Thai musician out on bail after stabbing a singing American to death on Krabi

[marell]

you would think that in matters like this that the relevant foreigners country would push for justice

You must be new here.

The ambassadors have their jobs because they helped their appoint-er get elected. It has nothing to do with assisting citizens. It's an extended paid vacation for them.

Well, it's not exactly a vacation. They have to make an occasional speech, smile a lot, have their picture taken, shake hands with people, attend dinners...stuff like that.

[JulesMad]

Thai justice in a nutshell

Farang dead, (thai) killer out on bail and expected to do a runner....

What if, it was the other way around?!?!?

I wish I were surprised, but BAU (Business As Usual)

[Tomtomtom69]

This is all over the Internet. Carter was a president of some big firm. He seems like a decent enough guy looking at the photos of him and his son and other photos on the Internet.

I hope this comes back to bite Thailand in their behinds. It really is disgusting how these people in general resort to sub-bestial behavior over the most amazingly stupid issues.

Bobby Ray Carter;

President of an electronics company, with offices in Texas and China.

Father of a 27 year old son and 18 month old daughter...

...Murdered by Thais because he refused to stop singing (...and his son was stabbed in the arm trying to save his life)

Very sad. However, maybe he should have vacationed in China instead. There are no guns here and violence, especially against foreigners is extremely rare. There is no government sanctioned dual pricing here, the people are genuinely curious about foreigners and mostly very friendly towards them (unlike in Thailand where every Somchai and his wife and his mia noi have seen one and are often thinking...geez, not another "farang"). Most important of all is that KTVs here (which are everywhere) tolerate all sorts of bad singing, indeed if you are a foreigner and you don't already have your own group, expect a bunch of rich businessmen or salaried employees to invite you into their private room to sing horrible renditions of "Hotel California" along with free drinks, free food and maybe even a nice little girl you can have a fun time with. There might even be an exchange of business cards and the beginning of a genuinely warm friendship.

[lostmebike]

Why are so many posters surprised at this???

[LivinginKata]

More off topic posts removed.

[brewsterbudgen]

Surely it's normal in most countries for someone charged with the equivalent of manslaughter (not murder) to be allowed out on bail?

Drunken bar brawls that, tragically, end in death are hardly rare occurrences.

[belg]

another good pub for TAT

hope it gets international attention

hub of you might get stabbed to death and killer will walk scott free

[brewsterbudgen]

another good pub for TAT

hope it gets international attention

hub of you might get stabbed to death and killer will walk scott free

How is facing 15 years in jail for manslaughter "scott free"?

[asiabill]

All around the world Americans are killing, murdering and raping men women and children. So one Thai got one back. Decent people everywhere should be jumping up and down and cheering. Personally I would give him a medal, not bail.

[Johpa]

Sometimes it seems that our US Ambassador is more focused on fashion and embassy employee morale than what's happening to Americans outside the embassy compound . American tourists and expats need her support also. Seems no real pressure is being put on the Thai govt to eliminate the tourists scams and physical harm to US citizens. It's really too bad, as she seems to be one of the most active Ambassadors we've ever had.

The embassy and its staff is there to promote national interests and not to protect personal interests. The primary national intererts are defense, intelligence, and commerce (corporate interests as corporations are the new super citizens). The US ambassador to Thailand is most often, including currently, a career diplomat and not a political appointee.

[Time Traveller]

Bail is not about innocence or guilt.. and most countries have a "presumption of bail", which means that most people are bailed unless there is a very good reason to refuse bail.

Possibly, but the fact that people on murder charges are acceptable for bail, whilst people on Lesse Majeste charges are not. Effectively implying free speech is more a concern to Thailand than murder. Justify that however you want. For the rest of the world we see Thailand as a joke run by dictators.

Edited August 5, 2013 by Time Traveller

[peterbkk9]

I am disgusted. I am making plans to leave this country by the end of the year.

[maxman71]

Another reason why I never sing at Karaoke bars...I have no problem getting off the stage when asked to do so, but I'd be very afraid of getting knifed for a singing voice that would make alley cats throw up...

[ALFREDO]

So , if I understand well , the guy who stabbed the American guy is out of jail on bail when the others remain in jail ? How weird is that ..... the guy will probably leave the country as usual or will go to hide up country. How courageous is that ?

No need to run, he will get no long sentence, if he even gets one!

[ALFREDO]

I wonder what would happen if it would be the other way around .......

25 years !

[brewsterbudgen]

I am disgusted. I am making plans to leave this country by the end of the year.

There is certainly no point in staying in a country when you don't want to be there. But if your disgust at a bar fight is the sole reason for going, it seems a bit extreme.

[Loptr]

I wonder what would happen if it would be the other way around .......

Perhaps its an obvious case of self-defense. Then again, the guy was from Texas.

Meaning what?

Edited August 5, 2013 by LivinginKata
flame removed

[Loptr]

Bail is not about innocence or guilt.. and most countries have a "presumption of bail", which means that most people are bailed unless there is a very good reason to refuse bail.

On murder charges? I think not. Please provide a link to another person up on murder charges that got bail (outside of Thailand of course). I bet you have a hard time finding one, but have at it.

[ALFREDO]

I mean....what happened to just punching the guy out? Don't think most people would have a problem if a few toughs from the bar smacked him around a little and kicked him out of the bar......what is up with the random killing??????

The story was shown computer animated somewhere in the NET.

The Band and the group of foreigners 7 ? including 2 women walked our of the Bar, the deceased US man , took on the guy who stabbed him later and seemed to have overpowered him the Thai lost face and stabbed the stronger heavier US man.

The son was involved in a fight with the two other guys of the band, at least that was shown in the Computer clip and was later injured to.

[brewsterbudgen]

Bail is not about innocence or guilt.. and most countries have a "presumption of bail", which means that most people are bailed unless there is a very good reason to refuse bail.

On murder charges? I think not. Please provide a link to another person up on murder charges that got bail (outside of Thailand of course). I bet you have a hard time finding one, but have at it.

Has he been charged with murder? According to the reports he's been charged with the equivalent of manslaughter.

[ALFREDO]

Kill a tourist -and seriously injure his son - under similar circumstances in the U.S. and Canada, and the judicial system will have your hide.

By the way, the offenders look like pansies, I would fight them in a cage. disgusting cowards.

The problem was the -sharpened piece of metal!- otherwise the whole incident, would not have made it into the Big News!

A -shot gun-? anyway a gun was also present at the time, on the side of the Thais,but was not used. One of the Thais has now also a problem with Thai gun laws!

[McFarang]

OK we will just kill him then with the sharpened steel rods that we have for people that are actually enjoying themselves SICK!

[SlideRiceFC]

Bail is not about innocence or guilt.. and most countries have a "presumption of bail", which means that most people are bailed unless there is a very good reason to refuse bail.

On murder charges? I think not. Please provide a link to another person up on murder charges that got bail (outside of Thailand of course). I bet you have a hard time finding one, but have at it.

The most recent high profile cases that spring to mind were George Zimmerman in the US who was up on second degree murder charges but released on bail. Also, Oscar Pistorius in South Africa who is being charged with the murder of his wife...out on bail. That's just two recent ones. A quick scan on google will no doubt yield a staggering amount of accused murderers out free until trial in countries outside of Thailand. It's frightening but unfortunately this is the way it works in most places.

[desmondspencer]

Why do some of us settle here and demand the kind of "justice" we

get back home?

If we cannot accept the fact that we are "second class citizens" on

foreign soil then might I suggest we crawl back home..?

Make no mistake, we "love" the label "farang" to some extent which

is poignant why we are all here in the first place.

Some respect however minute goes a long way.

Few of us here are really in-touch with the culture coupled with

the do's & don't s

I fail to believe after asking once to dismount the stage, he got knifed..

Other band members probably couldn't post bail if you ask me..

[LivinginKata]

Off topic post removed. Please stay on this Krabi murder case, thank you.

[Markaew]

you would think that in matters like this that the relevant foreigners country would push for justice

You must be new here.

The ambassadors have their jobs because they helped their appoint-er get elected. It has nothing to do with assisting citizens. It's an extended paid vacation for them.

Well, it's not exactly a vacation. They have to make an occasional speech, smile a lot, have their picture taken, shake hands with people, attend dinners...stuff like that.

Of course, it's a job no one would be interested in with that work load.

[elzach]

This is all over the Internet. Carter was a president of some big firm. He seems like a decent enough guy looking at the photos of him and his son and other photos on the Internet.

I hope this comes back to bite Thailand in their behinds. It really is disgusting how these people in general resort to sub-bestial behavior over the most amazingly stupid issues.

Bobby Ray Carter;

President of an electronics company, with offices in Texas and China.

Father of a 27 year old son and 18 month old daughter...

...Murdered by Thais because he refused to stop singing (...and his son was stabbed in the arm trying to save his life)

Very sad. However, maybe he should have vacationed in China instead. There are no guns here and violence, especially against foreigners is extremely rare. There is no government sanctioned dual pricing here, the people are genuinely curious about foreigners and mostly very friendly towards them (unlike in Thailand where every Somchai and his wife and his mia noi have seen one and are often thinking...geez, not another "farang"). Most important of all is that KTVs here (which are everywhere) tolerate all sorts of bad singing, indeed if you are a foreigner and you don't already have your own group, expect a bunch of rich businessmen or salaried employees to invite you into their private room to sing horrible renditions of "Hotel California" along with free drinks, free food and maybe even a nice little girl you can have a fun time with. There might even be an exchange of business cards and the beginning of a genuinely warm friendship.

This is all true...but not because of any genuine interest or fondness towards foreigners (laowais), but because the Chinese feel the mere presence of foreigners "elevates" their status. Imagine that in Thailand!

[Jim walker]

If you have enough money you can do unquestionably anything in Thailand and normally get away with it even if it is an extremely serious crime.

[BestBitterPhuket]

It's time for EU and US to issue travel warnings and revoke the favorable status Thailand has had. This is a hostile country.

[brewsterbudgen]

It's time for EU and US to issue travel warnings and revoke the favorable status Thailand has had. This is a hostile country.

I believe quite a few western countries have issued warnings to tourists about scams and other common sense precautions. But really saying Thailand is "hostile" is very far from the truth.

Edit: Here is the UK Government warning:

Crime

Seven British nationals have been murdered in Thailand since January 2009.

Western tourists have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by gangs in Koh Phangan. These attacks are particularly common around the time of the Full Moon parties and generally occur late at night near bars in Haad Rin on Koh Phangan. In January 2013 a British national was killed in a shooting incident while at a beach party in Haad Rin. Violent assaults and robberies have been reported in Chaweng, Koh Samui. Attacks have also occurred in other tourist districts in Thailand including in Chiang Mai. Take care, especially at night.

There have been sexual assaults against foreign men and women, especially in the Koh Samui archipelago and Krabi province. Tourists have also been robbed after bringing visitors to their hotel rooms. In some cases their drinks were drugged. Be careful about taking drinks from strangers and at clubs and parties, particularly in Koh Samui and Pattaya and, at the Full Moon party on Koh Phangan, where date rapes have been reported.

Alcohol and drugs can lead to you being less alert, less in control and less aware of your environment. If you drink, know your limit. Drinks served in bars overseas are often stronger than those in the UK. Some British nationals have suffered severe psychiatric problems because of drug use, resulting in some suicides.

Be aware of the possibility of credit card fraud. Don’t lose sight of your card during transactions.

Be careful to observe demarcation lines between shops and stalls, particularly in market areas and at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Taking items from one shop’s area to another may be treated as suspected theft.

Be on your guard against pickpockets and bag snatchers. Foreigners have had items snatched by thieves on motorbikes when walking along busy streets or travelling in open transport like tuk tuks. If you travel by bus, make sure cash and valuables you have are kept securely. There have been incidents where passengers have had items taken from bags while asleep.

Gem scams are common. There have been reports of visitors buying gems for inflated prices from seemingly respectable establishments then later finding out the stones are worth a tiny fraction of the purchase price.

You should report any incidents of crime to the Thai police before leaving the country.

Edited August 7, 2013 by brewsterbudgen