Mum mourns murdered son at Phuket sentencing
Phuket Gazette


Mrs Schantz wanted to be present at the sentencing so Mr Ljung could apologize to her. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: -- The mother of Maxim Schantz, who was murdered in Phuket two years ago, arrived today at Phuket Provincial Court for the sentencing of one of her son’s murderers, Johan Sebastian Ljung.

“Maxim was a very good son. He was beautiful. He had his father’s eyes,” Yvonne Schantz, 55, told the Phuket Gazette.

“I had two children: Maxim and his sister. My daughter was six months pregnant when Maxim was killed.”

“He was very happy when he found out about his sister’s pregnancy. He wanted to see the baby – he loved them both so much.”

“She has now given me a grandson, I wish that he could be Maxim reborn. Such a thought makes me happy – I miss my son. I miss him so much.”

Maxim and his mother first visited Thailand about six years ago. Then, in 2008, Maxim moved to the Kingdom. Mrs Schantz moved to Pattaya permanently in 2011. She gave up her work in Sweden.

“I used to have a business in Sweden. Now, only my husband is working there,” Mrs Schantz said.

Mrs Schantz's last conversation with her beloved son was on July 30, 2011, two days before he was killed by Mr Ljung and Tommy Soderlund at the The Lantern housing development in Koh Kaew (story here).

“He called asking me when I would come to visit him in Phuket. I told him I would come sometime in the next week. I was in Pattaya,” she said. “If I had come to Phuket on Sunday [July 31], my son might not have been killed.”

The man sentenced to life by the Phuket court today (story here) called Mrs Schantz on August 2, the day after he killed her son.

“Johan was the one who called and told me that my son was murdered,” Mrs Schantz said.

“He called at about 2am. I could not believe that my son was dead.”

Mrs Schantz rushed to Bangkok where she was able to catch a flight to Phuket at about 5am. The Swedish Embassy called to inform her of the death later that morning.

“That was the only time I was contacted by them [the embassy]. I only knew about the trials through news websites,” Mrs Schantz said.

Mrs Schantz arrived at the court today with a photo of Maxim. She wanted Mr Ljung to apologize to her and her son.

“Unfortunately, I was not in the room when Johan was sentenced. They told me the sentencing had been postponed until the afternoon,” Mrs Schantz explained. “I wish I could have been there.”

Despite missing the sentencing, Mrs Schantz was happy with the outcome.

“I hope Tommy gets the same. I hope they both serve their prison terms in Thailand,” Mrs Schantz said.

She was unmoved by the 12.5 million baht of compensation the court ordered Mr Ljung to pay to the family.

“I do not care about the money… I only want them to be locked up,” she said.

“One time, I read in the news that they would be freed. I was so frightened – I thought they might come after me.”

“Later, I found out that the report was wrong.”

Mrs Schantz vowed to return to Phuket for the sentencing of Mr Soderlund.

“I want to hear him apologize to me and my son. Johan apologized to me once when I visited the pair of them in jail – but Tommy never did,” she said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2014/Mum-mourns-murdered-son-at-Phuket-sentencing-24396.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2014-01-25

She was unmoved by the 12.5 million baht of compensation the court ordered Mr Ljung to pay to the family.

Exactly..no amount of money can lesson the the effects of the tragedy she has to live with for the rest of her life..

Appalling as murder is, wasn't her son involved in some kind of boiler room scam with the other 2? Conning people out of money is hardly Mother Theresa.

Maybe she should have been checking what her son was up to rather than portraying him has wonderful.

Sorry, don't mean to be callous, but this appears a feud between crooks.

Appalling as murder is, wasn't her son involved in some kind of boiler room scam with the other 2? Conning people out of money is hardly Mother Theresa.

Maybe she should have been checking what her son was up to rather than portraying him has wonderful.

Sorry, don't mean to be callous, but this appears a feud between crooks.

Yes, very callous IMO.

One..the OP is about a mothers grieving..plenty of other threads on this case where you could post your opinion on the character of her son.

Two......in the majority of circumstances , murder can not be justified. ,but moreso as in an example you quote..;

"some kind of boiler room scam with the other 2"

Appalling as murder is, wasn't her son involved in some kind of boiler room scam with the other 2? Conning people out of money is hardly Mother Theresa.

Maybe she should have been checking what her son was up to rather than portraying him has wonderful.

Sorry, don't mean to be callous, but this appears a feud between crooks.

Yes, very callous IMO.

One..the OP is about a mothers grieving..plenty of other threads on this case where you could post your opinion on the character of her son.

Two......in the majority of circumstances , murder can not be justified. ,but moreso as in an example you quote..;

"some kind of boiler room scam with the other 2"

He is just putting forward a point of view, surely grieving should be done elseware and not on a public forum.

Sorry for the mother as there are no winners in this case. (or any other case where a person loses their life)

Appalling as murder is, wasn't her son involved in some kind of boiler room scam with the other 2? Conning people out of money is hardly Mother Theresa.

Maybe she should have been checking what her son was up to rather than portraying him has wonderful.

Sorry, don't mean to be callous, but this appears a feud between crooks.

Yes I agree, not saying that the 2 should not be punished but if you live in that world then you have chosen to be an out law murder is outlawed

Too be honest personally i would look for street justice but that is just me

If I was them 2 u would be worried after paying 12. 5 million baht which shall hurt their stay in prison and there is always the paranoia that they could be bumped with other people living in crowded cramped positions.