Good Article On Downtown Deaths

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Wired magazine

I thought it good anyway, TAT might not agree.

[BookMan]

Tourist numbers keep rising: people don't seem to really care or maybe they don't believe that things will happen to them.

[rattler]

Tourist numbers keep rising: people don't seem to really care or maybe they don't believe that things will happen to them.

people never think it will happen to then, neighbour in my homeland had no burglar alarm, i got one on the day i moved in, next week he was burgled, next day he got an alarm

[mogandave]

I thought the article went nowhere, but that the long post below it was interesting.

[McMagus]

Good article Big John... thanks for posting.

[daoyai]

Tourist numbers keep rising: people don't seem to really care or maybe they don't believe that things will happen to them.

The overwhelming odds are against anything bad happening on a trip here. .... but if your luck is bad ,.....

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Tourist numbers keep rising: people don't seem to really care or maybe they don't believe that things will happen to them.

Because clearly if a tourist dies in any part of the world, it should be crossed off the global tourist map for 27 years.

Don't these people know anything.

Edited November 19, 2012 by WinnieTheKhwai

[hellodolly]

Tourist numbers keep rising: people don't seem to really care or maybe they don't believe that things will happen to them.

Because clearly if a tourist dies in any part of the world, it should be crossed off the global tourist map for 27 years.

Don't these people know anything.

Winnie they will not allow the number of I like's you deserve.

The whole article was written looking to put Thailand down with a list of heart breaking events. A Thai Basher through and through. Name one country in the world that dosen't have a list of heart breaking tales. But apparently Thailand is the only country the author has it in for.

Ask him if he had his choice between Thailand and Afghanistan where he would send his grown up off spring with a mind of their own.

The whole article would be a tender heart felt story with out the mention of the country in it. Much less the assumed assumption that it could only happen in Thailand.

edit

One more point the picture of Jill St. Onge, was taken in Angkor Wat not Thailand.

Edited November 19, 2012 by hellodolly

[Rancid]

True that these things can happen elsewhere, the only issue of note is how a country with such large tourist volume still tolerates a corrupt police force that by all appearances seems completely disinterested, no doubt benefactors are being protected. There again it is just one of many instituations that keeps the feudal state rolling along and thus still relatively cheap to holiday, as long as the planes stay full and they continue to...

[Chicog]

Have they rebuilt the DoomTown Inn yet?

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

it adds to the allure of visiting an exotic culture. Risk of death in Paradise.

Ladyboys

Tuk Tuks and other traffic dangers

STD's

Exotic diseases like malaria, typhoid

Tsunami's, floods, steroids, Yaba , opium

etc, etc

They keep coming despite the warning signs. or because of them?

[hellodolly]

Have they rebuilt the DoomTown Inn yet?

Now there is a funny thing about that I walk by it quite often. They have built a 1 foot high footing around most of it with a 8 foot high corrugated steel fence on it.

As soon as they had it torn down and the property leveled up they put in some 3 foot in diameter concrete pipe. Maybe about 12 feet down put a grate on it right there in the middle area of the field. Every so often when I have walked by they have had some one out there with a garden hose watering the weeds.

They had four deaths there the first two strange indeed a month apart and no one else getting sick in between. People claim there is a cover up I don't know but I do know that Thailand does not have cutting edge technology like Television does. There apparently was a massive over use of a very toxic chemical that got into the mattresses. But why did they not have any one else get sick in a month between the two deaths. Very perplexing. We will never know unless it was an out and out killing and the perpetrator comes forth. A month later a couple both in their 60s died of a heart attack white in ten minutes of each other. I believe they had been together 30 years.

I don't know but I can conceive of one dying of a heart attack and the other being over come with grief and having a heart attack also.

There was two cases where the person lived through it. The first was a room mate of the girl from New Zealand who had died. She herself became very sick. The second one was a lady from Seattle who became very sick and while still sick managed to return to Seattle where they could not diagnose what had precipitated it. They also like Thailand do not have cutting edge technology like Television.

All in all very strange indeed

[Mapguy]

it adds to the allure of visiting an exotic culture. Risk of death in Paradise.

Ladyboys

Tuk Tuks and other traffic dangers

STD's

Exotic diseases like malaria, typhoid

Tsunami's, floods, steroids, Yaba , opium

etc, etc

They keep coming despite the warning signs. or because of them?

Do you live here?! If so, why? Sorry! Humor, of course!

Otherwise, certainly, a provocative article!

Edited November 19, 2012 by Mapguy

[circusman]

it adds to the allure of visiting an exotic culture. Risk of death in Paradise.

Ladyboys

Tuk Tuks and other traffic dangers

STD's

Exotic diseases like malaria, typhoid

Tsunami's, floods, steroids, Yaba , opium

etc, etc

They keep coming despite the warning signs. or because of them?

Nice BIG paint brush you have there. Painting all ladyboys bad.

[Oscar2]

it adds to the allure of visiting an exotic culture. Risk of death in Paradise.

Ladyboys

Tuk Tuks and other traffic dangers

STD's

Exotic diseases like malaria, typhoid

Tsunami's, floods, steroids, Yaba , opium

etc, etc

They keep coming despite the warning signs. or because of them?

Nice BIG paint brush you have there. Painting all ladyboys bad.

most of them are trouble makers.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

it adds to the allure of visiting an exotic culture. Risk of death in Paradise.

Ladyboys

Tuk Tuks and other traffic dangers

STD's

Exotic diseases like malaria, typhoid

Tsunami's, floods, steroids, Yaba , opium

etc, etc

They keep coming despite the warning signs. or because of them?

Nice BIG paint brush you have there. Painting all ladyboys bad.

Hey Circus Dude...That's on you. I never said Ladyboys are bad or good or anything. Perhaps you might want to brush up on your reading skills. Thanks

[femi fan]

True that these things can happen elsewhere, the only issue of note is how a country with such large tourist volume still tolerates a corrupt police force that by all appearances seems completely disinterested, no doubt benefactors are being protected. There again it is just one of many instituations that keeps the feudal state rolling along and thus still relatively cheap to holiday, as long as the planes stay full and they continue to...

You might do well to ask yourself just why thailand can attract so many millions of tourists. Perhaps it simply is nothing like the dreadful place you paint it out to be. For sure, feudal states cannot possibly manage the logistics of 20 million arrivals each year.

[TommoPhysicist]

True that these things can happen elsewhere, the only issue of note is how a country with such large tourist volume still tolerates a corrupt police force that by all appearances seems completely disinterested, no doubt benefactors are being protected. There again it is just one of many instituations that keeps the feudal state rolling along and thus still relatively cheap to holiday, as long as the planes stay full and they continue to...

You might do well to ask yourself just why thailand can attract so many millions of tourists. Perhaps it simply is nothing like the dreadful place you paint it out to be. For sure, feudal states cannot possibly manage the logistics of 20 million arrivals each year.

Actually plenty of western people get themselves killed in third world countries every year.

Usually they are young and still think they will live forever, and danger doesn't apply to them.

They also feel they can scuba dive and ride motorcycles without prior training, not to mention take drugs of any type with impunity from the law or death.

All part of being young and death being a distant thought.

Any way you look at it, Thailand is an extremely dangerous place to visit or live in, for both Thais and foreigners. The accidental death (and suicide) statistics are off the charts.

Edited November 22, 2012 by TommoPhysicist

[Lizard2010]

Tourist numbers keep rising: people don't seem to really care or maybe they don't believe that things will happen to them.

Because clearly if a tourist dies in any part of the world, it should be crossed off the global tourist map for 27 years.

Don't these people know anything.

Winnie they will not allow the number of I like's you deserve.

The whole article was written looking to put Thailand down with a list of heart breaking events. A Thai Basher through and through. Name one country in the world that dosen't have a list of heart breaking tales. But apparently Thailand is the only country the author has it in for.

Ask him if he had his choice between Thailand and Afghanistan where he would send his grown up off spring with a mind of their own.

The whole article would be a tender heart felt story with out the mention of the country in it. Much less the assumed assumption that it could only happen in Thailand.

edit

One more point the picture of Jill St. Onge, was taken in Angkor Wat not Thailand.

The first to die was a Thai Tourist guide from Bangkok the second a New Zealand girl the the two British Older couple.

I was actually there when the manager was trying to take the body of the first person down the fire Escape as we were talking to the Supervisor i had know for some years.

We will never know what happened.

I will have to see for myself when i arrive in Chiang Mai on Monday.

[Loaded]

Any way you look at it, Thailand is an extremely dangerous place to visit or live in, for both Thais and foreigners. The accidental death (and suicide) statistics are off the charts.

unsubstantiated nonsense as usual

suicide rates per country in rank order (1 is highest):

http://en.wikipedia....by_suicide_rate

Thailand ranks 56, Australia ranks 46, Canada ranks 39, USA ranks 38 and New Zealand ranks 29

Accidental deaths due to car accidents:

http://en.wikipedia....ated_death_rate

Many countries are far more dangerous than Thailand

Murder rate:

http://en.wikipedia....l_homicide_rate

South Africa is 31.8. Brazil is 21.0. Russia is 10.2. Estonia is 5.2. Thailand is 4.8. USA is 4.2.

Edited November 22, 2012 by Loaded

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

The death from HIV/AIDS in Thailand is pretty darn high.. It's below African standards but quite high.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_hiv_aid_dea-health-hiv-aids-deaths

I think consistently HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death in Thailand.

Nearly double the number of deaths in Thailand versus the US. 28,000 vs 17,000 for a country 1/5 the population.

I guess some theories propose european descent populations have been somewhat inoculated from getting it due to exposure to the plague.

Currently Africans are getting hit the hardest and even from heterosexual behavior because their immune systems are not prepared for it.

Not sure how Thai's figure into this but there is plenty of HIV out there and not to be dismissed from reality.

Yeah and Ladyboys? well I am guessing they tend to be more likely carriers. Anybody have any data on that? Just making an informed guess based on risky behaviors involving the bung hole.

[Beetlejuice]

Tourist numbers keep rising: people don't seem to really care or maybe they don't believe that things will happen to them.

Because clearly if a tourist dies in any part of the world, it should be crossed off the global tourist map for 27 years.

Don't these people know anything.

Winnie they will not allow the number of I like's you deserve.

The whole article was written looking to put Thailand down with a list of heart breaking events. A Thai Basher through and through. Name one country in the world that dosen't have a list of heart breaking tales. But apparently Thailand is the only country the author has it in for.

Ask him if he had his choice between Thailand and Afghanistan where he would send his grown up off spring with a mind of their own.

The whole article would be a tender heart felt story with out the mention of the country in it. Much less the assumed assumption that it could only happen in Thailand.

edit

One more point the picture of Jill St. Onge, was taken in Angkor Wat not Thailand.

True, these tragedies could happen anywhere in the world, but the cases mentioned in the article happened in Thailand, so the rest is irrelevant. Unless someone has children of their own, they may find it difficult to relate to this.

These people died in the prime of they’re lives without any conclusions to the cause of death which means the victims can never be laid to rest. So for the parents and families it means life long torment.

The problem is that the Thai authorities are fully aware that the general public have short memories and once the cases are out of the public interest, than all will be forgotten and buried under the carpet, or in the case of the Downtown Inn, all remnants have been demolished and cleared away.

First, try to place yourself in the same situations as the parents of these tragic victims who will probably never receive compensation or justice. Of course someone must know something somewhere, but the question is; will the whole facts and the truth ever be known? And that`s what this is all about, certainly not a deliberate attempt at Thai bashing in these cases.

[Semper]

Good Article On Downtown Deaths

[endure]

The death from HIV/AIDS in Thailand is pretty darn high.. It's below African standards but quite high.

http://www.nationmas...hiv-aids-deaths

I think consistently HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death in Thailand.

Nearly double the number of deaths in Thailand versus the US. 28,000 vs 17,000 for a country 1/5 the population.

I guess some theories propose european descent populations have been somewhat inoculated from getting it due to exposure to the plague.

Currently Africans are getting hit the hardest and even from heterosexual behavior because their immune systems are not prepared for it.

It's not their immune systems that's the problem - it's the fact that no-one is mentioning the high risk of anal intercourse to them and thus they assume that it (anal intercourse ) is safe.

http://www.plusnews.org/Report/93032/HIV-AIDS-Anal-sex-HIV-risk-misunderstood-among-heterosexuals

[hellodolly]

Tourist numbers keep rising: people don't seem to really care or maybe they don't believe that things will happen to them.

Because clearly if a tourist dies in any part of the world, it should be crossed off the global tourist map for 27 years.

Don't these people know anything.

Winnie they will not allow the number of I like's you deserve.

The whole article was written looking to put Thailand down with a list of heart breaking events. A Thai Basher through and through. Name one country in the world that dosen't have a list of heart breaking tales. But apparently Thailand is the only country the author has it in for.

Ask him if he had his choice between Thailand and Afghanistan where he would send his grown up off spring with a mind of their own.

The whole article would be a tender heart felt story with out the mention of the country in it. Much less the assumed assumption that it could only happen in Thailand.

edit

One more point the picture of Jill St. Onge, was taken in Angkor Wat not Thailand.

True, these tragedies could happen anywhere in the world, but the cases mentioned in the article happened in Thailand, so the rest is irrelevant. Unless someone has children of their own, they may find it difficult to relate to this.

These people died in the prime of they’re lives without any conclusions to the cause of death which means the victims can never be laid to rest. So for the parents and families it means life long torment.

The problem is that the Thai authorities are fully aware that the general public have short memories and once the cases are out of the public interest, than all will be forgotten and buried under the carpet, or in the case of the Downtown Inn, all remnants have been demolished and cleared away.

First, try to place yourself in the same situations as the parents of these tragic victims who will probably never receive compensation or justice. Of course someone must know something somewhere, but the question is; will the whole facts and the truth ever be known? And that`s what this is all about, certainly not a deliberate attempt at Thai bashing in these cases.

You are completely clueless the article was written to put Thailand down using heart breaking stories that every country in the world could tell

As for try to put yourself in their place do you have any idea of what it is like to lose a son. Mine was 18 when he drowned and I went through agony and it hurt for years after. Yes I know what it is like to lose my own but I cannot imagine what it would be like for another parent. One friend of mine had a successful construction company he lost because he could not work for a year. I strongly suspect that the person who wrote the article is doing it for one of two reasons.

1 they got ripped off by a Scam in Thailand or

2 It is the only way they know how to deal with there grief.

That point I understand very well. I do not condone the article but if point number 2 is true I fully understand.

7 years after my son's death I found my self with tears in my eyes recalling a very rewarding experience my boy and I had had shortly before his death.

Stick to your doom an gloom attitude and don't even try to imagine about the feelings of others.

[Oscar2]

You are completely clueless the article was written to put Thailand down using heart breaking stories that every country in the world could tell

As for try to put yourself in their place do you have any idea of what it is like to lose a son. Mine was 18 when he drowned and I went through agony and it hurt for years after. Yes I know what it is like to lose my own but I cannot imagine what it would be like for another parent. One friend of mine had a successful construction company he lost because he could not work for a year. I strongly suspect that the person who wrote the article is doing it for one of two reasons.

1 they got ripped off by a Scam in Thailand or

2 It is the only way they know how to deal with there grief.

That point I understand very well. I do not condone the article but if point number 2 is true I fully understand.

7 years after my son's death I found my self with tears in my eyes recalling a very rewarding experience my boy and I had had shortly before his death.

Stick to your doom an gloom attitude and don't even try to imagine about the feelings of others.

you talk too much (and post too much). maybe find a hobby?

[antpet]

Like it or not, accept it or reject but you can't refute that it is a damning catologue of criminality focussed upon a very small area, particular group of people and nothing ever seems to be done to catch those responsible.

It remains totally unacceptable and clearly frustrating just how apathetic the police remain.

That is what damns Thailand.

Sure bad things can happen everywhere.

But an institutionally bad police force?

Mexico has its terrible drug wars and kidnappings but it also has a high profile highly militarised police force [and army] touring the streets in an attempt to prevent crime.

What impression do the Thai Police make anywhere in this country? As they are totally feckless whereever and whenever you come across them.

I have no respect for the police at all as I have no evience of them ever having earned that respect. The same can be said for their politicians and political system. That is two of societies major institutions dealt with. Their education system doesn't work. There is no social welfare. The justice system is deleivered when bought and paid for only and fails the poor on every occasion.

Thailand is an awful place.

When it goes wrong and there is no chance of justice it is a hell hole waiting to swallow you up. That is the reality that happens to the unfortunate few. But it is an accident waiting to happen. Those who refuse to see this truth deny that bad people are free to do bad things to decent holiday makers.

There is no hope for this country as no matter how bad the shame there is no one in Thai society - absolutely no one - who speaks out against it.

The problem is bad that decent people are cowed into total silence for fear of their own lives should they speak out.

Enjoy your holiday.

Enjoy reading about the next innocent young women soon to be beaten to death by the sea. Another one raped, beaten and left for dead. And of course another Thai politician saying how she was a woman and so she deserved it.

That's the logic.

Thailand has a civilisation over 4 thousand years old and they left the trees this morning.

[mcgriffith]

Bad shit happens everywhere.

No apologies, just my observation.

Patagonia is always an option.

[hellodolly]

You are completely clueless the article was written to put Thailand down using heart breaking stories that every country in the world could tell

As for try to put yourself in their place do you have any idea of what it is like to lose a son. Mine was 18 when he drowned and I went through agony and it hurt for years after. Yes I know what it is like to lose my own but I cannot imagine what it would be like for another parent. One friend of mine had a successful construction company he lost because he could not work for a year. I strongly suspect that the person who wrote the article is doing it for one of two reasons.

1 they got ripped off by a Scam in Thailand or

2 It is the only way they know how to deal with there grief.

That point I understand very well. I do not condone the article but if point number 2 is true I fully understand.

7 years after my son's death I found my self with tears in my eyes recalling a very rewarding experience my boy and I had had shortly before his death.

Stick to your doom an gloom attitude and don't even try to imagine about the feelings of others.

you talk too much (and post too much). maybe find a hobby?

If reality is to much for you put your head back in the sand.

There you wont have to read about it or hear about it.

[rene123]

Bad shit happens everywhere.

No apologies, just my observation.

Patagonia is always an option.

I agree. It is less safe in my home town of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, depending on where you go. There are drug deals going on nightly in some of the local bars. And, the local police have a heavy handed bully boy attitude and treat everyone like they are a criminal.