American killed in Krabi for persistent singing

KRABI: -- Police have arrested three pub musicians who reportedly killed an American man and severely injured his son after the two men sang with them but then refused to get off the stage at a bar in Krabi’s Muang district early on Wednesday morning.

Bobby Carter, 51, was stabbed to death in the stomach while his son, Adam Carter, 27, was badly beaten up. The injured son and the father's body were taken to the Bangkok Hospital Phuket.

Ratikorn Romin, 27, Sathit Somsa, 40, and Nopanan Yoddecha, 26, were arrested at the bar, the Longhorn Saloon. Police also seized a homemade rifle from Mr Sathit, according to Pol Col Boonthavee Tohraksa, deputy superintendent of Krabi police station.

A report in Thai Rath said the band members confessed that Carter and his family came to the pub, and that he and his son had joined them on stage.

The band then had an argument with the Americans, because the pair apparently refused to stop singing when their time was up, and also knocked the group’s tip box to the floor.

The musicians said they left the stage and went outside the bar. A quarrel then broke out when the American family was leaving the bar.

Mr Ratikorn told police that he was knocked to the ground and could not breathe because one of the Americans was grappling with him. He spotted a metal object nearby and used it as a weapon.

The suspects added that they did not start the fight and that they had no intention to kill.

Police took the men into custody at Krabi police station.


-- Phuket News 2013-07-31

Mr Ratikorn told police that he was knocked to the ground and could not breathe because one of the Americans was grappling with him. He spotted a metal object nearby and used it as a weapon.

The suspects added that they did not start the fight and that they had no intention to kill.

Of course the Americans were on a killing tour, not ?

That bar seems a bit the place to be for some fun.

I wonder if the murderers are out on bail with bail set at 57 Baht already .

Crazy stuff.

This is INSANE ..... NO MERCY for those Thai jerks ... how can you kill for such infantile thing ... I guess they have nothing in the brain to react like this.

RIP From Thailand to the heavens.

This is INSANE ..... NO MERCY for those Thai jerks ... how can you kill for such infantile thing ... I guess they have nothing in the brain to react like this.

And there lies the question that folk must keep in mind. Forget the land of smiles, remember a different culture that takes a long time to take on board.

I would guess that alcohol played a big part in this unnecessary death. RIP the father and I hope the son recovers quickly.

for christs sake, there singing couldnt have been that bad

I would guess that alcohol played a big part in this unnecessary death. RIP the father and I hope the son recovers quickly.

the son will carry the scars for life of this event

Those people who always insist on climbing up on stage are annoying in any venue, but I wouldn't wish any of them to be killed.

Those happy carefree smiling Thais eh?? land of murders smiles

This type of ridiculously insane situation seems to happen with more and more frequency. And are we just hearing about a fraction of the violent crime committed here?

Perhaps embassies and passport issuing offices need to make clear and serious warnings to people traveling to Thailand (and other countries with a similar problem) about being extremely careful how they interact with the locals, especially if they are off the usual beaten track. One would think that enough common sense would prevail (even though western governments are dumbing down their citizens) for people to keep a fairly clear mind (i.e. Don't get falling-down drunk.) and get out of a situation that seems dicey, but I guess not.

I suspect in this case the unwanted singers were possibly impaired too much by alcohol to realize just how much the aggravation level of the band had risen and the dangerous position they were in. (Pure speculation, I realize, but to not heed the wishes (one can assume strongly) expressed by the band would indicate that their judgement was screwed up.)

It's often hard to find sympathy for anybody in these situations, but I certainly agree that unless the Thais felt physically threatened (which one claims was the case when his breathing was restricted) their actions were not appropriate.

Tragic outcome - when people behave like annoying , aggressive jerks ( ie by not getting off a stage), you have to figure that eventually they will get pay back ( but nonetheless, death is too much!)

And they expect to get more high-end tourists with this kind of crap occurring every day here. Land of Smiles it is not any longer.

Problem is, that if the Police think it was fair enough, killing someone is seen as just punishment or self defence, after all,they did knock over the tip box,thats a capital offence...RIP.

Tragic outcome - when people behave like annoying , aggressive jerks ( ie by not getting off a stage), you have to figure that eventually they will get pay back ( but nonetheless, death is too much!)

With a knife ? Come on.

ANYONE can be removed from a stage without resorting to possible death.

RIP to the American. Hope the karma will catch up on the killers. Scum of the earth. Farangs are getting killed nearly everyday in Thailand. Very frightening.

Mr Ratikorn told police that he was knocked to the ground and could not breathe because one of the Americans was grappling with him. He spotted a metal object nearby and used it as a weapon.

The suspects added that they did not start the fight and that they had no intention to kill.

Of course the Americans were on a killing tour, not ?

That bar seems a bit the pl;ace to be for some fun.

I wonder if the murderers are out on bail with bail set at 57 Baht already .

Likely that they are out on bail, no payment required, AND have absconded already.

When you have ex PM's setting the example what sort of behavior can you expect from the peons

Thainess Promotion: You can and will be stabbed to death for having too much fun and singing karaoke.

I would guess that alcohol played a big part in this unnecessary death. RIP the father and I hope the son recovers quickly.

+1

Unnecessary weapons caused an unnecessary death.

Tragic outcome - when people behave like annoying , aggressive jerks ( ie by not getting off a stage), you have to figure that eventually they will get pay back ( but nonetheless, death is too much!)

With a knife ? Come on.

ANYONE can be removed from a stage without resorting to possible death.

Perhaps you didn't read carefully: according to the story, the Americans were not injured in the act of removing them from the stage. The fact that they allegedly refused to leave the stage apparently led in part to an eventual fight in which the injury and killing took place.

So, you're in a situation where someone is beating the crap out of you and wack them with a rock / bar or whatever.

They die.

That's self deffence.

Get a life TV wingers.

EVIL MEN FROM KRABI

Another feather in the cap for KRABI TOURISM where you get raped fro havin dinner with a guy and killed for singing Karaoke

Nice place

I would guess that alcohol played a big part in this unnecessary death. RIP the father and I hope the son recovers quickly.

+1

Unnecessary weapons caused an unnecessary death.

No, people with unnecessary weapons caused the death - and chances are good that they wouldn't have made such a regrettable choice without the influence of alcohol. (Assuming that it wasn't simply a matter of self defense).

EVIL MEN FROM KRABI

Another feather in the cap for KRABI TOURISM where you get raped fro havin dinner with a guy and killed for singing Karaoke

Nice place

It's astonishing the way people LEAP to distort things without any concern for facts, as long as it serves to support their basic outlook: nothing in the article suggest that anyone was killed for singing karaoke. (And unfortunately it is hardly an exclusively Thai thing for people to be raped after having dinner with someone - or to be killed in a fight outside a bar, for that matter).

Tragic outcome - when people behave like annoying , aggressive jerks ( ie by not getting off a stage), you have to figure that eventually they will get pay back ( but nonetheless, death is too much!)

With a knife ? Come on.

ANYONE can be removed from a stage without resorting to possible death.

Perhaps you didn't read carefully: according to the story, the Americans were not injured in the act of removing them from the stage. The fact that they allegedly refused to leave the stage apparently led in part to an eventual fight in which the injury and killing took place.

On or off stage, killing for nothing is crazy. Am sure the locals could have sent the farangs on their way, UNLESS the farangs were wannabe Rambo's.

US tourist killed in Thailand for refusing to stop singing

BANGKOK, July 31, 2013 (AFP) - An American tourist was allegedly stabbed to death by three Thai musicians after he refused to stop singing at a bar in a popular tourist resort, police said Wednesday.

Bobby Ray Carter, 51, died after he was stabbed twice in the chest while his son Adam, 27, suffered a stab wound to his arm, during a fight with members of the house band from the Longhorn Saloon early Wednesday at Ao Nang beach in Krabi.

Police said the three musicians were arrested at the scene and confessed to stabbing the Americans.

Carter had joined the musicians on stage for a singalong, but a row broke out when he refused to stop singing as the band took a break.

On its website the Longhorn Saloon advertises "jam with the band" as one of its attractions, along with "good music, funfunfun and friendly staff".

"He and his son quarrelled with all three musicians because he wouldn't stop singing despite the musicians taking a break," said Lieutenant Colonel Attapong Seanjaiwuth of Krabi tourist police.

"He then demanded the money he had already given as a tip back. But the real fight broke out outside of that pub. He was stabbed twice and died while on the way to local hospital."

Thailand has come under scrutiny in recent months over its treatment of foreign tourists, who are a mainstay of the economy.

Tourists have registered a series of complaints with authorities over their treatment ranging from jet ski scams, drink spiking, robbery, assault and even police extortion.

A dozen European ambassadors recently raised the issue with local authorities on a visit to the resort island of Phuket -- where a 59-year-old Australian woman was killed in June 2012 in a robbery.

Earlier in July an American man was slashed to death by a taxi driver in Bangkok after an apparent argument over the fare.

A record 22 million foreigners visited Thailand last year. Although most did not encounter any serious problems, diplomats say tougher action is needed to ensure their protection.


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-07-31

Tomorrows headline....

Son was arrested and faces deportation for the crime of working without a work permit.

In a related story, since no witnesses to be found, the charges will be dropped and the 3 assailants will be freed.

A sharp response from blunt tools. This is a case where the offenders should be hammered for life to prove to the world that Thailand is serious about protecting tourists and ensure that Thailand uphold its' reputation for"Thainess" and as one of the worlds most exciting places to holiday. No bail, no mercy, respect the hand that feeds you.

Let's see. Three plus one knife against two and not on your home turf. Obviously the Americans started it. Sounds like a father and son gang. And of course just like the coffee thrown at the cabbie (not) one must believe the Thai garbage story that they kicked over the tip jar. I'm sure these two Americans have a long criminal record of kicking over tip jars in karaoke bars.