A French man snatched a police gun and killed himself

Published on Nov 22 , 2005

A 28-year-old French man practising meditation in Chiang Mai snatched a gun from a policeman and killed himself, police said.

Pol Sgt was on duty at a police outpost box in Chiang Mai when the man, later identified as Martial Gabriel Rene Gaudout, of La Rochelle, France, came and sat on a bench next to the outpost, Pol Maj Wittaya Winyayong, a Chiang Mai police chief said.

Sawat told police he assumed Gaudout was staying at the nearby Ramperng temple learning meditation because of Gaudout's white shirt and trousers, Wittaya said.

After Gaudout had been there three hours without speaking to Sawat, the policeman decided to leave his post to call the temple. Gaudout followed him toward the telephone booth, and grabbed the gun from Sawat's waist.

The sergeant said he fled when he saw that Gaudout had the gun in his right hand and a knife in his left hand.

After running away some distance, Sawat heard gunfire, and returned to the post to find Gaudout had apparently shot himself, Wittaya said.

The abbot and a French monk from the temple told police that Gaudout had been at the temple about a month to study meditation, and was about to return to France soon, as his airplane ticket was about to expire, Wittaya said.

Gaudout appeared to be upset two days ago because his ticket home was about to expire and he had only Bt700, said Wittaya, adding "we think this man was a little disturbed."

the nation .

Meditation can be dangerous for the mentally instable without proper guidance.

That's a sad story. The sad thing about mental illness (depression, etc)is that many of them suffer in silence.

Sad, but least he only harmed himself, could have been much worse.

Obviously upset at not being able to find a nearby tower block to throw himself from.

Who will be the first to call for a ban on meditation?

Who will be the first to call for a ban on meditation?

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Or Meditating while drinking on Sunday!!!

Who will be the first to call for a ban on meditation?

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Or Meditating while drinking on Sunday!!!

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ha-de-ha-de hahaha! Poor taste mister!

it is so sad to hear this....he suffered so much deep within and that pain is so unbearable he had to take his life....was nobody there to listen to him?

Who will be the first to call for a ban on meditation?

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It'll be a crackdown

I guess not..........

Gaudout had apparently shot himself, Wittaya said

seems a bit vague and no witnesses?

it is so sad to hear this....he suffered so much deep within and that pain is so unbearable he had to take his life....was nobody there to listen to him?

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That's the problem with meditation....NO TALKING! How could they hear his cries for help?

Who will be the first to call for a ban on meditation?

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It'll be a crackdown

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Either that or a downon"crack" - oh sory TiT not USA.

it is so sad to hear this....he suffered so much deep within and that pain is so unbearable he had to take his life....was nobody there to listen to him?

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That's the problem with meditation....NO TALKING! How could they hear his cries for help?

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I's shoot myself if i had to go to Fance . Look nothing could be this bad to kill yourslef , had to be some sickness . Look at where you are and how poor people are and struggle in everyday life , most of these people are far happier than anyone i know.

Gaudout had apparently shot himself, Wittaya said

seems a bit vague and no witnesses?

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I think it should say that he apparently shot himself twice.

And he had a knife in his left hand?

Note that in today's Bangkok Post it says, "He (Gaudot) ran off, with the policeman in pursuit, and shot himself in the head and chest, Pol Maj. Wittaya Winyayong said.

Presumably the first shot was not fatal?

A 28-year-old French man practising meditation in Chiang Mai snatched a gun from a policeman and killed himself, police said.

Father Christmas will be descending down my non existing chimney quite soon

Reality check: There is a tooth under one of the pillows (sp)?

Gaudout had apparently shot himself, Wittaya said

seems a bit vague and no witnesses?

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I think it should say that he apparently shot himself twice.

And he had a knife in his left hand?

Note that in today's Bangkok Post it says, "He (Gaudot) ran off, with the policeman in pursuit, and shot himself in the head and chest, Pol Maj. Wittaya Winyayong said.

Presumably the first shot was not fatal?

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The Daily News yesterday said that the police investigating the case had their doubts about it being suicide as the first shot to his chest should have rendered him incapable of firing the second shot to his head.

Don't Thai cops have their guns on a string to prevent this type of incident?

Did anyone read that story recently of a Scandinavian, I think it was a Swede, stabbing himself to death with a sword in Phuket? Just went beserk, I think it was on the beach, and like this French fellow he was young, in his twenties.

Did anyone read that story recently of a Scandinavian, I think it was a Swede, stabbing himself to death with a sword in Phuket? Just went beserk, I think it was on the beach, and like this French fellow he was young, in his twenties.

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Did this Scandinavian stab himself twice? Did he have unusually long arms?

the scandanavian actually severed his arm on the first stroke, and the arm, much in a similar vein to a headless chicken, then proceeded to jump up and stab him again. Police are puzzled as to how to solve what apparently would appear to be a double homocide/suicide.

surelythe guy would have "Powder Burns" on his hands to show wether he used the gun or not.....or have I watched too much CSI