Found this on a local blog an American guy committed suicide in his Chiang Mai hotel room http://www.livingthai.org/american-man-dies-on-toilet-in-chiang-mai-thailand-hotel.html

I don't know what it is about Chiang Mai but from the news I hear all the time it's pretty common for people to come here to commit suicide.

Is Chiang Mai really that bad?

What makes you think it's just limited to Chang Mai? There are similar suicides almost daily in many parts of Thailand and some of them even happen with people who've managed to tape a plastic bag over their own head with their hands tied behind their back . Not saying that happened in this case mind you but still it happens quite often ..

RIP the man. Seems the BIB have probably come to the right conclusion just for a change. With so much evidence on hand it would be hard not to !

I have lived here over 5 years now. Not sure where you hear all your news but for myself seldom hear about it.

Suicide is a world wide event. Most people think it only happens if they have read about it in their newspaper. In the western world it is not printed because it is not news it is just a common every day occurrence.

Of course there is always the Thai bashers looking for a platform to launch their bigotry on.

Why should it be any different here in Chiang Mai?

I have lived here over 5 years now. Not sure where you hear all your news but for myself seldom hear about it.

Suicide is a world wide event. Most people think it only happens if they have read about it in their newspaper. In the western world it is not printed because it is not news it is just a common every day occurrence.

Of course there is always the Thai bashers looking for a platform to launch their bigotry on.

Why should it be any different here in Chiang Mai?

Thai bashers or realists??

I've lived here years, and no, this doesn't seem to be a destination for people who want to commit suicide.

Don't worry, be happy..........

Interesting website that reported this, "Living in Thailand". Had not seen that one before. Some pretty dark and sinister stories being reported on there.

I've lived here years, and no, this doesn't seem to be a destination for people who want to commit suicide.

Don't worry, be happy..........

Yeah right, wasn't there a thread here some time ago about Chiang Mai being paradise.

It's probably not Chiang Mai related as such, but could be other problems, money, marital or illness and wants out.

My guess is that most of the suicides are by people who have spent all their money and have to return to the West. It would be a terrible dilemma indeed.

My guess is that most of the suicides are by people who have spent all their money and have to return to the West. It would be a terrible dilemma indeed.

Yes, but on a toilet? Not my choice for sure

I agree, but this one seems to be about an affair that did not work out, rather than having to go back to the dreaded West.

Edited September 9, 201114 yr by Ulysses G.

I've lived here years, and no, this doesn't seem to be a destination for people who want to commit suicide.

Certainly not, but there's enough people who will commit your suicide for you.

Maybe that is what happened to the people who died at The Downtown Inn Hotel, as they were unexplained deaths!

Luckily Chiang Mai has a moratorium on high floor condos

Why does this make me think of Elvis...

how did he die on the toilet.would not be easy thing to do

how did he die on the toilet.would not be easy thing to do

You have obviously not encountered a squat style floor mounted model that is still wet from the previous guest...

I'm assuming no one who's posted here actually knew this guy. Sometimes the hypocrisy of posters is amazing, if some well know local farang is sick or dies, there is pages of respectful grief and sympathy posts citing how marvelous the person was, but when some unknown person dies in sad circumstances the usual bickering and smart arsed comments continue unabated.

Surely the deceased deserves some respect?

RIP and sympathy to his family and friends.

lots of unreported events also.

A dutch guy who owned a bar on Loy Kroh recently was accidentally electrocuted in his own shower.

Hear say from a reliable friend but didn't see anything in the press or internet about it..

Be careful out there

well known fact that many heart attache deaths happen whilst on the toot

RIP bloke

how did he die on the toilet.would not be easy thing to do

You obviously didn't read the report which states 'the empty sleeping pill bottles that he had used'.

Many foreigners who come to Thailand are lonely and depressed, and for those who stay long term, there is a learning curve/culture shock to deal with. Some are substance abusers.

I don't find it strange that this shows up in the suicide statistics. Then, as mentioned, there are cases where expats are killed by their partner or business contacts/rivals, and the hit is made so as to look like it could have been suicide, at least if you don't look too closely.

Report from Thai Rath (in Thai)Naked American found dead in Chiang Mai Hotel

lots of unreported events also.

A dutch guy who owned a bar on Loy Kroh recently was accidentally electrocuted in his own shower.

Hear say from a reliable friend but didn't see anything in the press or internet about it..

Be careful out there

Thats strange because i heard that he a blood clot that went to his heart and died in his sleep

lots of unreported events also.

A dutch guy who owned a bar on Loy Kroh recently was accidentally electrocuted in his own shower.

Hear say from a reliable friend but didn't see anything in the press or internet about it..

Be careful out there

Thats strange because i heard that he a blood clot that went to his heart and died in his sleep

beats me. probably my source heard it on the grapevine. She does work right near his old bar. This is the dutch bar near the Traveler hotel about midway down Loh Kroh?

Anyway another expat bites the dust. RIP

Thailand in general is an end of the road destination for people who move here. Similar to San Francisco in the US. People imagine geographical cures will change who they have always been inside. They ignore the warts on a holiday but when living here the warts fester. Its just as real a place as anywhere, arguably more so, certainly no paradise. So higher suicide rates for such destinations are part of the predictable package.

Edited September 9, 201114 yr by Jingthing

I have lived here a very long time. I'm used to using the squat toilets. I've heard of a few suicides in Chiang Mai, over the years, but no more than other places.

RIP and condolences to his family and friends

One derogatory post and its response has been deleted. Keep your issues to yourself to the poster who felt the need to slur someone else, no one wants to hear them, thanks.

The man has family somewhere, show some decency, cheers.

Thailand in general is an end of the road destination for people who move here. Similar to San Francisco in the US. People imagine geographical cures will change who they have always been inside. They ignore the warts on a holiday but when living here the warts fester. Its just as real a place as anywhere, arguably more so, certainly no paradise. So higher suicide rates for such destinations are part of the predictable package.

Very well put. So true...

It's so unfortunate that the Thai media make a big deal about this sort of thing, showing photos, etc. As noted before, suicides happen every day in the west and the media doesn't report it and they definitely don't show photos that could distress the family. We just think that Chiang Mai has "more than their share" of suicides because they're reported rather than being kept private as is done in the west.

And to those who didn't read the artcile closely enough to understand that this poor man seemed to have planned his death, let me inform you of how it's possible to die "while in the loo". It was ultimately ruled as the cause of Elvis Presley's death:

http://en.wikipedia....l_septal_defect

It entirely changed my dear mother's view of Elvis. She thought he was in the bathroom brushing his teeth when he had a heart attack.

Maybe Thailand and Thai people (and probably all of Asia) do not think the same way as Westerners?

MSPain