Farang got Stabbed

[brewsterbudgen]

The victim had no reason to get publicly angry over 51 baht. Especially since he knew Thailand well. Nor did he deserve to die.

The killer had no reason to kill over 51 baht, and now he deserves to die.

Things aren't always as black-and-white as the Black Team and the White Team claim.

Why does everyone assume that the 51 baht story is true?.. like it's indisputable gospel?

The cabbie had plenty of time to make up a story. For all we know the meter was displaying 150 baht or higher.

I really doubt that the victim would have gotten that upset over 51 baht... just 21 baht over flag-fall...,a guy who has been living and working in Thailand (Bangkok) for 3 years,.

We'll never know the truth. The only truth we can rely on is that whatever the cabbie states has to be taken with a grain of salt.

I don't assume anything. All I can do is go by what I read, filter out the obvious BS, and comment on the rest. Just like everyone else here, including yourself.

But his own wife (purportedly) stated he would not tolerate being cheated. She should know, don't you think?

51 baht or 150 baht or, hey, 1500 baht is irrelevant to the appropriate behavior of both parties.

I disagree that the price is irrelevant in this case.

The cabbie claimed to have taken the victim a short distance only, therefore it was in his best interest to suggest the meter was reading a ridiculously small amount (and threw in the 1 baht to make it seem genuine), in order to make it seem like the victim was being extremely unreasonable - and threw in the coffee for good measure.

51 baht makes the cabbie seem like an honest bloke. 150 baht (for example) would make him a thief.

No one will ever be able to establish what was showing on the meter, but no one should believe the murderer.

Why not? It is entirely possible he is telling the truth.

[tropo]

Why not? It is entirely possible he is telling the truth.

But extremely unlikely.

[mrtoad]

Why not? It is entirely possible he is telling the truth.

But extremely unlikely.

I certainly wouldn't trust a bloke who kills someone with a Samuri sword for 51 baht or 150 baht.

[meand]

Am I missing something? If cabies story is true or not, isn't it a done deal either way? Or does coffee in a face justify murder?

Edited July 9, 2013 by meand

[tropo]

Am I missing something? If cabies story is true or not, isn't it a done deal either way? Or does coffee in a face justify murder?

I think it's more about the charge. Pre-mediated murder vs temporary insanity caused by the cup of coffee. The coffee could make all the difference.

I don't think the cabbie woke up in the morning with the plan of stabbing this particular person to death.

[antfish]

Academically speaking, if the killer's account is true... It's no different than shooting someone who runs out of your gold shop or liquor store with the intent of robbing you. The amounts involved don't really matter apart from the shock value.

You are right .

furthermore i think that he probably just wanted to scare the American farang so that he pays the money he owned him for the taxi ride. But then the farang decided to attack the driver with a machete in his hand. so it looks in that short video to me.

[antfish]

Academically speaking, if the killer's account is true... It's no different than shooting someone who runs out of your gold shop or liquor store with the intent of robbing you. The amounts involved don't really matter apart from the shock value.

You are right .furthermore i think that he probably just wanted to scare the American farang so that he pays the money he owned him for the taxi ride. But then the farang decided to attack the driver with a machete in his hand. so it looks in that short video to me.

<snip>

I pay for my taxi rides. i would not fight with machete man.

look at the video the machete man walks backwards. someone who really want hack someone to death would make other moves.

to me it is believable that he just wanted to scare the american farang. the farang was maybe too scared and thought now i must start a life or death fight. but when you attack someone who holds a machete in his hand you only make sure that he will finally use that machete and not hand it over to you or stop asking for the taxi fare to be payed.

why not believe the story by the taxi driver. other here in the forum told they acted the same when the felt cheated. just leave the taxi without paying and maybe throwing some insults at the taxi driver. maybe that happened to the driver more than once in the past.

Edited July 10, 2013 by soundman
Reply to removed.

[sbk]

It is possible to have a difference of opinion without resorting to flames. Baiting flame removed.

[Thai at Heart]

so, one cab driver loses control, kills a foreigner and suddenly thailand becomes a country full of killing maniacs who deeply hate farang people and can kill them and walk free. sigh... can the people who think like that please get their bags, take a cab (pun intended), drive to bkk airport and leave.

One???? You need to read the papers or internet a little more. Phuket and Pattaya are out of control. Or better stated, in control by Thai and Russian mafia. Try renting a scodoo and get a scratch on it or not and see what happens.

I rely on my own radar.

Thailand is a country with approx 65.000.000 people. Majority of tourists come-enjoy-leave without ANY problem. Majority of expats living and working here do not get into trouble either. Then there is TV and a bunch of frustrated males who hate Thailand/Thai but stick here because "home" sucks too (they ran into the very same problems there as they do here). Thailand is not perfect, it's a country in fast-evolution but if thailand were as dangerous as some clowns here wanna make people believe, western embassies would WARN people not to go.

Not sure if you read one of my earlier posts. But i will reiterate it here.

If my wife had her way, we would never get into a taxi or tuk tuk. This also goes for leaving our car unlocked at traffic lights, also walking alone at night. That is in relatively peaceful Korat town, let alone the more famous trouble hotspots of Thailand.

Thailand very dangerous, and that's not just her, that is her brother and parents too. This is not Thailand bashing, I am more laid back about than she is. But i am slowly changing my view.

Thais are just as wary of Thailand's problems as foreigners are.

My missus is identical. Very wary of where and who she is with. The issue is more that what appears and could be a trivial matter can explode very quickly to the extreme.

Maybe Thais are high strung and the reason jai yen was created was to try to universally calm them all down.

My condolences.

[mrtoad]

Academically speaking, if the killer's account is true... It's no different than shooting someone who runs out of your gold shop or liquor store with the intent of robbing you. The amounts involved don't really matter apart from the shock value.

You are right .furthermore i think that he probably just wanted to scare the American farang so that he pays the money he owned him for the taxi ride. But then the farang decided to attack the driver with a machete in his hand. so it looks in that short video to me.

<snip>

I pay for my taxi rides. i would not fight with machete man.look at the video the machete man walks backwards. someone who really want hack someone to death would make other moves.to me it is believable that he just wanted to scare the american farang. the farang was maybe too scared and thought now i must start a life or death fight. but when you attack someone who holds a machete in his hand you only make sure that he will finally use that machete and not hand it over to you or stop asking for the taxi fare to be payed.why not believe the story by the taxi driver. other here in the forum told they acted the same when the felt cheated. just leave the taxi without paying and maybe throwing some insults at the taxi driver. maybe that happened to the driver more than once in the past.

Why should any version of a story be believed at face value that is given by a thug with a samurai sword?

I don't even think there is anything that suggests the fare wasn't paid, although there may have been a difference of opinion on it. The act was cowardly and unwarranted, and is indefensible. These are xcttly the types of acts that the BIB should be clamping down on, there is far too much violence around which seems to accepted as a way of life. I think that's a cop out and it just allows thuggery , scamming and intimidation to continue.

At the end of he day, an unarmed man has been murdered and that's the sad bit about it.

[antfish]

Why should any version of a story be believed at face value that is given by a thug with a samurai sword?

I don't even think there is anything that suggests the fare wasn't paid, although there may have been a difference of opinion on it. The act was cowardly and unwarranted, and is indefensible. These are xcttly the types of acts that the BIB should be clamping down on, there is far too much violence around which seems to accepted as a way of life. I think that's a cop out and it just allows thuggery , scamming and intimidation to continue.

At the end of he day, an unarmed man has been murdered and that's the sad bit about it.

I don't see thai taxi drivers as thugs, as someone here assume that all of them must be thugs.

Why should the taxi driver grab that machete in the first place? probably because there was that unpaid fare and the coffee thrown as he said.

Is it so unbelievable that the American farang acted as described? probably he did because of a paranoia that Thais only want to cheats him.

it will be up to the court to decide if that was murder.

Edited July 9, 2013 by antfish

[Jingthing]

Of course not all taxi drivers are thugs. A driver that rides with a Samarai sword and is prepared to use it to enforce fares most likely IS a thug.

[mrtoad]

Why should any version of a story be believed at face value that is given by a thug with a samurai sword?I don't even think there is anything that suggests the fare wasn't paid, although there may have been a difference of opinion on it. The act was cowardly and unwarranted, and is indefensible. These are xcttly the types of acts that the BIB should be clamping down on, there is far too much violence around which seems to accepted as a way of life. I think that's a cop out and it just allows thuggery , scamming and intimidation to continue.At the end of he day, an unarmed man has been murdered and that's the sad bit about it.

I don't see thai taxi drivers as thugs, as someone here assume that all of them must be thugs.Why should the taxi driver grab that machete in the first place? probably because there was that unpaid fare and the coffee thrown as he said.Is it so unbelievable that the American farang acted as described? probably he did because of a paranoia that Thais only want to cheats him.it will be up to the court to decide if that was murder.

I didn't state that all are thugs, they clearly aren't. Your Arguments about coffee and machetes is still trying to defend the indefensible , and the bloke who was murdered by the Thai thug had a name.

Are you Thai per chance?

[EyesWideOpen]

This process as it is unfolding is sort of fascinating. The victim is dead,

so he certainly cannot tell his side of the story. So what is left is the

taxi driver, who clearly has every reason to lie to save his own skin.

In the real world, there would be a intensive forensic investigation.

By carefully sifting through the evidence, these investigators in essence

speak for the dead person, and can incriminate the person who did the killing.

Oops sorry , I forgot I was in Thailand......

Antfish, you need to relax. You are making a fool out of yourself.

If you are Thai, give this nationalistic nonsense a rest. If

you are a farang, I feel sorry for you......

Antfish quote:

"But then the farang decided to attack the driver with a machete in his hand."

Edited July 9, 2013 by EyesWideOpen

[antfish]

This process as it is unfolding is sort of fascinating. The victim is dead,

so he certainly cannot tell his side of the story. So what is left is the

taxi driver, who clearly has every reason to lie to save his own skin.

In the real world, there would be a intensive forensic investigation.

By carefully sifting through the evidence, these investigators in essence

speak for the dead person, and can incriminate the person who did the killing.

Oops sorry , I forgot I was in Thailand......

Antfish, give it a rest. You are making a fool out of yourself.

What story would the American farang tell? Why did the Thai driver confronted him with a machete?

I was never threatened by a taxi driver with a machete, probably i never threw coffee in their faces or refused to pay.

[antfish]

Are you Thai per chance?

I am not Thai. Are you farang per chance?

[sjaak327]

Academically speaking, if the killer's account is true... It's no different than shooting someone who runs out of your gold shop or liquor store with the intent of robbing you. The amounts involved don't really matter apart from the shock value.

You are right .furthermore i think that he probably just wanted to scare the American farang so that he pays the money he owned him for the taxi ride. But then the farang decided to attack the driver with a machete in his hand. so it looks in that short video to me.

The video does show the American is unarmed. Which of course makes any comparison to robbers in a gold store completley irrelevant as these are usually armed. Furthermore we do not know the intend of the cabby and quite frankly it doesn't matter, what matters is that the cabby killed an unarmed man with a sword. No coffee throwing and 51 baht stories should encourage the Thai justice system from giving this murderer a free pass. Because when all is said and done, that's exactly what he is.

[Berkshire]

Academically speaking, if the killer's account is true... It's no different than shooting someone who runs out of your gold shop or liquor store with the intent of robbing you. The amounts involved don't really matter apart from the shock value.

That's a good point. And I'll bet my left nut that if say, back in the USA or farangland, if some young black or foreign guy was to get shot robbing a convenience store, not one of the weasels on this site would be sympathetic. Double standard?

No, it's not! The situation you describe above has no relevance to what happened to the American. No one with half a brain who's been in this country more than 5 minutes believes the taxi driver's story. Stop being a 'Berk'.

No one with half a brain would suggest that the farang victim was completely innocent in this case. He certainly didn't deserve to die, but he was at least partially to blame for being belligerent and refusing to pay the guy.

I don't understand some of you people with this anti-Thai attitude. Do you all think it's open season on farangs because of this one incident? I'm not a bit concerned for my own safety as I understand what not to do in this country. Depriving some guy of his income and being rude about it is not what I would recommend. On second thought, some of you guys should act out and perhaps get what you deserve.

[Ciaran Mc]

No one with half a brain would suggest that the farang victim was completely innocent in this case. He certainly didn't deserve to die, but he was at least partially to blame for being belligerent and refusing to pay the guy.

I don't understand some of you people with this anti-Thai attitude. Do you all think it's open season on farangs because of this one incident? I'm not a bit concerned for my own safety as I understand what not to do in this country. Depriving some guy of his income and being rude about it is not what I would recommend. On second thought, some of you guys should act out and perhaps get what you deserve.

how do you know he was being belligerent ???

[Ciaran Mc]

I pay for my taxi rides. i would not fight with machete man.

look at the video the machete man walks backwards. someone who really want hack someone to death would make other moves.

to me it is believable that he just wanted to scare the american farang. the farang was maybe too scared and thought now i must start a life or death fight. but when you attack someone who holds a machete in his hand you only make sure that he will finally use that machete and not hand it over to you or stop asking for the taxi fare to be payed.

why not believe the story by the taxi driver. other here in the forum told they acted the same when the felt cheated. just leave the taxi without paying and maybe throwing some insults at the taxi driver. maybe that happened to the driver more than once in the past.

did you watch the video ? do you need glasses ?? he walks backwards AFTER already striking the UNARMED American !!

and yeah ... let's believe the excuses (or stories) the world over from people who have just killed an unarmed person in cold blood .. i mean ... what possible reason could they have to make anything up !!

Edited July 10, 2013 by Ciaran Mc

[DekDaeng]

'18cm knife'

Pigs.

I estimate 24", or 60 cm.

[jingjoke]

Sure, more Brits and Aussies die in Thailand than any other overseas destination, but having SEEN many of those people in action, am I surprised ? How many here would be willing to stagger around Soho or Sydney's King Cross at 2am bombed out of their minds ? Before someone leaps on me, I'm not saying that was the case with our unfortunate friend, but I've done it many times on lower Suk (and in Patts, apparently a great place to meet one's maker) and survived the experience. Probably in more danger from vehicular traffic than frutcakes armed with swords.

Given a choice between Suk and the Cross, I'll take Suk every time. As for the comment re 'having to think about what to do' if attacked by someone with a sword, I doubt that there is a credible self-defence instructor on the planet who wouldn't advocate working on your cardio fitness and endurance drills ... I'll take laughter behind me over a disembowelment any day of the week !

Agreed, been in and out of Thailand since 1999 and I can drink and have a great time with absolutley no problems.

During all these years however I have seen huge amounts of horrendous attitude and behaviour from fellow 'farangs' both intoxicated and SOBER and everything in between.

A huge amount of these people talking to the Thai's like they are below them, or dirt, simply because the farang has money and they don't.

Treating Thai women like nothing more than 'pay-and-play by the hours' pieces of meat and TALKING ABOUT IT in public places and laughing with their mates like the Thais can't hear and understand. Thailand is one of the most welcoming countries in the world, and they are proud of that and proud of themselves and their country.

While travelling with my wife we had many problems because her passport was Thai and it hurt her.

I had to fight with many governments and border crossings.

I never forget in Mexico when she broke down crying and said to me 'Darling why the people all bad to Thailand, Thailand good to everyone, we welcome everyone'.

And she was right.

I have witnessed the outright tight-fistedness of farangs towards Thais who have so little, looking at these farangs who have everything angrily fighting over 10 baht.

It wrecks my head.

And for the poster who commented how taxi drivers treat white farangs different that affluent asians... You ever wonder WHY?????

Farangs have unfortunatley abused their position of good fortune in a previously very welcoming nation. It is the young, always the young, who will look in anger as their parents, sisters are berated, abused, and taken advantage of, look on in anger.

The young grow up.

The young HAVE grown up.

There are many good farangs go to thailand.

And its ok to drink, its ok to have fun with the ladies, its ok to barted reasonably.

Its not ok to act with lack of decency and respect to other people and another culture.

Its no ok to be degrading, or abusive.

Thailand has suffered DECADES of BULLSHIT from foreigners, surely you don't think sooner or later the farang will reap what they sow???

Do you think if the shoe was on the other foot and you grew up in a poor farangland for generations, for decades, watching everyday Asians, affluent for no reason other than trade and economic imbalances maintained by wars and violence (yes us) coming to your country treating your parents like crap, talking shit to people, screwing your sister, mother who only do it to support themselves and family and treating them like dirt.

Do you think you'd be any different.

I don't know what provoked this attack IN PARTICULAR, but I see clearly what has invoked a growing anti-farang sentiment in a country and people I love very much.

Sweetly sweetly BBBB; but, try directing your screen name at a Thai you're in conversation with; and see how much your love is returned. Rather a strange name to be promoting / advocating, by someone who is admittedly in love with Thais.

And enough already with jabbing your finger into the eyes of your fellow farangs,figuratively speaking;

many of us are attached fondly to Thailand, its culture and its people.

[mrtoad]

Are you Thai per chance?

I am not Thai. Are you farang per chance?

No, I'm not Farang. The word doesn't exist in the English language.

[mrtoad]

This process as it is unfolding is sort of fascinating. The victim is dead,

so he certainly cannot tell his side of the story. So what is left is the

taxi driver, who clearly has every reason to lie to save his own skin.

In the real world, there would be a intensive forensic investigation.

By carefully sifting through the evidence, these investigators in essence

speak for the dead person, and can incriminate the person who did the killing.

Oops sorry , I forgot I was in Thailand......

Antfish, give it a rest. You are making a fool out of yourself.

What story would the American farang tell? Why did the Thai driver confronted him with a machete?

I was never threatened by a taxi driver with a machete, probably i never threw coffee in their faces or refused to pay.

Keep digging - the only fact at this point that is certainly true is that Troy Pilkington was killed by the taxi driver by a machete. I don't for one moment take the words of the turd in the taxi as the truth, if you do, then you're an even bigger fool than what you already look like.

Edited July 10, 2013 by mrtoad

[Berkshire]

This process as it is unfolding is sort of fascinating. The victim is dead,

so he certainly cannot tell his side of the story. So what is left is the

taxi driver, who clearly has every reason to lie to save his own skin.

In the real world, there would be a intensive forensic investigation.

By carefully sifting through the evidence, these investigators in essence

speak for the dead person, and can incriminate the person who did the killing.

Oops sorry , I forgot I was in Thailand......

Antfish, give it a rest. You are making a fool out of yourself.

What story would the American farang tell? Why did the Thai driver confronted him with a machete?

I was never threatened by a taxi driver with a machete, probably i never threw coffee in their faces or refused to pay.

Keep digging - the only fact at this point that is certainly true is that Troy Pilkington was killed by the taxi driver by a machete. I don't for one moment take the words of the turd in the taxi as the truth, if you do, then you're an even bigger fool than what you already look like.

So you choose to believe what exactly? That this taxi driver just decided to kill this guy because of....what? He was a farang? I think you're making yourself out to be the bigger fool.

[Berkshire]

No one with half a brain would suggest that the farang victim was completely innocent in this case. He certainly didn't deserve to die, but he was at least partially to blame for being belligerent and refusing to pay the guy.

I don't understand some of you people with this anti-Thai attitude. Do you all think it's open season on farangs because of this one incident? I'm not a bit concerned for my own safety as I understand what not to do in this country. Depriving some guy of his income and being rude about it is not what I would recommend. On second thought, some of you guys should act out and perhaps get what you deserve.

how do you know he was being belligerent ???

How about telling me in your own words what you think the motive was?

[mrtoad]

This process as it is unfolding is sort of fascinating. The victim is dead,

so he certainly cannot tell his side of the story. So what is left is the

taxi driver, who clearly has every reason to lie to save his own skin.

In the real world, there would be a intensive forensic investigation.

By carefully sifting through the evidence, these investigators in essence

speak for the dead person, and can incriminate the person who did the killing.

Oops sorry , I forgot I was in Thailand......

Antfish, give it a rest. You are making a fool out of yourself.

What story would the American farang tell? Why did the Thai driver confronted him with a machete?

I was never threatened by a taxi driver with a machete, probably i never threw coffee in their faces or refused to pay.

Keep digging - the only fact at this point that is certainly true is that Troy Pilkington was killed by the taxi driver by a machete. I don't for one moment take the words of the turd in the taxi as the truth, if you do, then you're an even bigger fool than what you already look like.

So you choose to believe what exactly? That this taxi driver just decided to kill this guy because of....what? He was a farang? I think you're making yourself out to be the bigger fool.

I am not syaing there wasn't an argument / disagreement. I however have no reason to take the words of the taxi driver either given he was swinging a samuri sword. The Farang bit, where's that come from?

[robblok]

No one with half a brain would suggest that the farang victim was completely innocent in this case. He certainly didn't deserve to die, but he was at least partially to blame for being belligerent and refusing to pay the guy.

I don't understand some of you people with this anti-Thai attitude. Do you all think it's open season on farangs because of this one incident? I'm not a bit concerned for my own safety as I understand what not to do in this country. Depriving some guy of his income and being rude about it is not what I would recommend. On second thought, some of you guys should act out and perhaps get what you deserve.

how do you know he was being belligerent ???

How about telling me in your own words what you think the motive was?

Taxi driver with priors for using yabaa.. wonder if they did check him maybe he was out of his mind on the drug.

But whatever the guy did he got killed while unarmed by a guy with a sword. The taxi driver deserves to be in jail if the farang was a prick then sure a few years less but don't forget the guy was carrying a sword with him in the car that is intent.

Im not saying here that the farang was innocent saying the taxi driver is mostly guilty and should not get of lightly.

[Kilgore Trout]

Is it worth losing your life for a few baht?

I use taxi drivers with meters and never have a problem. I give them over the meter fare a few baht.

If they complain no meter and the fare is too high I dont get in.

How much could they have been arguing about? 500 baht? 1000 baht?

Let this be a tragic lesson for us all.

Let them rip you off a little and keep your life?

My life is worth more than a 1000 baht.

If Plato were around today he would write some good plays about this Tragedy

RIP mate. To his family we are all sorry for your loss.

Plato never wrote plays, certainly not tragedies.

He wrote philosophical dialogues, definitely not meant for the stage.

[Heng]

Academically speaking, if the killer's account is true... It's no different than shooting someone who runs out of your gold shop or liquor store with the intent of robbing you. The amounts involved don't really matter apart from the shock value.

You can't use deadly force on a misdemeanor crime. I don't know Thai law, but I'm guessin' 51 baht would be in line with a misdemeanor.

As for felonies, there are many jurisdictions in the States where, no, you can not use deadly force even in a felony theft.

I was referring to the simple act of robbery. After the fact, the amounts involved would decide the category of crime, sure... but to the individuals involved, an act of theft is just that. For me, I don't care if a guy is breaking into my house to steal my 150+ year old antique collection or my $8 a piece die cast model airplane collection... it'll still be met with the same act of force.

Again, I'm not siding with anyone here and by no means am assuming that the killer is telling the truth... although if he was going to fabricate something, surely he could have made up something more insulting that wouldn't require any additional physical evidence. "he insulted the Buddha/Jesus/Yingluck/Al Sharpton/etc... he called my mother/wife/sister a girl scout... etc."