Australian Stabbed In Heart In Thai Bag-Snatch Tragedy

[bangkokheat]

Thailand seems to be getting a lot of very bad press at the moment, I hope that these culprits are caught and punished by death !!!!

death penalty is way too easy, life in the monkey house would be a life time of pain, same as the life time of pain caused to her family

rip young lady, hope your next journey is beautiful for you

[sunshine51]

RIP.. ...this seems to be a daily occurrence..

I must say...I have to agree with this as it sums up what I wanted to post also.

Condolences to the family of the dearly departed and get well soon for the

injured lass.

To all others....Welcome To Thailand

[crobe]

Amazing Thailand!!!!

No...it is Miracle Thailand...get it right....cos its a Miracle people still come here and its a Miracle people still think Phuket is a world class destination...with pristine beaches and friendly island people.

The past (not present) reputation for being a welcoming country, and the alluring advertisements still draw an increasing number of tourists.

Unwelcome incidents can, however, change this overnight - the Kenyan tourist destinations on the north borders, are now decimated since the kidnap and murder of tourists staying in a resort there.

It shows how easily such events can turn public opinion, and should be a warning to the TaT not to be complacent.

Crobe

[samsiam]

I just said to my Thai girlfriend, this type of senseless violence scares me, her reply ok you don't like Thailand go, not a word from her about the women attacked its like it does not register.

She must really love you.

[Rosco911]

Thailand is becoming a very dangerous destination. Sadly another innocent victim. I wonder how many foreigners per year lose there lives in Thailand compared to other countries.

RIP

[edwinclapham]

I just said to my Thai girlfriend, this type of senseless violence scares me, her reply ok you don't like Thailand go, not a word from her about the women attacked its like it does not register.

It is not a shame to be "ashamed".. If this happened in my country I for one would feel an intense deep "shame" and would pull out the stops as a community to try and help.

It is only the Thais that can rectify the situation for themselves, unfortunately your girlfriends's reaction is all too common!

[Scorpio1949]

I guess that every killed / ripped, scammed tourist in Thailand makes about 20 decide not to go here so how can the government talk about larger influx of tourists in the future with upcoming countries around ?

[Endorphin]

A friend of mine was attacked by a purse snatcher early this year. A loner without motorbike, she beat him up and got him arrested. Not sure what I should tell her about this tragedy.

[newermonkey]

I just said to my Thai girlfriend, this type of senseless violence scares me, her reply ok you don't like Thailand go, not a word from her about the women attacked its like it does not register.

She sounds like a well educated highly inteligent woman.... NOT

Why would you listen to someone like that? why dont you find someone to stay with on a similar intelectual level? BTW where did you find that one?

[Jimmu]

Terrible tragedy indeed ... nobody should die in that way ..if the police were less busy trying to get money from corruption they would perhaps be more visible to those criminals, I never seen any police patrol in those very touristic areas.. I might be wrong of course .Well Thailand is not safe anymore that for sure.

I still think Thailand is one of the safest countries in the world, every country has bad bastards like the two involved in this tragedy, but I feel much safer in Bangkok or even Pattaya than I do in Glasgow, or would feel in any city in the UK.

You may well FEEL safer but there are no grounds to assert that Thailand IS safer. Even with the Thai's manipulation of the stats, Glasgow & Scotland are much safer places than Bangkok & Thailand. For Thais Thailand has always been a dangerous place but they never used to harm the goose that lays the golden egg to such an extent.

[Jobiwankenobi]

I just said to my Thai girlfriend, this type of senseless violence scares me, her reply ok you don't like Thailand go, not a word from her about the women attacked its like it does not register.

My wife is Thai and she's super pissed off, sad and embarrassed this happened, sorry dude your girlfriend is an idiot, no fault of hers of course. I guess now it's "Up to u."

[EarthAlien]

RIP, murdered 60 years old Perth Travel Agent.

Its all over the ABC news here. A Perth travel agents are shocked as Phuket is the safest place to travel and this is the first attack in that area.

Well they've got the "Phuket is the safest place to travel and this is the first attack in that area." totally wrong as this is NOT an isolated incident and NOT the first one of it's type.

Thailand (and in particular Pattaya and Phuket) must be high on the list of holiday destinations to get killed on, injured, assaulted, scammed, electrocuted or poisoned on the entire planet!

"The two women were part of a group of 10 travel agents from Perth who arrived in Thailand on Monday." I hope that this information spreads like wildfire amongst the travel agent industry in Australia and that they start issuing appropriate warnings about the dangers and the organised groups of cowardly little scumbags that see farang tourists as fair game to target with little to no consequences arising from their nefarious and bloody deeds!

[siamjimi]

Australian woman killed in Phuket

AAP

PHUKET: -- An Australian woman has died in Thailand, after being stabbed by a man trying to snatch her bag.

Phuket Wan Tourism News says the woman, among a group of travel agents from Perth, was walking along a street on the tourist island of Phuket when a motorcycle pulled beside her and a passenger attempted to take her bag.

The woman struggled with the man, before falling to the ground with a stab wound to her heart, the website says.

Another woman walking with the victim received a gash to her arm, and the offenders sped off empty handed.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) spokesperson says they are aware of the death of an Australian woman in Thailand and are providing consular assistance to her family.

"It would not be appropriate to discuss the case further while a police investigation is in progress," the spokesperson said.

Full story and video: http://au.news.yahoo...lled-in-phuket/

-- au.news.yahoo.com 2012-06-21

I must emphasize strongly that what the tour agents in OZ really need to do is WARN all their clients NOT to visit Thailand.

This bit of violence should be added alongside the two 60+ year old couple in Hua Hin that were savagely beaten to death for 2,000.oo baht

The value of life here has become akin to desperate Thais that have seen a reduction in tourists of more than 65% over the last 4 years - the government and tourism bureau are desperate to have tourism flourish but at the same time allow a populous of criminals prey on tourists with a mindset similar to slaughtering cows just to have another drink or Sang-Som or smoke some more YaBa

[pagallim]

I'm very surprised at the lack of reporting of this incident so far by the Phuket Gazette, and both of the on line editions of the main English language Thai newspapers. This is particularly odd given the extensive coverage that it's already received in the Australian media.

[pattayadingo]

R.I.P and condolences.

To have this happen to these women who were part of a travel agents group could well have repercussions for the tourism industry.

[madmitch]

Terrible tragedy indeed ... nobody should die in that way ..if the police were less busy trying to get money from corruption they would perhaps be more visible to those criminals, I never seen any police patrol in those very touristic areas.. I might be wrong of course .Well Thailand is not safe anymore that for sure.

I still think Thailand is one of the safest countries in the world, every country has bad bastards like the two involved in this tragedy, but I feel much safer in Bangkok or even Pattaya than I do in Glasgow, or would feel in any city in the UK.

Have you been reading the Thai news over the past few months? There were always isolated incidents but violent crime against tourists, particularly in Phuket, is definitely getting worse.

I'm form South London and I don't always feel safe on the streets there. Like you, I used to feel safer in Thailand, initially Bangkok and latterly Phuket, but it is no longer the case. Many incidents are not reported, others are but don't make the press.

This is a particularly disturbing incident and my sympathy goes out to the friends and family of the deceased.

[edwinclapham]

Australian woman killed in Phuket

AAP

PHUKET: -- An Australian woman has died in Thailand, after being stabbed by a man trying to snatch her bag.

Phuket Wan Tourism News says the woman, among a group of travel agents from Perth, was walking along a street on the tourist island of Phuket when a motorcycle pulled beside her and a passenger attempted to take her bag.

The woman struggled with the man, before falling to the ground with a stab wound to her heart, the website says.

Another woman walking with the victim received a gash to her arm, and the offenders sped off empty handed.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) spokesperson says they are aware of the death of an Australian woman in Thailand and are providing consular assistance to her family.

"It would not be appropriate to discuss the case further while a police investigation is in progress," the spokesperson said.

Full story and video: http://au.news.yahoo...lled-in-phuket/

-- au.news.yahoo.com 2012-06-21

I must emphasize strongly that what the tour agents in OZ really need to do is WARN all their clients NOT to visit Thailand.

This bit of violence should be added alongside the two 60+ year old couple in Hua Hin that were savagely beaten to death for 2,000.oo baht

The value of life here has become akin to desperate Thais that have seen a reduction in tourists of more than 65% over the last 4 years - the government and tourism bureau are desperate to have tourism flourish but at the same time allow a populous of criminals prey on tourists with a mindset similar to slaughtering cows just to have another drink or Sang-Som or smoke some more YaBa

It is very hard for a government to warn their citizens not to visit Thailand. It would cause insurmountable diplomatic problems I would have thought!

The surest way is for all insurance companies to cease insuring their tourists and that might just do the trick.

[samsiam]

Australian woman killed in Phuket

AAP

PHUKET: -- An Australian woman has died in Thailand, after being stabbed by a man trying to snatch her bag.

Phuket Wan Tourism News says the woman, among a group of travel agents from Perth, was walking along a street on the tourist island of Phuket when a motorcycle pulled beside her and a passenger attempted to take her bag.

The woman struggled with the man, before falling to the ground with a stab wound to her heart, the website says.

Another woman walking with the victim received a gash to her arm, and the offenders sped off empty handed.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) spokesperson says they are aware of the death of an Australian woman in Thailand and are providing consular assistance to her family.

"It would not be appropriate to discuss the case further while a police investigation is in progress," the spokesperson said.

Full story and video: http://au.news.yahoo...lled-in-phuket/

-- au.news.yahoo.com 2012-06-21

I must emphasize strongly that what the tour agents in OZ really need to do is WARN all their clients NOT to visit Thailand.

This bit of violence should be added alongside the two 60+ year old couple in Hua Hin that were savagely beaten to death for 2,000.oo baht

The value of life here has become akin to desperate Thais that have seen a reduction in tourists of more than 65% over the last 4 years - the government and tourism bureau are desperate to have tourism flourish but at the same time allow a populous of criminals prey on tourists with a mindset similar to slaughtering cows just to have another drink or Sang-Som or smoke some more YaBa

And the Aussie guy beaten and left for near death in last few days....

[jackcorbett]

its time to stop the corny remarks about the police force .... its no longer a joke .....i cannot understand why a country such as australia does not slap a travel ban on this place immediately ...the phuket police are nothing but tea money collectors , they see tourists purely as a source of income .... until corruption is dealt with we will live in a lawless society ... so time to bail , tell your friends , colleagues , business associates stay away ....go to Myanamar ....

If I am reading your post correctly ... you want the Australian Government to 'slap a ban' of Phuket or on Thailand?

Phuket maybe be difficult to do because it's not a Nation.

The whole of Thailand is not Phuket.

Governments can, and frequently do, slap travel warnings and advisories on countries and various parts of countries that they consider not safe.

Usually this is because of a major threat such as civil war or major civil disturbance, but in these cases they withdraw all government personnel, including consular services, advise their citizens to leave the area immediately and issue the warning against all unnecessary travel to the affected area.

In such cases travel agencies, cruises etc have to also avoid the area as they may be held liable.

Now I am not suggesting that Australia should go to such an extreme measure, but the threat of such an action of other incidents occurred is a powerful economic weapon, especially in tourist dependent areas.

As for the Australian travel agencies selling holidays to Phuket - if they cannot guarantee the safety of one of their own, how can they guarantee it to their customers - it will be interesting to know if greed overcomes prudence.

Crobe

Many years ago when I was married my wife and I booked a combination tour of Israel and Egypt. But when the U.S. bombed Libya all tours were canceled including ours. So we simply booked a flight to Tel Aviv and got with an Israeli travel agency which booked us into Eilat (Israel), the Cairo Nile Hilton and Luxor as well as arranging for us all our transportation. As I recall there was no widely reported incidents of violence other than the day to day normal terrorist activities occurring in Israel. The key was during and soon after the bombing terrorist activities were suspected to escalate. They didn't and we ended up having a great time in both countries with the exception of the food poisoning we both got at the (otherwise excellent) buffet table at the Nile HIlton. I will add, however, that both the Egyptian and Israeli police and other security agencies were extremely vigilant.

Example.....For a brief period of time my wife and I separated on an upper floor in the Cairo Egyptian museum. After getting back together a few minutes later my wife told me that a security guard had tried to feel her up. We then went down to the exit gate and I started to really carry on at the ticket area. Needless to say, I created quite a scene there which prompted several individuals to escort me to the museum curator's office. This man was very cordial. He immediately called in his head of security and the two of them immediately took my wife up to the floor where the incident had occurred. I was given magazines in English and refreshments as I waited for everyone to come back to the office. When she came back, my wife told me that after pointing out the security guard they all went to a room together where the guard was seated in a chair. The head of security then beat the guard up right in front of my wife and the museum curator.

The message was quite clear to the security guard, the crowd around the ticket booth and us----1. "Egypt does not allow the locals to screw with the tourists," 2. The word of a tourist is taken over the word of security guards and the like, and 3. Egypt is willing to take stern measures to protect such as valuable asset as tourism.

[StealthEnergiser]

R.I.P another very sad story highlighting how dangerous Thailand can be due to drugs , corruption ,lack of law enforcement , how many times have these people robbed people before by bag snatching ? its occurs all over the country and many that have been caught are repeat offenders.

[edwinclapham]

Australian woman killed in Phuket

AAP

PHUKET: -- An Australian woman has died in Thailand, after being stabbed by a man trying to snatch her bag.

Phuket Wan Tourism News says the woman, among a group of travel agents from Perth, was walking along a street on the tourist island of Phuket when a motorcycle pulled beside her and a passenger attempted to take her bag.

The woman struggled with the man, before falling to the ground with a stab wound to her heart, the website says.

Another woman walking with the victim received a gash to her arm, and the offenders sped off empty handed.

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) spokesperson says they are aware of the death of an Australian woman in Thailand and are providing consular assistance to her family.

"It would not be appropriate to discuss the case further while a police investigation is in progress," the spokesperson said.

Full story and video: http://au.news.yahoo...lled-in-phuket/

-- au.news.yahoo.com 2012-06-21

I must emphasize strongly that what the tour agents in OZ really need to do is WARN all their clients NOT to visit Thailand.

This bit of violence should be added alongside the two 60+ year old couple in Hua Hin that were savagely beaten to death for 2,000.oo baht

The value of life here has become akin to desperate Thais that have seen a reduction in tourists of more than 65% over the last 4 years - the government and tourism bureau are desperate to have tourism flourish but at the same time allow a populous of criminals prey on tourists with a mindset similar to slaughtering cows just to have another drink or Sang-Som or smoke some more YaBa

And the Aussie guy beaten and left for near death in last few days....

Mindless scum!

[Jobiwankenobi]

You know it's times like this when I question my previous stances I take on capital punishment, I often say in discussions that as a Canadian I don't believe in it....but my God, when I see news like this, just terrible, I mean it could be my own mother.....this kind of violent but cowardice act angers me so much, I mean to stab a 60 year old lady walking on the street, for what?? this guy should be slowly beaten to death over a period of days. Awful. I'd love to be locked in a room with him, no weapons, just me, him, and the four walls.

[pointoffew]

Thank god there will be no conspiracy theories! It is a clear cut cold blooded murder, lawlessness in the extreme.!

Lawyers and judges may not see it like that. I think some sort of manslaughter is the more likely charge.

[me313]

...the phuket police are nothing but tea money collectors , they see tourists purely as a source of income .... until corruption is dealt with we will live in a lawless society ... so time to bail , tell your friends , colleagues , business associates stay away ....go to Myanamar ....

Wake up call, a lot of the "Farang" here rely on police corruption and love it because they can make their dirty deals and have power over other people if they pay the right price. How many times have I heard people talk about their advantages here using Thai police? There is a reason this corruption is a smooth-running machine, it isn't just a one-way corruption practice. What gives you the idea that Myanmar has a less corrupt system, or that it won't follow in Thailand's path once the investors come to get their advantages and perks if they grease palms in that country as well? Please, this is a racist comment, you are ignoring the basis of why you believe the police are corrupt.

[Arkady]

Terrible tragedy indeed ... nobody should die in that way ..if the police were less busy trying to get money from corruption they would perhaps be more visible to those criminals, I never seen any police patrol in those very touristic areas.. I might be wrong of course .Well Thailand is not safe anymore that for sure.

I still think Thailand is one of the safest countries in the world, every country has bad bastards like the two involved in this tragedy, but I feel much safer in Bangkok or even Pattaya than I do in Glasgow, or would feel in any city in the UK.

You may well FEEL safer but there are no grounds to assert that Thailand IS safer. Even with the Thai's manipulation of the stats, Glasgow & Scotland are much safer places than Bangkok & Thailand. For Thais Thailand has always been a dangerous place but they never used to harm the goose that lays the golden egg to such an extent.

The foreign embassies tell a different story. All the major western embassies have a full time "undertaker" on the staff who has to deal deaths of their nationals in Thailand. They are kept extremely busy dealing with a steady stream of grisly deaths by murder and motorbike accident as well as drug overdose (real or invented by police to cover up murder) as well as natural deaths.

The police could easily round up all the thugs armed with knives and guns but they don't wish to. Many are involved in the crimes themselves and/or related to or friends with the criminals.

[Thai at Heart]

I'm very surprised at the lack of reporting of this incident so far by the Phuket Gazette, and both of the on line editions of the main English language Thai newspapers. This is particularly odd given the extensive coverage that it's already received in the Australian media.

They are extremely selective about the stories that make it to the national papers.

Here is another story Chiangmai only a few weeks ago, that got virtually nothing in the national papers

http://www.chiangmai...news.php?id=390

It was in the Chiangmai thread on Thaivisa and occurred not far from where a very good friend of mine lives. Coming from a country where murders are relatively infrequent, it is the sheer level of petty crime that escalates to murder here that is sometimes scary. Small altercations, petty crime can escalate quickly to very serious events and this is what many foreigners are not aware of. Small fights end with stabbings or shootings, break ins in houses end in murders, and that doesn't count the amount of foreigners magically falling off balconies, or shooting themselves 3 times in the head around the country.

I wouldn't know if statistically it is getting more dangerous here, but I have a feeling if all the reports of violence and murders were printed every day in the national papers, it would at least push the political circus to somewhere around page 6 or 7.

Edited June 21, 2012 by Thai at Heart

[geriatrickid]

I just said to my Thai girlfriend, this type of senseless violence scares me, her reply ok you don't like Thailand go, not a word from her about the women attacked its like it does not register.

She must really love you.

Don't twist it like that. My Thai friends say the same thing. What else can they say. The typical Thai is bombarded on a daily basis by this sh*t. If they speak out they are smacked down. This is A country held back by its endemic corruption. Who can the average Joe Blow turn to for help, for hope? Is it any wonder why radical groups that promise solutions are so quickly embraced, or a man with a questionable history is seen as a source of salvation?

[KhunBENQ]

They are extremely selective about the stories that make it to the national papers.

Very disturbing that I can not find the story on the newspaper website related tot the forum nor the "other one"!

[IMA_FARANG]

What a terrible, senseless murder, all for a handbag and probably a few thousand baht.

Condolences to her family and friends.

What a terrible, senseless murder, all for a handbag and probably a few thousand baht.

A typical ignorant farang remark.

No disrespect intended to the poster, but that remark shows the lack of understanding that some people show for the reality of life for many poor people in the "Land Of Smiles".

There are some people for who a "few thousand Baht" is a fortune, it can litterly mean life instead of death.

I have no idea why they actually wanted that money....but I do know that in all the tourist bull---t that Phuket loves to display for foriegners with money to spend freely, there is a seedy and desperate reality beneath the phoney tourist glitter.

Drugs and the use of drugs to escape the hopeless of life for those people is one prime cause that prompts those people to commit crimes like this one.

That's the reality of "tourisim" in Thailand....and Phuket and Pattaya are prime examples of that reality. No matter what the 'tourism business" spokesmen claim.

Although I'm truely sorry for the victims of this crime, maybe the lessons the friends of the victim should takr back to Oz is that this crime shows the true nature of Thailand and it's tourisim business.

Edited June 21, 2012 by IMA_FARANG

[lujanit]

oh man, this is not cool,with all the talk about saving face in this country, where's the face in a cowardly act like this? it may not have been Thais, but they were men in Thailand, what the hell is going on here? forget jetski's and scams,this is the stuff tourists are really scared of, being attacked and killed while taking a pleasant walk...dam_n it, after Phi Phi, this one could seal their fate...RIP and condolences to families.

Not according to Thais, listening to 3AW radio streamed from Melbourne they spoke to a spokeswoman from the Phuket hotels association or similar who says that this is an extremely isolated incident and thefts and other crimes in Phuket are very low. They do not believe that an incident such as this will have an impact on tourism.

This statement is utter rubbish. I lived in Phuket for nearly two years and it was common knowledge that men, usually two on one motorcycle targeted mainly women at night for bag snatches. The real danger route was between Kata and Rawai on the coast road. This statement by some Thai with a vested interest in tourism is complete crap. My advice is don't go to Phuket, the shithole of Thailand.