Australian Tourist Found Dead From Possible Drug Overdose In Phuket Resort

[Markaew]

It seems like a lot of foreigners who come on vacation to Thailand die here. If I were a scientific minded person I guess I would look at the number of vacationer deaths as a percentage of tourists. If the official number of tourists is around 15 million, and we adjust for the number of Thais and other foreigners who come on tourist visas for whatever reason... we can guess the number of holiday makers in a year is ... I dont know... lets say 10 million. So it seems to me a few are gonna die.

Another topic is violent deaths or violence perpetrated on foreigners. From personal experience... I would say the rate of violence in other western countries is much higher than the rate in Thailand. I am never nervous walking anywhere here late at night (although I must admit you won't find me in lower sukumvit).

Sounds like you will be the next victim.

And for M-ha: I like it when people talk about "acceptable numbers of losses" when it doesn't include them. If you were next in line, your tune would change.

[BookMan]

I remember reading somewhere that of the total tourist who do die in Thailand, Aussies are mostly the biggest percentage.

I have never heard that. Where did you read it? Please link your source.

In 2009 Thailand ranked 5th for Aussie holiday deaths 378,000 Aussie visitors and 105 deaths

Thanks for that info, but I would still like to see a source where it came from.

Basing my comment on that info, it is not the biggest percentage. As Australia is one of the nations that has the highest number of tourists it makes sense that it would rank high on the death list.

Nothing odd about that at all, just a result of high tourist numbers.

[tingtongtourist]

I remember reading somewhere that of the total tourist who do die in Thailand, Aussies are mostly the biggest percentage.

I have never heard that. Where did you read it? Please link your source.

In 2009 Thailand ranked 5th for Aussie holiday deaths 378,000 Aussie visitors and 105 deaths

Thanks for that info, but I would still like to see a source where it came from.

Basing my comment on that info, it is not the biggest percentage. As Australia is one of the nations that has the highest number of tourists it makes sense that it would rank high on the death list.

Nothing odd about that at all, just a result of high tourist numbers.

the title is Thailand tops Australian death list

[techboy]

I am 'gobsmacked'............No health issues, but medication for seizures and convulsions ?

Where does the "possible drug overdose" theory come from .

Possibly the family does not know All people do not share their health problems with family. Mine does not know that I have flat feet Where does the possible drug overdose theory come from? Are you certain that you do not wish to retract that question?

[tingtongtourist]

I remember reading somewhere that of the total tourist who do die in Thailand, Aussies are mostly the biggest percentage.

I have never heard that. Where did you read it? Please link your source.

In 2009 Thailand ranked 5th for Aussie holiday deaths 378,000 Aussie visitors and 105 deaths

Thanks for that info, but I would still like to see a source where it came from.

Basing my comment on that info, it is not the biggest percentage. As Australia is one of the nations that has the highest number of tourists it makes sense that it would rank high on the death list.

Nothing odd about that at all, just a result of high tourist numbers.

The above site has a chart that does includes illness as a factor but still, interesting to read

[BookMan]

http://www.thaivisa....ian-death-list/

the title is Thailand tops Australian death list

What? That stat is for Total Australian Deaths across ALL countries, with Thailand being highest. It is comparing Australians with Australians.

It does not show that Australian deaths in Thailand are the highest for any country. That is what you meant, yes?

[fisherd3]

Phenobarbital is a straight up Barbiturate still prescribed to control Epilepsy , Barbitutates are considered very dangerous and are mostly banned, plus Alcohol definite potential.

[tingtongtourist]

http://www.thaivisa....ian-death-list/

the title is Thailand tops Australian death list

What? That stat is for Total Australian Deaths across ALL countries, with Thailand being highest. It is comparing Australians with Australians.

It does not show that Australian deaths in Thailand are the highest for any country. That is what you meant, yes?

Err..well this post is about an Australian who died in Thailand and other posters are discussing the rate of deaths of Aussies here so i thought that chart was of interest.

It seems to suggest Thailand is a very dangerous place for the Aussie tourist, but my point is that Thailand is a place where Aussies are more likely to be a bigger danger to themselves

[techboy]

Amazing Thailand a place where every 1 in 10,000 visitors becomes a casualty. Which other tourist destination the world-over can claim such an amazing reputation. Maybe its something in the water.

So far you have one country in your data base.

[simple1]

http://www.thaivisa....ian-death-list/

the title is Thailand tops Australian death list

What? That stat is for Total Australian Deaths across ALL countries, with Thailand being highest. It is comparing Australians with Australians.

It does not show that Australian deaths in Thailand are the highest for any country. That is what you meant, yes?

In an endeavour to show some comparison, in the reporting year 2010/2011 there were 296 UK citizen deaths reported to the Embassy in Thailand. Australia deaths in the same period about 70. UK roughly 800k tourist tourist visitors. However UK embassy estimates 50,000 UK nationals living in Thailand, presumably the majority being retirees. Cannot locate the figure for Australian retirees in Thailand, but in the same period roughly 700k tourist visitors.

Edited January 12, 2013 by simple1

[kevvy]

RIP TRUE BLUE

[raybal5]

[

Err..well this post is about an Australian who died in Thailand and other posters are discussing the rate of deaths of Aussies here so i thought that chart was of interest.

It seems to suggest Thailand is a very dangerous place for the Aussie tourist, but my point is that Thailand is a place where Aussies are more likely to be a bigger danger to themselves

Actually, the most likely reason Thailand has the most number of Australian holiday deaths is because many more Australians holiday in Thailand than in any other country. I used to work in an Australian travel agent with offices in every state of Australia. Thailand was one of it's biggest sellers. And when I say Thailand, 95% of that would be Phuket.

[timewilltell]

Why is the emphasis on proving how good or bad Thailand is compared to another place that may or may not be equally bad. The point is a lot of people do get murdered here, die from accidents etc., and violence seems to me to be on the up. It may be on the up everywhere but that is not the point. Every society has its issues and Thai society has many issues too. Those of us living here and maybe trying to bring up a family want THIS society to get better. The police are generally idle and motivated by money - they are certainly not motivated by justice unless closely involved themselves - they couldn't care less about someone dying whatever the cause unless it will affect them. This is not the role of police who are there to uphold law and order and present people to the courts for justice where a law is believed to be broken.

The reason most people spout off on here about the circumstances of a death is that the police certainly do not act in a thorough way and in so many cases are closely involved in the criminality themselves (and especially in Phuket and Pattaya) so people are really on their own. Hence there is suspicion at every turn because there is zero confidence in the police being remotely interested in the truth.

In this case we are 'told' that it is probably due to medical reasons but the logic arriving there is suspect. Just because there is a bottle of unspecified medicine lying around does not make the cause of death obvious and that is the conclusion reached immediately by the police with no investigation at all. Personally I think the police could not give a hoot and will say whatever necessary to avoid doing any work because there is no money in this for them and hence any old excuse will do. Obviously I do not have much respect for them but I am sure I am not alone.

It might be better if they waited until at least some investigation were forthcoming from the autopsy before cleaning away all the evidence, just in case some clever person has dropped a bottle of medicine purposely to make it look like a medical issue instead of something more insidious because if the police are wrong it will be too late to actually do any investigation if the evidence is all cleaned. Saves them a job I suppose though. Actually faking a death here must be pretty easy given the ambivalence attached to crime.

Sad for the guy leaving the earth so early in life - may he have gone to a better place.

[tingtongtourist]

[

Err..well this post is about an Australian who died in Thailand and other posters are discussing the rate of deaths of Aussies here so i thought that chart was of interest.

It seems to suggest Thailand is a very dangerous place for the Aussie tourist, but my point is that Thailand is a place where Aussies are more likely to be a bigger danger to themselves

Actually, the most likely reason Thailand has the most number of Australian holiday deaths is because many more Australians holiday in Thailand than in any other country. I used to work in an Australian travel agent with offices in every state of Australia. Thailand was one of it's biggest sellers. And when I say Thailand, 95% of that would be Phuket.

Yes, very often i am told by Thais that Thailand is the number1 country that everyone in the world want to go for holiday

And Yes, Phuket for Aussies and this is because AirAsia fly direct from many Aussie airports and i guess another big attraction is cheap beer....and cheap .......

[NamKangMan]

[

Err..well this post is about an Australian who died in Thailand and other posters are discussing the rate of deaths of Aussies here so i thought that chart was of interest.

It seems to suggest Thailand is a very dangerous place for the Aussie tourist, but my point is that Thailand is a place where Aussies are more likely to be a bigger danger to themselves

Actually, the most likely reason Thailand has the most number of Australian holiday deaths is because many more Australians holiday in Thailand than in any other country. I used to work in an Australian travel agent with offices in every state of Australia. Thailand was one of it's biggest sellers. And when I say Thailand, 95% of that would be Phuket.

Yes, very often i am told by Thais that Thailand is the number1 country that everyone in the world want to go for holiday

And Yes, Phuket for Aussies and this is because AirAsia fly direct from many Aussie airports and i guess another big attraction is cheap beer....and cheap .......

AirAsia do not fly direct from an Australian airport to Phuket. You have to transit through Kuala Lumpur.

The Australian budget airline, Jetstar, fly direct, but this is way off topic.

Edited January 12, 2013 by NamKangMan

[fasteddie]

It seems like a lot of foreigners who come on vacation to Thailand die here. If I were a scientific minded person I guess I would look at the number of vacationer deaths as a percentage of tourists. If the official number of tourists is around 15 million, and we adjust for the number of Thais and other foreigners who come on tourist visas for whatever reason... we can guess the number of holiday makers in a year is ... I dont know... lets say 10 million. So it seems to me a few are gonna die.

Another topic is violent deaths or violence perpetrated on foreigners. From personal experience... I would say the rate of violence in other western countries is much higher than the rate in Thailand. I am never nervous walking anywhere here late at night (although I must admit you won't find me in lower sukumvit).

After Costa Rica, Thailand has more tourist deaths than anywhere else in the world. Google it.

[Minnehaha]

It seems like a lot of foreigners who come on vacation to Thailand die here. If I were a scientific minded person I guess I would look at the number of vacationer deaths as a percentage of tourists. If the official number of tourists is around 15 million, and we adjust for the number of Thais and other foreigners who come on tourist visas for whatever reason... we can guess the number of holiday makers in a year is ... I dont know... lets say 10 million. So it seems to me a few are gonna die.

Another topic is violent deaths or violence perpetrated on foreigners. From personal experience... I would say the rate of violence in other western countries is much higher than the rate in Thailand. I am never nervous walking anywhere here late at night (although I must admit you won't find me in lower sukumvit).

After Costa Rica, Thailand has more tourist deaths than anywhere else in the world. Google it.

Interesting thing, Google. deaths per number of tourists is the metric I think will make the stronger point. Thailand has 15 million visitors and I believe is a top 20 tourist destination of the world. Costa Rica has 2 million visitors, which would not put them anywhere near the top 20. Sounds like Costa Rica is a deadly place. Thailand, too.

[NamKangMan]

It seems like a lot of foreigners who come on vacation to Thailand die here. If I were a scientific minded person I guess I would look at the number of vacationer deaths as a percentage of tourists. If the official number of tourists is around 15 million, and we adjust for the number of Thais and other foreigners who come on tourist visas for whatever reason... we can guess the number of holiday makers in a year is ... I dont know... lets say 10 million. So it seems to me a few are gonna die.

Another topic is violent deaths or violence perpetrated on foreigners. From personal experience... I would say the rate of violence in other western countries is much higher than the rate in Thailand. I am never nervous walking anywhere here late at night (although I must admit you won't find me in lower sukumvit).

After Costa Rica, Thailand has more tourist deaths than anywhere else in the world. Google it.

What I would like to know is, out of all the tourist deaths in Thailand, what percentage occured on Phuket. Now that would be a scary statistic.

[hansgruber]

It seems like a lot of foreigners who come on vacation to Thailand die here. If I were a scientific minded person I guess I would look at the number of vacationer deaths as a percentage of tourists. If the official number of tourists is around 15 million, and we adjust for the number of Thais and other foreigners who come on tourist visas for whatever reason... we can guess the number of holiday makers in a year is ... I dont know... lets say 10 million. So it seems to me a few are gonna die.

Another topic is violent deaths or violence perpetrated on foreigners. From personal experience... I would say the rate of violence in other western countries is much higher than the rate in Thailand. I am never nervous walking anywhere here late at night (although I must admit you won't find me in lower sukumvit).

After Costa Rica, Thailand has more tourist deaths than anywhere else in the world. Google it.

What I would like to know is, out of all the tourist deaths in Thailand, what percentage occured on Phuket. Now that would be a scary statistic.

Scaremonger NKM at it again.

What do you have against Phuket apart from the everything?

[drtybstrd]

looks like he has topped himself with prescription drugs !

[Jimi007]

It seems like a lot of foreigners who come on vacation to Thailand die here. If I were a scientific minded person I guess I would look at the number of vacationer deaths as a percentage of tourists. If the official number of tourists is around 15 million, and we adjust for the number of Thais and other foreigners who come on tourist visas for whatever reason... we can guess the number of holiday makers in a year is ... I dont know... lets say 10 million. So it seems to me a few are gonna die.

Another topic is violent deaths or violence perpetrated on foreigners. From personal experience... I would say the rate of violence in other western countries is much higher than the rate in Thailand. I am never nervous walking anywhere here late at night (although I must admit you won't find me in lower sukumvit).

After Costa Rica, Thailand has more tourist deaths than anywhere else in the world. Google it.

What I would like to know is, out of all the tourist deaths in Thailand, what percentage occured on Phuket. Now that would be a scary statistic.

Scaremonger NKM at it again.

What do you have against Phuket apart from the everything?

He may be correct. I would like to know the death stats too. The local government stopped releasing the number of deaths by motorbike, drowning and other means at some point last year. I guess the numbers were't good. Somehow I have survived over eight years here now. But then again I don't go around looking for trouble, I know how to swim and drive a motorbike.

[NamKangMan]

It seems like a lot of foreigners who come on vacation to Thailand die here. If I were a scientific minded person I guess I would look at the number of vacationer deaths as a percentage of tourists. If the official number of tourists is around 15 million, and we adjust for the number of Thais and other foreigners who come on tourist visas for whatever reason... we can guess the number of holiday makers in a year is ... I dont know... lets say 10 million. So it seems to me a few are gonna die.

Another topic is violent deaths or violence perpetrated on foreigners. From personal experience... I would say the rate of violence in other western countries is much higher than the rate in Thailand. I am never nervous walking anywhere here late at night (although I must admit you won't find me in lower sukumvit).

After Costa Rica, Thailand has more tourist deaths than anywhere else in the world. Google it.

What I would like to know is, out of all the tourist deaths in Thailand, what percentage occured on Phuket. Now that would be a scary statistic.

Scaremonger NKM at it again.

What do you have against Phuket apart from the everything?

How is it scaremongering if statistics prove that there is an anomaly with the amount of tourist deaths on Phuket, compared to the rest of Thailand????

I don't have anything against Phuket apart from the way the tourism industry is being administered here, which, in my opinion, is a disgrace. The island is being run by people who only have short term financial gain in mind. These people need to understand that Phuket needs to offer a quality product to attract tourist, not rely on Phuket's former good reputation.

Perhaps you can answer the question I have asked so many times and never received a reply.

Name one good thing that has been implemented for tourists, expats, and the tourism industry in general, on Phuket in recent times? I invite any member to post an answer to this question.

For me, I remember when Phuket was an awesome place. Currently it's a great place. Soon it will be a good place. Then, one day, it will be just a place that will have fond memories for me and I will leave. Nothing stays the same forever, but the officials here are doing nothing to even try to improve Phuket by addressing the issues.

It's the same crap year in, year out here. Tuk-tuks and the lack of transport, jetskis, crime, traffic, scams, assaults, murders, suicides and suspicious suicides, road accidents - fatal and injury, extortion, drug possession and supply, corruption, increasing rents from Thai landlords resulting in increasing prices of commodities for everyone also resulting in revolving business owners and failed leases, pollution - noise and rubbish, over development, failing infastructure etc.

Phuket is Thailand's showcase tourism island but it's broken and needs fixing.

Edited January 12, 2013 by NamKangMan

[hansgruber]

Oh, so it is everything then.

If I was affected greatly by the workings of phuket like you're seem to be, I'd leave the island.

I believe you read too much thaivisa news and not spending enough time out and about.

The good still outweigh the bad.

[NamKangMan]

Oh, so it is everything then.

If I was affected greatly by the workings of phuket like you're seem to be, I'd leave the island.

I believe you read too much thaivisa news and not spending enough time out and about.

The good still outweigh the bad.

Still waiting on an answer to my question, Hans. :)

I get out and about a lot. I observe and listen to my surroundings, as well as others, especially those in business here.

Yes, currently, the good does outweight the bad, but the scales are tipping in the wrong direction and faster than I anticipated.

I know a few who have already left Phuket, and quite a few more contemplating it. I'm not at that stage yet, but there's certainly no shame in saying you've had enough of Phuket an it's "influential people" and are looking to greener pastures.

Edited January 12, 2013 by NamKangMan

[SOTIRIOS]

....the problem is....the 'situation' is always the same.....'a bottle of pills found'......

....where did it come from...

...it is a known fact that certain 'parasites' operate by drugging their victims.....to rob them or whatnot....

(......it is not enough to work for your money.....and get paid for your services....has anyone ever heard of this practice anywhere in the world....)

(.... it would be so easy to carry around a bottle, or several, of pills and simply leave it/them at the scene of the crime.....they fits so easily in a purse...)

...'suicide' or 'medical condition'..........because no one was around when the body was found......that is infantile reasoning...

(and never the same scenario for Thais...never)

[saroq]

Amazing Thailand a place where every 1 in 10,000 visitors becomes a casualty. Which other tourist destination the world-over can claim such an amazing reputation. Maybe its something in the water.

Maybe your just anti Thai. Have a look at the many tourists die in Australia from trying to cross a desert without supplies and against warnings, go swimming in croc infested waters where it states don't enter etc etc.

Can't understand why blokes like you just can't wait to have a dig at Thailand.

Do you have the numbers?

[saroq]

It seems like a lot of foreigners who come on vacation to Thailand die here. If I were a scientific minded person I guess I would look at the number of vacationer deaths as a percentage of tourists. If the official number of tourists is around 15 million, and we adjust for the number of Thais and other foreigners who come on tourist visas for whatever reason... we can guess the number of holiday makers in a year is ... I dont know... lets say 10 million. So it seems to me a few are gonna die.

Another topic is violent deaths or violence perpetrated on foreigners. From personal experience... I would say the rate of violence in other western countries is much higher than the rate in Thailand. I am never nervous walking anywhere here late at night (although I must admit you won't find me in lower sukumvit).

I remember reading somewhere that of the total tourist who do die in Thailand, Aussies are mostly the biggest percentage.

Why? i think you must look at the nanny state Australia have become. To many rule and laws governing all things make it so that the population are like some scared kid cowering in a corner.

Australia did fall for the political correctness thing many years ago and all downhill from there...soon it will be as bad as England is now IMO.

Now in Oz there will be more uproar in the media over some pet who get neglected by its owner... even this will come before any issues regarding any wellbeing of the people.

Open the doors to all and sundry, let every country in, and then find it make the country broke trying to provide healthcare and benefit to every person they did let in.

Then of course they raise the taxes to oblivion, especially in alcohol and cigarettes..taxed beyond the reach of any ordinary worker, so is like taking the drugs away from an addict....and of course the only culture Australia is...drinking beer culture.

Next thing the "addict"" will come to Thailand and find that he can buy 5 bottles of beer for the same price he pay for 1 bottle at home. Then he go crazy on the beer or whatever, and so easy to get drugs, so he will want to take advantage of the cheap price while he can

Next thing while half wasted he will make a bad decision...get on a bike...choose a bad girl....mouth off at the wrong person...or even stay in the hotel room and get hammered still has a risk anywhere.

If one population stand out at being a high percentage of the total casualtys, then surely you must assume the choice these people make for themself does lead to their own decline. Sorry, but cannot blaim Thailand or its people for the quality of the tourist they do attract

I'd comment but what passes for logic in this post defies belief.

[saroq]

Indian students stabbed to death in Australia, German tourist eaten by crocodile in Australia, Asian women sold for prostitutes in Australia, British couple murdered in Australia, bodies not recovered, many tourist beaten and robbed in Australia because they are tourist.

I am sure if the numbers were crunched Australia has a much higher crime rate than Thailand and less than 1/3 the population.

I wonder if there will be a royal commission into the Monks for child abuse offences like what is starting to happen in Australia at present.

I feel much safer walking at night in Thailand than I ever would if I was in the city of Melbourne or even the Gold coast has a murder every week.

mmmmmmmmmmmmm

Without accurate numbers your post is as much speculation as the people's posts you are objecting to.

[tingtongtourist]

[

Err..well this post is about an Australian who died in Thailand and other posters are discussing the rate of deaths of Aussies here so i thought that chart was of interest.

It seems to suggest Thailand is a very dangerous place for the Aussie tourist, but my point is that Thailand is a place where Aussies are more likely to be a bigger danger to themselves

Actually, the most likely reason Thailand has the most number of Australian holiday deaths is because many more Australians holiday in Thailand than in any other country. I used to work in an Australian travel agent with offices in every state of Australia. Thailand was one of it's biggest sellers. And when I say Thailand, 95% of that would be Phuket.

Yes, very often i am told by Thais that Thailand is the number1 country that everyone in the world want to go for holiday

And Yes, Phuket for Aussies and this is because AirAsia fly direct from many Aussie airports and i guess another big attraction is cheap beer....and cheap .......

AirAsia do not fly direct from an Australian airport to Phuket. You have to transit through Kuala Lumpur.

The Australian budget airline, Jetstar, fly direct, but this is way off topic.

Yes, i am corrected! you are right, i did get confused as i have used both companys in the last few years. But my point is AirAsia is dirt cheap when compare to Jetstar and they do the cheapest package flying onto Phuket. I think therefor this does attract the budget traveller and probably the bottom (i think they call bogan) class of customer.

Many Aussie football club do use this route for their end of season hi-jinks party which probably does say a lot for the quality of white tourist that gets poo-pooed out of the big bird and lands in Thailand

[tingtongtourist]

It seems like a lot of foreigners who come on vacation to Thailand die here. If I were a scientific minded person I guess I would look at the number of vacationer deaths as a percentage of tourists. If the official number of tourists is around 15 million, and we adjust for the number of Thais and other foreigners who come on tourist visas for whatever reason... we can guess the number of holiday makers in a year is ... I dont know... lets say 10 million. So it seems to me a few are gonna die.

Another topic is violent deaths or violence perpetrated on foreigners. From personal experience... I would say the rate of violence in other western countries is much higher than the rate in Thailand. I am never nervous walking anywhere here late at night (although I must admit you won't find me in lower sukumvit).

I remember reading somewhere that of the total tourist who do die in Thailand, Aussies are mostly the biggest percentage.

Why? i think you must look at the nanny state Australia have become. To many rule and laws governing all things make it so that the population are like some scared kid cowering in a corner.

Australia did fall for the political correctness thing many years ago and all downhill from there...soon it will be as bad as England is now IMO.

Now in Oz there will be more uproar in the media over some pet who get neglected by its owner... even this will come before any issues regarding any wellbeing of the people.

Open the doors to all and sundry, let every country in, and then find it make the country broke trying to provide healthcare and benefit to every person they did let in.

Then of course they raise the taxes to oblivion, especially in alcohol and cigarettes..taxed beyond the reach of any ordinary worker, so is like taking the drugs away from an addict....and of course the only culture Australia is...drinking beer culture.

Next thing the "addict"" will come to Thailand and find that he can buy 5 bottles of beer for the same price he pay for 1 bottle at home. Then he go crazy on the beer or whatever, and so easy to get drugs, so he will want to take advantage of the cheap price while he can

Next thing while half wasted he will make a bad decision...get on a bike...choose a bad girl....mouth off at the wrong person...or even stay in the hotel room and get hammered still has a risk anywhere.

If one population stand out at being a high percentage of the total casualtys, then surely you must assume the choice these people make for themself does lead to their own decline. Sorry, but cannot blaim Thailand or its people for the quality of the tourist they do attract

I'd comment but what passes for logic in this post defies belief.

Of course i was talking about extreme cases and not family travellers, anyway you did take the time to post yet you cannot even comment on one thing in my post that you think denies logic?