Dad Suggests Coverup In Daughters' Thailand Deaths

[webfact]

Dad suggests coverup in daughters' Thailand deaths

PIERRE-OLIVIER ZAPPA, QMI AGENCY

Audrey and Noemi Belanger. (HANDOUT)

PHI PHI ISLAND: -- A small-town grocer who lost both of his daughters on a disastrous vacation to Thailand earlier this month has accused Thai authorities of covering up the true circumstances of their deaths.

Carl Belanger, who will bury Noemi, 26, and Audrey, 20, on Saturday, made the accusation during an emotional interview with QMI Agency on Tuesday.

A maid found the sisters' bodies in their hotel room on June 15 on Phi Phi island, a popular tourist location south of Bangkok.

The sisters were students at Laval University in Quebec City. They worked at their father's grocery store in their hometown of Pohenegamook, about 200 km northeast of Quebec City.

Thai officials speculated the women likely died of food poisoning, but Carl says the Thai autopsy and the actions of hotel staff were suspicious.

He told QMI that it took too long to discover the bodies and to examine them, and he said police didn't keep him informed about their progress.

"The authorities say they found the bodies 12 hours after their death. According to our calculations it was 48 hours," he said in French.

Subsequent reports indicated hotel surveillance video shows a man leading the women to a room.

A source says police in Thailand are looking for two Portuguese men who were guests at the hotel, but that both have since left the country.

Despite his grief and frustration, Belanger praised the work of Canadian Embassy officials who he said repatriated his daughters' bodies quickly.

The bodies were examined at a laboratory in Montreal and have since been given back to the family. Autopsy results have yet to be released.

Belanger admits he had concerns about his daughters' trip to Thailand and Vietnam despite the fact Noemi was an experienced traveller. He said he expressed his worries to his daughters the last time he contacted them.

"I was dreading Thailand," he said. "(I told them) they should end that trip."

He said Noemi had studied in China for three months. She also took a psychology course in Paris and had also travelled to Mexico, England and all across Canada.

The young women spoke with their parents every second day during their trip to Thailand.

"The week of the tragedy, the last contact we had with them was Monday night," he said. "After that, no more news. My wife kept saying, 'Carl, this is bothering me.' Then we received word of their deaths Saturday morning."

His voice cracking, he read Audrey's final letter in which she praised her parents.

"First off, we take a moment to thank you for having brought us into this world in Canada, for giving us good values, for giving us the passion to travel, and especially to just for having been our parents. "

Audrey ended her letter with words of love that have comforted the grieving family.

"I love you very, very much, say hi to the family for us."

Source: http://www.torontosu...thailand-deaths

-- TORONTO SUN 2012-06-27

[lannarebirth]

_{Heartwrenching. I hope the family can find both comfort and justice}

Edited June 26, 2012 by lannarebirth

[theblether]

It's a terrible, tragic tragic time for this man, I cannot think of anything worse for a parent than to lose a child, to lose two is heart rending, and to lose two in these circumstances is a special type of Hell.

However, I think we must trust the Canadian pathologists to come up with an accurate report and cause of death. Only from facts will the truth be known, and I hope the facts come through with the autopsy as to the actual cause of death.

From there, investigations can continue. In the meantime though, Mr Belanger, I cannot begin to understand your grief, I hope one day you will have the answers to all of your questions.

[ricardofel]

Of course Thai authorities will do everything in their power to cover up anything that would harm the tourist industry...that's the way of Thailand....miracle Thailand!!!

[sirchai]

You'll never walk alone.....

[canuckamuck]

So very sad, condolences again to the family.

[kjun12]

The corruption in Thai society and particularly the government authorities give Mr. Belanger good cause for questioning the deaths of his daughters. This country is shameful in that little that is said by the government can be believed.

[nod]

My heart goes out to you and your family Mr Belanger.

[dingdang]

However, I think we must trust the Canadian pathologists to come up with an accurate report and cause of death...

From there, investigations can continue.

are you saying, the canadians have to perform the full autopsy on the disinfected and enbalmed bodies, and then thai authorities will accept and follow up on it?

sounds rather funny, doesnt it?

more likely there just occured two more "unexplained" deaths (on phi phi)... unexplained, because thailand refuses to explain them...

yes, the hotel has certainly something to hide, as its story doesnt add up...

when the maid knocks and nobody opens, she does open the door... thats everywhere the same...

and the maids do have a master key ready all the time... i have never seen anything else throughout asia nor europe...

who knows, if the rooms wasnt "made up" already, before the police arrived on friday?

[RisqEM]

Condolences to the family, no parent should outlive their kids.

I can already see the thought process of the authorities though....two foreigners, they're gone, so there's nothing we can do now, back to drinking. We say 12 hours so it looks like we were really doing our job, and not checking out girls in bikinis. Anything to put the blame on someone else. That's the saddest thing of all, save face now, more innocent tourists pay the price later.

[ttelise]

Poor guy. I cannot imagine

[Sharp]

Sorry but if the two guys have left he country then they know who they are ...right ..or am I missing something ...

Interpol ......IMO

Deepest condolences....

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

[monty1412]

Moved to tears on this. bad enough they have to endure the loss but then to gather the impression that there is a thai cover up is just terrible.

These poor people...is not the injustice of having your daughters taken from one enough.. Thai authorities need to get themselves into the modern world and provide full disclosure

[geriatrickid]

To set the record straight; the bodies were not supposed to be embalmed. Those were the instructions relayed by the embassy. The autopises were performed at the Laboratoire de Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale in Montreal. It will be several weeks for results to be given to Dr. Roussel, who will then interpret the findings. Should she require assistance, she has access to many qualified experts in the region, as well as to the advanced partner labs around the world.

Please be patient. The Quebec coroner's office will get to the bottom of this. And the coroner is well aware of Thai practices as this is not the first suspicious case from the "developing world" to show up at the lab.

[Reasonableman]

We all share your grief and broken heart.

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[Lifer]

This is a sad sad time for parents and Thailand. I say sad time for Thailand because it's another event that makes the country and people look really bad in the eyes of the rest of the world. From the bottom to the top, as a people and a country, they will try and blame anything and everybody for things that happen other than to accept any responsibility for anything that happens.

You see it over and over in Thai society. It's never the country, company, or the people that are responsible. Elaborite excuses to blame somebody else to keep from admitting they are wrong or responsible. It is a dysfunctional culture.

Edited June 27, 2012 by Lifer

[yummypizza]

How extremely tragic,two children dead, traveled the world and met their deaths in Thailand, so very sorry for their parents,what strength they must have going through this, this is an eye opener for all of us who live here and for other travelers, deepest condolences, RIP, Thailand seems to be like an old rotting Temple, the wood is rotten but a few coats of paint and it looks like new, you cannot build a country on a rotten core, then try to cover it up with a smile!!

[Yunla]

I offer my humble rest-in-peace to those two beautiful young ladies now they are in Heaven. My sincere condolences to Mr.Belanger, I can not imagine what he is going through and I hope his friends and family will support him through this terrible time.

I agree with Mr.Belanger that the official story has been one lie after another, and also I condemn the Thai authorities who have done nothing but speculate and delay, even saying the girls died from taking drugs such as magic mushrooms and drinking alcohol with prescription drugs. Shame on those people making public statements like that. For shame.

[minikev]

So very sad. I hope the family can keep enough strength to push for the whole truth.

[jonclark]

Thai police are looking for two Portuguese men who have left the country??

How did the Thai police reach this conclusion about the nationality?? One would presume it was through passports - which have a name, so why not give the Canadian police and the family the names so the suspects can be questioned and either arrested or discounted from the inquiry? It seems as so often is the case that the authorities create an unprovable scenario and then walk away.

Despite what is says on the birth certificates of all Thai police men I am convinced they all have the maturity and professionalism of a 14 year old boy.

[jonstarjon]

I am so concerned about this! I have my own personal story of poisioning in Thailand this year. I have just recovered from major stomach surgery after a trip to Thailand to visit my wife (soon to be ex) and her family during Songkrahn. The lower half of my stomach and half of my liver has been removed to combat a perforated peptic ulcer. Both my kidneys were damaged with one of them completely destroyed.

A few days after arriving in Thailand I fell ill with blood from both my mouth and backside and yet i was left helpless in a small room while my wife and her family were busy celebrating Songkrahn. Eventually i escaped in disgust to the airport and returned home where i received support and medical help from my friends and loved ones (luckily i still have some after my wife's antics in the neighborhood where i live).

Anyway, after the operation was completed the pathology report is showng some strange results. Poison is suspected I hope they find the result before I run out of money. I have been told by investigators for my lawyer that proving that I was poisoned in Thailand will be next to impossible for a foreigner which i find sad. I wonder how many foreigners are suffering their wives without even knowing it.

The Chinese authorities (where i currently live) have decided to take some action but are waiting for a response. I have been told that i cannot stop the action of the police here but i am concerned for what might happen to my two children if some kind of investigation goes on in Thailand. For now, I just want peace recovery and rest from the trauma and to count myself lucky that I even got medical help.

The most worrying thing is the increase in reported poison related or stomach related incidents in Thailand there are now.... Is Thailand becoming the hub of poisoners?

[johnlandy]

Now why would he suggest a cover up?

Surely, no never here in Thailand where the people are so honest (and they have such beautiful smiles) the police so efficient, the list of superlatives is infinite "well isn't it"?

It won't bring his daughters back but he is probably a lot closer to the truth than he realises.

[laurentbkk]

terrible tragedy indeed , maybe the father because of extreme pain and sadness is assuming some facts , I think the report of the Canadian autopsy might give more answers , what about the Thai autopsy , what about the report ? Even if the Thais want to cover up to avoid bad image in tourism industry, its in their interest too , to bring the truth , as an image of ineffective police is sometime more harmful . Lets wait for those autopsy reports . I feel really sorry for those 2 girls , nobody deserve to die at this age and far from home and family.

[navara]

I feel so sorry for the family. I have only daughters myself.

[happysanook]

I offer my humble rest-in-peace to those two beautiful young ladies now they are in Heaven. My sincere condolences to Mr.Belanger, I can not imagine what he is going through and I hope his friends and family will support him through this terrible time.

I agree with Mr.Belanger that the official story has been one lie after another, and also I condemn the Thai authorities who have done nothing but speculate and delay, even saying the girls died from taking drugs such as magic mushrooms and drinking alcohol with prescription drugs. Shame on those people making public statements like that. For shame.

I posted something similar... Speculating they died from magic mushrooms (which is virtually impossible) or from combining paracetamol and alcohol. Simply shocking how dumb these suggestions are...

Of course Thai authorities will do everything in their power to cover up anything that would harm the tourist industry...that's the way of Thailand....miracle Thailand!!!

I think it's a far broader issue than just protecting the tourism industry. Since I can't make "blanket statements" about Thais here at Thaivisa, I'll digress...

[LomSak27]

Sorry but if the two guys have left he country then they know who they are ...right ..or am I missing something ...

Interpol ......IMO

Hey they may be guilty of something, or know something but we are just barking at the stars again.

If you were in Thailand and this happend and you were those guys, would you not get the heck out of the country (!) and fast before you are served up on a platter, wether guilty or just an innocent bystander?

I would not say a word until I got back to Portugal!!

[Tropicalevo]

Thai police are looking for two Portuguese men who have left the country??

How did the Thai police reach this conclusion about the nationality?? One would presume it was through passports - which have a name, so why not give the Canadian police and the family the names so the suspects can be questioned and either arrested or discounted from the inquiry? It seems as so often is the case that the authorities create an unprovable scenario and then walk away.

Despite what is says on the birth certificates of all Thai police men I am convinced they all have the maturity and professionalism of a 14 year old boy.

We should not jump to conclusions about the two Portugese men. In other articles that I have read, the police said that the two men were NOT suspects. They were staying at the same hotel and spent some time with the two girls on what sadly turned out to be their last night.

The police wanted to interview the men with a view to understanding what the girls ate, drank and their plans for later.

Condolances to Mr Belanger and his family. So sad.

[edwinclapham]

To Mr & Mrs Belanger my sincere condolences, no parent should outlive their children, RIP to your most beautiful daughters.

[cowslip]

Every time a tragedy like this happens the Thai authorities fail to rise to the occasion.

Visitors to Thailand should be made more aware at home of the obstacles and problems that arise if anything goes wrong whilst they are visiting this country.

Edited June 27, 2012 by cowslip