Retired Microsoft expat found dead in Phuket luxury villa pool

[webfact]

Retired Microsoft expat found dead in Phuket luxury villa pool
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- A retired Microsoft engineer was found dead this morning in his Phuket luxury villa pool located at Ao Makham.

The body of the 69-year-old American expat was floating face down in the pool when police arrived at the scene.

“He was wearing black swimming trunks. There was blood around his ear – but no trace of a struggle,” said Lt Anurak Klangnarong of the Wichit Police.

“We also found a beer glass at the bottom of the pool and a pair of sunglasses floating in the water,” Lt Anurak said.

The retired man was living in the luxury villa with his Thai girlfriend, who left on Thursday to visit family in Nakhon Ratchasima, Lt Anurak said.

The maid found the body around 8:45am when she arrived at the villa – she does not work on Sundays – and immediately contacted police.

Police are waiting for the man’s girlfriend to return to Phuket to assist with the the man’s will.

Police declined to name the girlfriend.

The body has been sent to Vachira Phuket Hospital. However, police have not asked for any toxicity tests to be done.

Police tentatively believe the man died of natural causes.

“He might have forgotten to take his medicine because his wife was not there to look after him,” Lt Anurak explained.

Police were able to confirm the man had been undergoing treatment for a heart condition at Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok.

The Gazette is withholding the man’s name until it has been confirmed his next of kin have been notified of his death.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Retired-Microsoft-expat-found-dead-in-Phuket-luxury-villa-pool-21508.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-07-01

[inzman]

Move along folks, nothing to see here, just another suicide.

[LivinginKata]

Move along folks, nothing to see here, just another suicide.

No evidence at all of suicide. In fact the news report seems to be pointing at a medical condion. Have a bit of respect for family & friends.

[manarak]

Move along folks, nothing to see here, just another suicide.

No evidence at all of suicide. In fact the news report seems to be pointing at a medical condion. Have a bit of respect for family & friends.

or an accident - slipped on the edge of the pool, hurt his head and beer and glasses fell into the pool.

I wonder why the fact that he was a former Microsoft engineer is important enough to be reported?

[LivinginKata]

<snip>

I wonder why the fact that he was a former Microsoft engineer is important enough to be reported?

Obvious - attracts more readers to the story headline.

[jbrain]

Move along folks, nothing to see here, just another suicide.

No evidence at all of suicide. In fact the news report seems to be pointing at a medical condion. Have a bit of respect for family & friends.

To me the newsreport seems to be pointing that the police solved the case without moving from behind their desk.

[manarak]

Move along folks, nothing to see here, just another suicide.

No evidence at all of suicide. In fact the news report seems to be pointing at a medical condion. Have a bit of respect for family & friends.

To me the newsreport seems to be pointing that the police solved the case without moving from behind their desk.

Sherlock Holmes did that too in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books

[borisloosebrain]

Forgot to take his medicine . Any reason to suspect amnesia or dementia Sargents Einstein and Plod ?

[robanywhere]

Blood around the ears and it was not washed off after floating face down? There must have been a lot more blood to still have some left on the head. That suggests trauma to the head. From a fall against the side of the pool? Then his glass would have fallen onto the pool apron.

Sunglasses off? As a consequence of the head trauma or from the later force in hitting the water?

Something doesn't seem quite right here. Quite convenient that the TGF was out of town.

My sympathies go out to the man and his family. I hope the cause is found and justice served if needed.

(Sorry, Mod, the facts in the article do not clearly indicate a medical accident IMHO).

Edited July 1, 2013 by robanywhere

[bunta71]

"Police are waiting for the man’s girlfriend to return to Phuket to assist with the the man’s will."

[HeavyDrinker]

Move along folks, nothing to see here, just another suicide.

No evidence at all of suicide. In fact the news report seems to be pointing at a medical condion. Have a bit of respect for family & friends.

To me the newsreport seems to be pointing that the police solved the case without moving from behind their desk.

Sherlock Holmes did that too in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books

Au contraire...Holmes always went to the crime scene...

But who doesn't hear the bells ringing when this happens just as the GF is out of town....?

[manarak]

To me the newsreport seems to be pointing that the police solved the case without moving from behind their desk.

Sherlock Holmes did that too in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books

Au contraire...Holmes always went to the crime scene...

But who doesn't hear the bells ringing when this happens just as the GF is out of town....?

Cher Hercule, Sherlock Holmes would probably warn you about the dangers of reckless use of absolute words such as "always". For example how about the "case of identity" ?

[hansgruber]

I don't understand why they emphasis the microsoft engineer part. Like its a really prestigious occupation deserving on the Nobel peace prize or something.

If he was an architect or accountant it wouldn't have made the headline.

RIP Microsoft engineer guy. I hope you didn't have anything to do with windows vista because it was terrible.

[IrishIvan]

I don't understand why they emphasis the microsoft engineer part. Like its a really prestigious occupation deserving on the Nobel peace prize or something.

If he was an architect or accountant it wouldn't have made the headline.

RIP Microsoft engineer guy. I hope you didn't have anything to do with windows vista because it was terrible.

Engineer is the most loosely used description of an occupation in Thailand, the guy that installs cable TV is called an engineer, an office tart that has a farang boss is an engineer.

RIP to the man. But it definately sounds like a suspicious death, Im guessing another man was involved and belted him round the head and chucked him in the pool as a smother. If its a chlorine pool thats the best way to get rid of evidence

[IrishIvan]

Move along folks, nothing to see here, just another suicide.

No evidence at all of suicide. In fact the news report seems to be pointing at a medical condion. Have a bit of respect for family & friends.

or an accident - slipped on the edge of the pool, hurt his head and beer and glasses fell into the pool.

I wonder why the fact that he was a former Microsoft engineer is important enough to be reported?

Microsoft is a software company, not much use for Engineers there

[Payboy]

Police are waiting for the man’s girlfriend to return to Phuket to assist with the the man’s will.

I hope that's not the document written in pidgin English.

[hansgruber]

Police are waiting for the man’s girlfriend to return to Phuket to assist with the the man’s will.

I hope that's not the document written in pidgin English.

When farang dies, the will is better than a lottery ticket.

Of course that's the focus now. Did you expect any different?

Crocodile tears will be shed but the party will have just begun.

[whybother]

He falls into the pool with a beer glass ... and the police don't want to check if he was drunk?

[BahBahBoBo]

Microsoft executive,

blood from ear,

no sign of struggle.

Hmmmm

definitley sounds like it could have been some kind of virus.

[iancnx]

I bet the poor GF is devastated..... Having to assist the police with the will at such a difficult time......

[gabruce]

To me the newsreport seems to be pointing that the police solved the case without moving from behind their desk.

Sherlock Holmes did that too in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books

Au contraire...Holmes always went to the crime scene...

But who doesn't hear the bells ringing when this happens just as the GF is out of town....?

Cher Hercule, Sherlock Holmes would probably warn you about the dangers of reckless use of absolute words such as "always". For example how about the "case of identity" ?

I believe that it was Nero Wolfe who almost never left his desk, instead always sent his sidekick, Archie?, to the crime scene.

[andreandre]

Move along folks, nothing to see here, just another suicide.

No evidence at all of suicide. In fact the news report seems to be pointing at a medical condion. Have a bit of respect for family & friends.

or an accident - slipped on the edge of the pool, hurt his head and beer and glasses fell into the pool.

I wonder why the fact that he was a former Microsoft engineer is important enough to be reported?

Microsoft is a software company, not much use for Engineers there

So who do you think does all the development and research etc at microsoft and other software companies?

Engineer

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics, and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality, regulation, safety, and cost.

Edited July 2, 2013 by andreandre

[hansgruber]

I bet the poor GF is devastated..... Having to assist the police with the will at such a difficult time......

That villa will dry up those tears.

I'm sure its mentally sold already. I can see the fleet of fortuners in Nakorn ratchasima now.

Edited July 2, 2013 by hansgruber

[Markaew]

Move along folks, nothing to see here, just another suicide.

No evidence at all of suicide. In fact the news report seems to be pointing at a medical condion. Have a bit of respect for family & friends.

I'm not sure what the medical condition is of blood around the ear. Possibly struck behind the ear? That is where pros strike their victim when they want to knock someone out with one blow. Then the victim would drown in this case.

[Markaew]

No evidence at all of suicide. In fact the news report seems to be pointing at a medical condion. Have a bit of respect for family & friends.

To me the newsreport seems to be pointing that the police solved the case without moving from behind their desk.

Sherlock Holmes did that too in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books

Au contraire...Holmes always went to the crime scene...

But who doesn't hear the bells ringing when this happens just as the GF is out of town....?

If the BiB don't investigate the GF then that is a crime in itself.

[andreandre]

Move along folks, nothing to see here, just another suicide.

No evidence at all of suicide. In fact the news report seems to be pointing at a medical condion. Have a bit of respect for family & friends.

Exactly right about respect...jeez some on here just dont understand the word!!

Many posters just can't accept the fact that there are many happy marriages in LOS,and always look for the ''angle where the wife HAD to be involved'' True it does happen at times but not everytime.

As for medical condition..i think the fact that he was due for major surgery soon tells the story.

Phuket Tourist Police Superintendent Capt Urumporn Koondejsumrit told The Phuket News that Mr Bamford had been living in Thailand for about 10 years, and had a history of heart trouble.

He had been treated at Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok, was on medication, and was scheduled to have a bypass operation soon.

[dighambara]

I don't understand why they emphasis the microsoft engineer part. Like its a really prestigious occupation deserving on the Nobel peace prize or something.

If he was an architect or accountant it wouldn't have made the headline.

RIP Microsoft engineer guy. I hope you didn't have anything to do with windows vista because it was terrible.

However, tie his age with his former occupation and you have a multimillionaire - TGF may make a bundle - odd how often foreigners die when their TGF is out of own

[bangarang]

String of GFs/Wives causing havoc on expats lately... Did the wife come back from her trip yet?

[ppmacready]

Police are waiting for the man’s girlfriend to return to Phuket to assist with the the man’s will.

I hope that's not the document written in pidgin English.

When farang dies, the will is better than a lottery ticket.

Of course that's the focus now. Did you expect any different?

Crocodile tears will be shed but the party will have just begun.

And my friends with ''special'' girlfriends call me a tad cynical, after living here 18 years.

[ppmacready]

I don't understand why they emphasis the microsoft engineer part. Like its a really prestigious occupation deserving on the Nobel peace prize or something.

If he was an architect or accountant it wouldn't have made the headline.

RIP Microsoft engineer guy. I hope you didn't have anything to do with windows vista because it was terrible.

However, tie his age with his former occupation and you have a multimillionaire - TGF may make a bundle - odd how often foreigners die when their TGF is out of own

Because the old codgers don't have any one to wipe their &lt;deleted&gt; for em.