Japanese Tourist Dies Like A Samurai In Surat Thani

[pacovl46]

In ritualistic hara-kiri if you do not die or pass out the first stab or cut. You have to stab yourself again.. And again

This 30 year old guy was hardcore!

During hara kiri you always cut twice, and there's no way, if you do it that way, that you won't bleed to death!

[tinfoilhat]

They push the knife up in the heart, not down in the stomach !!!

nothing i have read would indicate this is true. source please.

[tinfoilhat]

I thought the correct term was Seppuku, not hari kari - lol

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

Correct, it is always written as Seppuku, but the spoken form can be hara-kiri.

No. Hara-kiri is a made up western word, but which nevertheless uses two real japanese words fused together. Japanese generally have not heard the word.

Despite this, the news report is right to use the English word since the report is in English, and the Thai version should also, since the Thai for seppuku is hara-kiri.

They are not alternative versions of the same word. Hara kiri is simply a nonsense English word.

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you sir are wrong, seppuku is the preferred written form, harakiri generally spoken.

both are represented with the same kanji, though there is a minor difference in that the characters are reversed.

[phuturatica]

Very sad story.

[Tanaka]

This does not add up. The man was alone when performing the alleged seppuku, he was not using a traditional dress, he used a knife bought in a local shop, not a traditional Tanto and he left no written statement. The most confusing fact is that he is supposed to have done this in a hotel room in a foreign country! It does not make sense. If the man was not of a deranged mind.

[tinfoilhat]

in your experience are people who try to kill themselves generally of sound mind?

[Tchooptip]

He's been pick-pocketed but the B.I.B. have his wallet and cash and so on. What genius came up with the theory he had been pick-pocketed, a deed so disastrous to save face he commits ritual suicide.

Because the day before he went to the police station complaining he had been pick-poketed

[Tchooptip]

Where did they get the idea that he had been pick pocketed? His wallet was in the room, with money in it. And when they say the knife was nearby do we mean across the room nearby or laying right next to or more likely under the hand he used to "slash" himself with. He went to Tesco and bought a t-shirt, a knife and some milk?

Maybe he just wanted to see where the milk went after he drank it. That's just as plausible as him being pick pocketed.

The police colonel speculated about a possible motive for the suicide. Mr. Kosai was apparently visiting Surat Thani as a tourist. But he could have been pickpocketed and had most of his assets stolen, so he had gone to see the tourist police. After returning to his hotel room, Mr. Kosai may have become so stressed that he went out to buy clothes and a knife and a bottle of milk. And then he killed himself and died like a Samurai

[ttelise]

Where did they get the idea that he had been pick pocketed? His wallet was in the room, with money in it. And when they say the knife was nearby do we mean across the room nearby or laying right next to or more likely under the hand he used to "slash" himself with. He went to Tesco and bought a t-shirt, a knife and some milk?

Maybe he just wanted to see where the milk went after he drank it. That's just as plausible as him being pick pocketed.

The police colonel speculated about a possible motive for the suicide. Mr. Kosai was apparently visiting Surat Thani as a tourist. But he could have been pickpocketed and had most of his assets stolen, so he had gone to see the tourist police. After returning to his hotel room, Mr. Kosai may have become so stressed that he went out to buy clothes and a knife and a bottle of milk. And then he killed himself and died like a Samurai

So stressed people typically go buy clothes and milk right before killing themselves with a knife. Did he learn that in PI or CSI school.

The knife purchase does give one pause to wonder. Maybe he purchased knife for protection after getting mugged and not to kill himself. Who knows. Finger prints need to be done, buy sounds as if they are not going to investigate further as they got it all figured out.

[SICHONSTEVE]

Huh? Did they run finger prints off the knife?

If shooting yourself 3 times in the head can be suicide then who is going to dispute this case being anything else other than suicide????.

[chrisinth]

Where did they get the idea that he had been pick pocketed? His wallet was in the room, with money in it. And when they say the knife was nearby do we mean across the room nearby or laying right next to or more likely under the hand he used to "slash" himself with. He went to Tesco and bought a t-shirt, a knife and some milk?

Maybe he just wanted to see where the milk went after he drank it. That's just as plausible as him being pick pocketed.

I wonder where his mobile phone was as it wasn't mentioned with the rest of the gear found in the room? I wonder what contacts he had on the phone (if there was one)?

Pure speculation of course, but it doesn't neccessarily mean that your wallet is picked from your pocket to be a victim of pick-pocketing....

[moe666]

In ritualistic hara-kiri if you do not die or pass out the first stab or cut. You have to stab yourself again.. And again

This 30 year old guy was hardcore!

heheheh sorry you are wrong there, they usually had a second who would remove the head after the first cut of the stomach

[Gaccha]

I thought the correct term was Seppuku, not hari kari - lol

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

Correct, it is always written as Seppuku, but the spoken form can be hara-kiri.

No. Hara-kiri is a made up western word, but which nevertheless uses two real japanese words fused together. Japanese generally have not heard the word.

Despite this, the news report is right to use the English word since the report is in English, and the Thai version should also, since the Thai for seppuku is hara-kiri.

They are not alternative versions of the same word. Hara kiri is simply a nonsense English word.

Sent from my HTC Explorer A310e using Thaivisa Connect App

you sir are wrong, seppuku is the preferred written form, harakiri generally spoken.

both are represented with the same kanji, though there is a minor difference in that the characters are reversed.

I concede the word is in the dictionary "colloquial" but that is because it is imported from English....

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[tinfoilhat]

Where did they get the idea that he had been pick pocketed? His wallet was in the room, with money in it. And when they say the knife was nearby do we mean across the room nearby or laying right next to or more likely under the hand he used to "slash" himself with. He went to Tesco and bought a t-shirt, a knife and some milk?

Maybe he just wanted to see where the milk went after he drank it. That's just as plausible as him being pick pocketed.

I wonder where his mobile phone was as it wasn't mentioned with the rest of the gear found in the room? I wonder what contacts he had on the phone (if there was one)?

Pure speculation of course, but it doesn't neccessarily mean that your wallet is picked from your pocket to be a victim of pick-pocketing....

and the article does not give a date on the receipt for the purchases.

it makes as much sense as the rest of the nonsense on here

[softgeorge]

I am sure the very talented police force will find out in no time what really happened in that room ......

Coincidence is the new "Fad" cause at the moment.

[TheGhostWithin]

"Police also found a department store receipt for a T-shirt, a knife and a bottle of milk. The police took all the recovered property to give to the relatives of the deceased."

Wonder what the relatives will do with the milk?

"Before enlightenment chop under milkwood. After enlightenment,

chop under milkwood."

Ooops. Sorry, that's a Chinese proverb. Just a few islands apart, though.

-mel.

A few islands apart, but a light year away in culture. Only the physical appearance is similar. Perhaps the speech, to those ignorant of the orient.

I agree, it appears total speculation, because, as usual, no facts posted, just something which appears to have been fictionally created by the reporter after being given the "facts" by the Police. No report of a coroners report. No reports of the CCTV footage, or other avenues of investigation. Japanese from what I have experienced typically travel with at least 1-2 friends, unless they have been visiting for years.

Those that have been visiting for years expect to be pick-pocketed, depending on where they are.. I get pic-pocketed inside the malls and markets in Bangkok at least once on every trip, during daylight hours.. I just expect it now. and I most definitely do not take a knife to my stomach - have they even asked the family if there would be a motive for suicide with issues back home?

I see his name plastered all over the article.. I sincerely hope they advised the family back home first.

[TheGhostWithin]

Deleted post in response to a question which has already been answered by another poster.

Edited December 2, 2012 by TheGhostWithin

[chooka]

This does not add up. The man was alone when performing the alleged seppuku, he was not using a traditional dress, he used a knife bought in a local shop, not a traditional Tanto and he left no written statement. The most confusing fact is that he is supposed to have done this in a hotel room in a foreign country! It does not make sense. If the man was not of a deranged mind.

My understanding is that it is done with witnesses, he would be dress in a white robe, have his last meal and write a poem. He would then slice himself left to right and after the act, a witness would wash the knife and it would be placed on the body for burial. I may be wrong.