Phuket Police Investigate Apparent Stabbing Suicide By Swiss Expat

[JackB]

Very sad story indeed and almost as unplausible as the hanged farang in BKK with chopped of head who reportedly hanged himself a few years ago.

There are several farmacies that will sell strong sleeping pills to a farang in that area and a love sick farang would probably try to use alcohol and sleeping pills to end his life. No way he would have killed himself with a fruit carving knife.

I recently had a burglary at my house in Rawai and the Chalong police were there quickly and they were very friendly and tried to be helpful. But they lack of modern forensic equipment and are held up by having to chase unlicensed foreign tour guides instead of making Phuket more secure.

Proof me wrong but Farangs are always wrong no matter if someone bumped in their car, get beaten up by taxi drivers or even get murdered, it seems standard procedure.

[PingManDan]

Huuuummmm? sounds pretty fishy to me, but if all it takes is a hand written note, and to stab himself in the chest??????? and the police believe this, then it must be (Duuuuh). Wait a minute here, you mean it is not at all possible where she stabs, or someone stabs him in his sleep, on the bed, and then places the knife into his hand, then scribbles out a note of confession to suicide, or some sort of scenario like this?????

Wow then these cops are really lame.

[Tatsujin]

On a side note, Google's ads at the top of the page were interesting, the most prominent being "Suicide Prevention" . . . to which there is an easy answer . . . don't retire in Thailand.

[drdoom6996]

What a Complete Surprise Wikepedia list 3 pages of statistics of ways people commit suicide and stabbing yourself in ones chest is not on the list AT ALL now slashing your wrists is but stabbing oneself in the chest NO

AMAZING

DK

It's a MIRACLE Thailand keeps coming up with new and unusual stuff all the time. The "Land of Smile" is truely amazing.

RIP to the poor expat.

[KarenBravo]

Jeez.......it's threads like these that bring out all the wannabe Poirot's and Sherlocks.

You people are not detectives and you don't have the facts.

Very easy to commit suicide with a fruit knife. Place between ribs over the heart and give it a good whack.

You even have the time to pull it out again as I knife in the heart is not instantaneous death (Aussie lady killed in the bag snatch is an example).

[diz]

Self stabbing is pretty common in Switzerland. I did it this year at least 2 or 3 times. It's a kind of national sport. This why all Swiss have one of those fancy Swiss Army knifes (like MacGuyver).

RIP Landsmann

[stevenl]

Proof me wrong but Farangs are always wrong no matter if someone bumped in their car.

It used to be that way, but that has changed already for years and years. And yes, I have experienced that myself, so you have been proven wrong.

[FOODLOVER]

Self stabbing is pretty common in Switzerland. I did it this year at least 2 or 3 times. It's a kind of national sport. This why all Swiss have one of those fancy Swiss Army knifes (like MacGuyver).

RIP Landsmann

Fonduicide?

[biggunguy]

Self stabbing is pretty common in Switzerland. I did it this year at least 2 or 3 times. It's a kind of national sport. This why all Swiss have one of those fancy Swiss Army knifes (like MacGuyver).

RIP Landsmann

doesnt really speak for swiss army knives, when he used a fruit knife...

[transam]

Jeez.......it's threads like these that bring out all the wannabe Poirot's and Sherlocks.

You people are not detectives and you don't have the facts.

Very easy to commit suicide with a fruit knife. Place between ribs over the heart and give it a good whack.

You even have the time to pull it out again as I knife in the heart is not instantaneous death (Aussie lady killed in the bag snatch is an example).

We have to talk about something Captain Hastings.

[F1fanatic]

Hopefully, the deceased will have family abroad that ensure a full investigation.

Edited August 7, 2012 by F1fanatic

[KarenBravo]

We have to talk about something Captain Hastings.

Who TF is Captain Hastings?

If you must say something on this thread, why not a simple RIP?

Or, maybe condolences to his relatives?

There is nothing suspicious from the info that has been given out to the public.

[biggunguy]

maybe her phone could be tracked - where it was when the 80 calls came in...

was she without her phone?

didnt she reply?

[KarenBravo]

........and the amateur sleuthing continues.

Why post all these "sharp observations" here where they do no good?

Why not call the BiB and give them your ideas? At least have the courage of your convictions. If not, it's just idle gossip by idle gossipers.

[F1fanatic]

We have to talk about something Captain Hastings.

Who TF is Captain Hastings?

If you must say something on this thread, why not a simple RIP?

Or, maybe condolences to his relatives?

There is nothing suspicious from the info that has been given out to the public.

You're kidding right?

Its horrendously suspicious! But hopefully the deceased will have family abroad that ensure a full investigation.

[biggunguy]

Why post all these "sharp observations" here where they do no good?

why should i post here condolences to the relatives, where "they do no good" either?

why to post this news anyway? he is dead, isnt he?

Edited August 7, 2012 by biggunguy

[KarenBravo]

We have to talk about something Captain Hastings.

Who TF is Captain Hastings?

If you must say something on this thread, why not a simple RIP?

Or, maybe condolences to his relatives?

There is nothing suspicious from the info that has been given out to the public.

You're kidding right?

Its horrendously suspicious! But hopefully the deceased will have family abroad that ensure a full investigation.

Please say what is suspicious.

[F1fanatic]

We have to talk about something Captain Hastings.

Who TF is Captain Hastings?

If you must say something on this thread, why not a simple RIP?

Or, maybe condolences to his relatives?

There is nothing suspicious from the info that has been given out to the public.

You're kidding right?

Its horrendously suspicious! But hopefully the deceased will have family abroad that ensure a full investigation.

Please say what is suspicious.

If you can't see why some think this needs further investigation, then its pointless answering your post.

[biggunguy]

Please say what is suspicious.

EVERY death is suspicious...

and only when every possible suspect and a crime can be ruled out, then it was a "natural death"

do you seriously find the death of a 50something financially stable and rational european male with a fruit knife in the chest entirely "unsuspicious"?

Edited August 7, 2012 by biggunguy

[Misterwhisper]

It's true. Many of us have become extremely suspicious when it comes to the strange ways foreigners supposedly take their own lifes in this country. But then again...

Where was the wife that it warranted 80 phone calls and such a pitiful "suicide" note? Looks to me like the wife had left the Swiss and he thought she wouldn't return.

Why didn't she pick up the phone? What was she busy with that she ignored 80 phone calls? Maybe she just wanted to "punish" the Swiss...

Why was she found crying lying next to his corpse? When exactly did she return and why and from where?

Self-stabbing is certainly an extremely uncommon method of committing suicide (unless you're an ancient Roman, of course). Why is the police coming to conclusions so fast?

How authentic is that suicide note? Is it in the deceased's handwriting? Can this handwriting be verified? Is it not too early to attribute it to the Swiss man without comparing the handwriting?

Has the Swiss man's mobile phone been checked? Have some 80 phone calls to his wife's number been made? If yes, in which time window, prior or after the estimated time of death? What were the intervals between individual calls?

I am NOT saying the man has NOT committed suicide. I am merely implying that it is too early to come to preconceived and easy conclusions. But our BiB are great at that, especially when foreigners are the victims. Remember those 2 Canadian girls on Phi Phi? The local police almost immediately came forward branding their deaths as "clear cases of food poisoning". Likewise for the several deaths in one single Chiang Mai hotel last year. Those also were touted as " cases of food poisoning".

[saroq]

Suspicious? Yes. How may 50+ year olds reading this are not at the point in their lives where if a Thai woman wanted to leave you, you wouldn't hold the door open for her and help her on her merry way? Hopefully he has a few close friends in Thailand who are privy to truth about the state of his marriage so if this is not suicide or if they know that he was not suicidal they can follow up. RIP.

[robertson468]

A very unusual, even odd case, which is all the more strange for being concluded by what appears to be a nod of the head by the Police. Did he have any Friends, did they advise the Police he had a track record for depression? On the other hand, just because the case is highly unusual does not necessarily mean it was murder. Remember, there is nowt more queer than folk, as they say in Yorkshire. He may have chosen to go this way, many of us will not have that choice when the time comes! RIP.

[RicFlair]

Just think if they had a Thai Tv programme similar to CSI etc. It would be shorter than the commercial break!

This crime/suicide has just been reported and in the next paragraph solved, has Thailand really got the fastest Crime scene investigators, pathologists in the world? Nope, surely this would take a few weeks to collate all the facts?

TiT. And don't forget it is Amazing Thailand this year, well I'm amazed every day here one way or another!

[F1fanatic]

Suspicious? Yes. How may 50+ year olds reading this are not at the point in their lives where if a Thai woman wanted to leave you, you wouldn't hold the door open for her and help her on her merry way? Hopefully he has a few close friends in Thailand who are privy to truth about the state of his marriage so if this is not suicide or if they know that he was not suicidal they can follow up. RIP.

But don't rely on 'close' friends having the first idea as to his true mental state!

My ex-husband was being treated for depression but I (and presumably his g/f) were the only people that knew - even though he had many friends...

Anyway, a depressed person is unlikely to take their life this way - although, I suppose, its possible.

[BookMan]

He must have been in a fragile state to stab himself in his chest. I have to say this is the first time I have heard of suicide by that method, but although stretching credulity, he could have been emotionally a wreck and under the influence...

I'm sure the last thing the authorities want is another farang murder in Phuket.

A list of popular suicide methods.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide_methods

[KarenBravo]

Anyway, a depressed person is unlikely to take their life this way - although, I suppose, its possible.

.....and you know this how? Are you a qualified person? Are you a clinical psychologist? A psychiatrist even?

Or, is this just a personal opinion that isn't backed up by any evidence?

Edited August 7, 2012 by KarenBravo

[transam]

We have to talk about something Captain Hastings.

Who TF is Captain Hastings?

If you must say something on this thread, why not a simple RIP?

Or, maybe condolences to his relatives?

There is nothing suspicious from the info that has been given out to the public.

, You quote Poirot and you don't know who Captain Hastings is .

He is Poirots dozy side kick.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

He tried to text his wife 80 times and yet she was by his side crying when the police arrived

That's what I couldn't understand from the OP article also.... Certainly makes one wonder about the suicide conclusion...

[KarenBravo]

We have to talk about something Captain Hastings.

Who TF is Captain Hastings?

If you must say something on this thread, why not a simple RIP?

Or, maybe condolences to his relatives?

There is nothing suspicious from the info that has been given out to the public.

, You quote Poirot and you don't know who Captain Hastings is .

He is Poirots dozy side kick.

You seem to be the "dozy side-kick" expert, not me.

[transam]

We have to talk about something Captain Hastings.

Who TF is Captain Hastings?

If you must say something on this thread, why not a simple RIP?

Or, maybe condolences to his relatives?

There is nothing suspicious from the info that has been given out to the public.

, You quote Poirot and you don't know who Captain Hastings is .

He is Poirots dozy side kick.

You seem to be the "dozy side-kick" expert, not me.

Yep.