British tourist, 46, beaten to death in Thai prison after being accused of stealing a moped

[Jim walker]

Do the crime pay the time a bit of a high price for a moped theft your life, then again it might make people think twice before committing a crime in Thailand that might end with a prison sentence. RIP Sean and condolences to all your friends and family.

[chotthee]

In Brunei of Saudi, he would have his hand chop off.

Not sure which is less worst?

[JohnThailandJohn]

I am sure that Thailand is not unique , and that acting like an idiot is idiotic anywhere,I hope we can agree on that one.

This story is not about acting like an idiot,

it is about landing in jail , being murdered while in jail, and an attempt from the authorities to cover up the murder.

I am sure all these things could have happened even if you were not acting like an idiot.

So I guess the moral of the story is ,

Don't come to Thailand,

Which is exactly why the authorities tried to cover it up, and we should all be outraged instead of making excuses.

While the story may be about a broader issues, we were speaking about one specific issue. As for cover-up, we have no idea what the facts are and can only guess but there is no real motivation I can think of to cover up a murder like this. I have no idea of the rules for autopsies in what may have initially been suspected of being an accident but am guessing the Thais never did an autopsy and possibly at the request of family. If all the authorities had to go on was lying inmates covering up a murder then that is all they had to go on until they got an autopsy result. If they wanted to cover it up then they wouldn't be charging anybody now and can easily say well it might have been a murder based on the autopsy but we have no way of knowing now which of the 100's of inmates may have been involved.

The moral of the point you are trying to make I think is people like you shouldn't come to Thailand based on your own statement which you are 100% entitled too. In fact, I'd love to see less farangs in Thailand, especially when it comes to vacation spots. As for me, I like it here and don't have an issue with the way things are done anymore than I have issues in my own country which I have no control. I just happen to like the freedom and people's culture here better along with weather and beaches and many other things. No doubt Thailand has its problems, especially being a less developed nation, but this story is not unique to Thailand in anyway, at least not in the US where I grew up, as people get killed there all the time in and out of prison and police bungle investigations all the time and where foreigners are often viewed as outsiders or inferior though in the US a lot of people are often much more vocal about disliking foreigners.

A guy was killed in a jail and police didn't rule it a murder and/or make an arrest for 8-months. Should we all take to the streets and shut cities, airports and government down and possibly burn some malls? Now, that would be more of a uniqueness to Thailand

"While the story may be about a broader issues, we were speaking about one specific issue"

Though you might be talking about a specific issue, I and the article are not.

What specific issue are you talking about?

"As for cover-up, we have no idea what the facts are and can only guess but there is no real motivation I can think of to cover up a murder like this."

The cover up is that the Officials said that he fell from a wall, if the officials did not know what had happened, they should have said, "we don't know what happened ans we will investigate" 'but he did not do that, did they?They said he fell from a wall case closed.It was only after an autopsy was conducted in the UK and the evidence presented to them that they changed their tune.

"The moral of the point you are trying to make I think is people like you shouldn't come to Thailand based on your own statement which you are 100% entitled too"

This is not a moral of the story I am trying to make,

I am married to a Thai, I own property in Thailand, I plan to retire in Thailand , though the more I learn about Thailand the more I rethink my options.

​This is the moral that the average Joe in the UK or US or elsewhere will take from reading this story,

And it is exactly the motivation of the authorities for covering it up.

You don't really think the authorities were duped by the prisoners in believing he fell from a wall

Do you?

I can just hear it, "well , we did not know, the prisoners told us that he fell from a wall, why should we not believe them, is not like they are criminals or something ":lol:

I have to disagree that the average Joe in the US or UK would put off coming to Thailand over this incident. The average Joe is not so ignorant to not to know: a)Thailand is a less developed nation. b)Thieves run the risk of going to jail. c:) bad things happen in prison. d:) bothering other prisoners and acting violently in jail will have extremely bad consequences.

I guess it might steer some thieves away to other countries where they may have more lax laws for foreigners who steal vehicles. So in that sense I guess prison officials might have got together with TAT and decided this was a segment of visitors Thailand couldn't do without.

On a side note. I have a suspicion that your comment about owning property in Thailand is probably a good indication you should continue to rethink your retiring here.

Edited May 9, 2014 by JohnThailandJohn

[espinoza]

It's a prison people, what do you expect, crochet classes and finger painting?

There are prisons and prisons.. Thai prisons are not very good ... many prisoners in one room

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

And the guards, what is their job ? Smoking jaba when inmates gets killed.

[Chicog]

Moral of the story. Don't be an idiot in Thailand. Don't break the law. Don't go to jail. Don't die in prison.

... and don't be too smart Mcdonald, if you are at a wrong place in a bad time you can go to jail with-out any reason. If you won't survive a smart mate here like you will comment a big B st like you.

Do you know anyone who has ended up in a Thai prison without any reason?

[Phatcharanan]

Mr Flanagan, 46, divided his time between his home at Dalton, Cumbria, and Thailand, where his girlfriend lived.

Yes , the innocent "tourist"

And today's winner of the most irrelevant post is...........

Edited May 9, 2014 by Phatcharanan

[surangw]

2nd prison death reported in the press this week. I wonder how many unreported ones there are.

check the prison records, how many check in but don't check out

[surangw]

What's thai about it is the cover-up because Thais are so worried about their image projection to the outside...

Always face and style over substance and truth which loses its ability as a society and individually to advance...

one would think that it would dawn on them that the cover up ends up losing more face than the initial incident.

Edited May 9, 2014 by surangw

[Jay Sata]

I have read quite a bit about this guy and his history has been discussed on other websites.

His lifestyle and attitude could quite frankly fit the profile of many Farangs in Thailand.

In Spain he would have been locked up for a few days. Thailand is different and many of the cheap Charlie tourists who frequent bars on a regular basis are not savvy enough to appreciate how a situation can rapidly descend to serious jail time.

When in Rome as the saying goes.....

[NongKhaiKid]

What have the embassy been up to?

Probably being ' diplomatic ' and not asking their hosts any embarrassing questions.

[sirineou]

"While the story may be about a broader issues, we were speaking about one specific issue"

Though you might be talking about a specific issue, I and the article are not.

What specific issue are you talking about?

"As for cover-up, we have no idea what the facts are and can only guess but there is no real motivation I can think of to cover up a murder like this."

The cover up is that the Officials said that he fell from a wall, if the officials did not know what had happened, they should have said, "we don't know what happened ans we will investigate" 'but he did not do that, did they?They said he fell from a wall case closed.It was only after an autopsy was conducted in the UK and the evidence presented to them that they changed their tune.

"The moral of the point you are trying to make I think is people like you shouldn't come to Thailand based on your own statement which you are 100% entitled too"

This is not a moral of the story I am trying to make,

I am married to a Thai, I own property in Thailand, I plan to retire in Thailand , though the more I learn about Thailand the more I rethink my options.

​This is the moral that the average Joe in the UK or US or elsewhere will take from reading this story,

And it is exactly the motivation of the authorities for covering it up.

You don't really think the authorities were duped by the prisoners in believing he fell from a wall

Do you?

I can just hear it, "well , we did not know, the prisoners told us that he fell from a wall, why should we not believe them, is not like they are criminals or something "

I have to disagree that the average Joe in the US or UK would put off coming to Thailand over this incident. The average Joe is not so ignorant to not to know: a)Thailand is a less developed nation. b)Thieves run the risk of going to jail. c:) bad things happen in prison. d:) bothering other prisoners and acting violently in jail will have extremely bad consequences.

I guess it might steer some thieves away to other countries where they may have more lax laws for foreigners who steal vehicles. So in that sense I guess prison officials might have got together with TAT and decided this was a segment of visitors Thailand couldn't do without.

On a side note. I have a suspicion that your comment about owning property in Thailand is probably a good indication you should continue to rethink your retiring here.

this incident, might not change the mind of every one who is coming here, but it will certainly become a component in their decision making,

that is why Thai authorities , as authorities everywhere , try to downplay the negatives . I am sure that you will agree this is a negative.

I also think that it is not helpful to invent evidence to support once narrative,nowhere in this article is there any evidence that the prisoner was"bothering other prisoners and acting violently"

if that was the case the authorities would had said so, rather than say "he fell off a wall"

Further more the snide remark concerning my property ownership in Thailand is totally uncalled for.

Foreigners are not permitted sole ownership of land, they can own property. Unless you consider land the only property form one can own.

And any land I might own with my wife is secure not only because of the security of my relationship with my wife but because it is community property, in the event of divorce or my wife passing away (God forbid) I would have a year to dispose of the land and disperse the proceeds equitably..

The only threat to my property ownership is formed by the political instability and the corruption prevalent in Thailand, a threat not taken lightly in investment considerations as exemplified by the recent reduction in investment by multinational corporations and individuals..

Edited May 9, 2014 by sirineou

[chrisrazz]

I imagine that the owners of the porn shop are well pleased with this outcome. A quick trip to the temple to make merit and a week of monks visiting their premises will erase bad karma and cleanse the conscience. I guess there was a sum of money the police and owners they tried to extort that was indicative of the fact this man was foreign and any man without friends or money in this country is vulnerable, guilty or not.

As a side issue, the state of the justice system, which regards property over person, and, the appalling conditions within the prison system, where jails are run as private fiefdoms, are the seed for what is the most heinous form of corruption. It allows the police to extort considerable sums either from the accused or accusers as anyone of sane mind would be prepared to pay almost anything to avoid entering such an institution. I remember a story form some years back in which PM Thaksin paid a surprise visit to a jail in order inspect the conditions was denied access on some technicality. That tells its own story I think.

Edited May 10, 2014 by chrisrazz

[JohnThailandJohn]

I imagine that the owners of the porn shop are well pleased with this outcome. A quick trip to the temple to make merit and a week of monks visiting their premises will erase bad karma and cleanse the conscience. I guess there was a sum of money the police and owners they tried to extort that was indicative of the fact this man was foreign and any man without friends or money in this country is vulnerable, guilty or not.

This is truly a different spin -- putting blame or casting a bad light on the victims of vehicle theft because the thief went to jail, continued acting like a a violent idiot there resulting in a number of beat downs and ultimately his death.

[dude123]

Thainess at it's best

Its a prison not a church.

The nicest people do not really end up in prison, many are lifers and could not care less to kill someone over the silliest thing

Nothing to do with Thainess,, same all over the world.

Somehow I doubt that. It seems in Thailand it's very easy for a foreigner to end up in prison never being guilty of anything. Just imagine you are involved in a car accident not of your own fault and how things can turn against you in a hurry landing you in prison.

Edited May 10, 2014 by dude123

[JohnThailandJohn]

I also think that it is not helpful to invent evidence to support once narrative,nowhere in this article is there any evidence that the prisoner was"bothering other prisoners and acting violently"

DCI Bob Qazi, who has been liaising with the Flanagan family, said: It was said by several people he was losing his self-control, refusing to sleep and exhibiting violent behaviour. The gist of it was he was disturbing other prisoners and irritating them. See: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2624092/British-tourist-46-beaten-death-Thai-prison-accused-stealing-moped.html#ixzz31H3F0qiB

[sirineou]

I also think that it is not helpful to invent evidence to support once narrative,nowhere in this article is there any evidence that the prisoner was"bothering other prisoners and acting violently"

DCI Bob Qazi, who has been liaising with the Flanagan family, said: It was said by several people he was losing his self-control, refusing to sleep and exhibiting violent behaviour. The gist of it was he was disturbing other prisoners and irritating them. See: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2624092/British-tourist-46-beaten-death-Thai-prison-accused-stealing-moped.html#ixzz31H3F0qiB

That was not information contained in the article we are talking about, this is news to me

Thank you for that additional information.

[ebean001]

USA averages a prison murder each month

[SOTIRIOS]

....as a previous post cited....merely passing by the scene of an accident...after the fact....there was an attempt to pin the blame on him...a foreigner...

...that is the scary truth....

[Lancelot]

OK, the man is accused of stealing a motorbike. Why would one of the inmates murder the accused unless he (inmate) had a reason to do so?

[razer]

I don't get it. How do you fall off the wall?

[binjalin]

RIP he didn't deserve to lose his life

[coma]

What's the moral of the story ? Stay out of Thai prisons at ALL cost. And .... Don't steal other people's $hit.

[Bluespunk]

USA averages a prison murder each month

How many are covered up? Or not investigated until deceased family apply pressure 8 months later?

[JohnThailandJohn]

I also think that it is not helpful to invent evidence to support once narrative,nowhere in this article is there any evidence that the prisoner was"bothering other prisoners and acting violently"

DCI Bob Qazi, who has been liaising with the Flanagan family, said: It was said by several people he was losing his self-control, refusing to sleep and exhibiting violent behaviour. The gist of it was he was disturbing other prisoners and irritating them. See: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2624092/British-tourist-46-beaten-death-Thai-prison-accused-stealing-moped.html#ixzz31H3F0qiB

That was not information contained in the article we are talking about, this is news to me

Thank you for that additional information.

Actually this is the to the full article and is linked in the OP. Not if this are updating the story but it is the same article.

[Bluespunk]

I also think that it is not helpful to invent evidence to support once narrative,nowhere in this article is there any evidence that the prisoner was"bothering other prisoners and acting violently"

DCI Bob Qazi, who has been liaising with the Flanagan family, said: It was said by several people he was losing his self-control, refusing to sleep and exhibiting violent behaviour. The gist of it was he was disturbing other prisoners and irritating them. See: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2624092/British-tourist-46-beaten-death-Thai-prison-accused-stealing-moped.html#ixzz31H3F0qiB

That was not information contained in the article we are talking about, this is news to me

Thank you for that additional information.

The article says he was in a wheelchair because of an assault when he was visited by embassy officials and was then later assaulted again leading to his death. And the prison authorities still claimed he fell from a wall. Slime.

Edited May 10, 2014 by Bluespunk

[fatdrunkandstupid]

[Commercial HEO2 Diver]

I don't know whether he WAS a Thief. Who put him in that position ... ?

Can you Flaunt laws, act criminally, end up in Prison and then complain when others

of that persuasion (your cell mates, mate) chance to beat you to death .. ?

Just who is to blame here .. ? Probably the Moped owner who allowed his Moped

to be stolen ... eh .. ?

No Tears for people who willingly cross the line, then encounter - OMG, consequences .. !

Feel for the family a bit, though ... this meathead is causing problems even 8 months after his death.

[JohnThailandJohn]

USA averages a prison murder each month

How many are covered up? Or not investigated until deceased family apply pressure 8 months later?

MANY, happens a lot and usually doesn't make nation news. Does make the news sometimes when the story is juicy or captured on video like police raping a prisoner, impregnates a female prisoner, beats or murder a prisoner. Without the video just doesn't often make the news except possibly a couple lines in local news.

I think the other issue is when these things or other bad news is reported, be it police corruption or abuse, do make the news in the US few people except those who don't understand the US believe it is a reflection of all people or things in the US.

[LomSak27]

You don't expect to be beaten to death for nicking a moped do you. Stupid comment.

Uh, Gazzpa, this is Thailand, so I do not know what you expect, but getting beaten to death for nicking a moped is a very real posiiblity here. Indeed a stupid comment.

[eastcanje]

Moral of the story. Don't be an idiot in Thailand. Don't break the law. Don't go to jail. Don't die in prison.

You assume that the deceased person was indeed guilty! Have you ever heard of innocent people being arrested; of innocent people being convicted?

It might be instructive to Google "The Innocence Project" which uses DNA to get many people, wrongfully convicted, pardoned!

I don't know whether the deceased was innocent or guilty, but I think it's wrong to rush to judgement.