese friends in a club a few months ago, PM me.

RIP

[bossman]

If you live for years as part of population #2, it is statistically almost certain that you are going to eventually be in the wrong place at the wrong time - and pay a heavy price.  You are going to have a much bleaker view of Bangkok, and wonder what is wrong with someone who reports "suuny days and blue skies" from the other (daytime) world.

I've lived in Bangkok going on six years.  95% of all bad incidents I have seen since coming here occurred between 11:00 pm and 3:00 am - and I have no idea what hapopens after 3:00 am.  I decided years ago to generally try to be off the streets by midnight - and live longer.  Nowadays, I almost never see any trouble - because I'm home before it starts.

Cheers!

Indo-Siam

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Well stated. In fact i'd say most of the expat whining on this forum and others like it are probably from population #2. I can't even begin to count the number of tired old geezers i've met whining about Thailand this or that when all they do is spend their days holed up in a farang bar fondling hardcore prostitutes pissing away their pension.

[bossman]

Ridiculous over simplification using stereotypes which as we all know don't exist.

Some people like to go out on weekends and on holidays and have a bit fun to break up the tedium of the everyday work week. They also like to stay out later than midnight. They don't fit into either of your models 1 or 2.

Then we have tourists who happen to be on holidays and would like to have some fun and enjoy themselves as well.

Tourism is a huge money spinner for LOS.

Do you think tourists should all be in bed by 11?

At 4.40 am when this incident happened someone could well have been on their way to work. They may well have had nothing to do with any night life action or drinking.

Simplistic scenarios like the one presented above appeal to many who like to view issues in black and white terms and who are not prepared to think life might just be a little more complicated than presented as above.

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To be honest most Thais would probably prefer not to have the "tourist" who stays out past midnight to enjoy the "nightlife." They want family package tourists who go to beaches, stay at resorts, see the wats and cultural sites, buy lots of useless trinkets, eat at local restaurants and then happily get on the next plane back to wherever they came from.

[ray23]

If you live for years as part of population #2, it is statistically almost certain that you are going to eventually be in the wrong place at the wrong time - and pay a heavy price.  You are going to have a much bleaker view of Bangkok, and wonder what is wrong with someone who reports "suuny days and blue skies" from the other (daytime) world.

I've lived in Bangkok going on six years.  95% of all bad incidents I have seen since coming here occurred between 11:00 pm and 3:00 am - and I have no idea what hapopens after 3:00 am.  I decided years ago to generally try to be off the streets by midnight - and live longer.   Nowadays, I almost never see any trouble - because I'm home before it starts.

Cheers!

Indo-Siam

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well stated. In fact i'd say most of the expat whining on this forum and others like it are probably from population #2. I can't even begin to count the number of tired old geezers i've met whining about Thailand this or that when all they do is spend their days holed up in a farang bar fondling hardcore prostitutes pissing away their pension.

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Actually I don't think the complaning by us old expats is about Thailan. I think is is the nature of the beast, no matter where we are. Now here is the scarey part your turn is coming LAUGHTER.

To be honest I don't hang out in bars with hookers not to say that from time to time I don't go and have a change for a bit of fun. But is is not my norm.

I piss away my pension in other ways, I have a life here that is much better then I could have in my home country., why I choose to move and live here. Does not mean that from time to time things don't get to me and that I don't complain.

I think these boards are good sounding places for us, no one gets hurt and from time to time we get that little bit extra from guys who have been around for years and share valuable knowledge with us.

I have met three members from the board two I have enjoyed, not sure about the third, but I did get to learn something from each one.

Each person I believe has a different view point to offer, I may or may not agree with what they have to said, but I learn from each.

If a person chooses to party all night and take take the associated risks, that is up to them. If one of us old geezers chooses to drink all night with hard core prostitutes and spend his pension in that manner, he earned it how he spends it is his business.

As to Thailand changing to a more violent place I don't know if that is the case or if my perception is changing and the violence we see reported today has in fact always been here and I just didn't see it.

None of this changes the fact that I am much more careful in Bangkok, then I am in Udon.

[Slim Chance]

.... did you already forget that killer-gang-thing in Chiang Mai just few months ago ? It was not really a big topic in public ..... but they killed 6 people on the streets within a few months "just for fun".... if such thing would happen in the US, Uk or Germany or wherever, it would be in the "world news broadcast" everywhere.... but not in Thailand - because its just too common here....

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Sorry but simply NOT TRUE in the U.S. at least.

About 2 persons are murdered every day in my former home of New Orleans.

If the victim is a tourist the PD, press, Tourist Bureau and all the other conspirators do their best to keep it quiet so as not frighten the money away.

I knew far too many people who met a needless violent end there.