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

[luudee]

Could it have been his elegant British manners ????

I can see them sitting at 7 am drinking beer and swearing,

couldn't possibly be anything he said ????

luudee

[Equalizer]

I'm not one to rag on thai English language news for bad grammar, but w-t-f does a moped have to do with anything in this story?

These people have zero professioanl pride in their work.

Just the most inane bs you can imagine, daily.

ERRMMMMM maybe, just maybe he may very well be, and more to the point could be in jail for stealing a moped. Hows that.

[sumtingwong]

Is this the result of a moped scam and he refused to pay?

[Dumu Ali]

for me people are murdered in prisons all over the world n prisons hv strict rules anyone who acts like a yob in any prison is playing with their life this man came from a caring family with money and most prisoners can only keep quiet and avoid eye contact with others and pray to God to see another sunrise maybe prisons in Europe are better than Asian and African prisons and maybe the culture is not the same either way I say a prayer to bless his soul wherever it may be

[Thai at Heart]

Maybe he should have murdered someone. That way he probably had a better chance of bail.

[GOLDBUGGY]

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If you are ok with going to Thai jail it's your business. For overstay or whatever. It is not a nice place. From there you can be as smart as you want in your comments. Law abiding people very very rarely get in trouble and end up arrested or in jail. Smart aases, on the other hand, have much higher chances.

Sent from my GT-I9190 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

You must be some Saint then to live a full life and never break any law. Or is it just ignorance? Because breaking any law can legally land you in jail. That includes Jay Walking, Parking Tickets, and in most civilized countries just being over the limit in any public place including a bar. Two Over the Limit Impaired Driving Charges is automatic jail time in Canada. Hell, getting behind in your Child Support Payments and refusing to pay can also land you in jail, as it does for many.

Nobody is arguing the issue that stealing a motor bike is wrong, and thus he should be punished for that. He was in fact in prison and paying back his debt to society. He was doing his part! The issue on the table here is if this man deserved to be beaten to death in prison for that. Or maybe pushed off the wall first and then beaten to death later because he wouldn't give up his lunch money, or didn't have the money to pay the guard a bribe.

Wake Up Man! And get off whatever you are smoking or you will end up there to!

[GOLDBUGGY]

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USA averages a prison murder each month

A few differences here...

1. Thailand in its entirety is just a bit bigger in population than California alone... one of the 50 U.S. states.

2. Typically in the U.S., those awaiting trial on minor non-violent charges are not locked up with serious, convicted violent criminals.

On Number 2 you are wrong. It isn't until after conviction do prisoners get classified with few exceptions such as notable people who would be targets and known gang members.

On number 1 you are addressing a stat that is wrong. See: WASHINGTON — More than 2,000 criminal suspects died in police custody over a three-year period ... http://www.nbcnews.com/id/21255937/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/t/study-died-police-custody-over-years/#.U22hrPldX6k

Also of note is Wiki article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_in_custody) with links for many countries and starts off: A death in custody is a death of a person in the custody of the police, prison service or other authorities. Death in custody remains a controversial subject, with the authorities often being accused of abuse, neglect, racism and cover-ups of the causes of these deaths. (note Thailand not listed in this article)

Again big difference other places when things like this are reported in the news rational people just don't condemn an entire country or see it as a reflection of all its people or even see it as the norm because they know it is newsworthy ... except in the US where things like this tend to only be news worthy if caught on video in all its gore. Once an a while people should read their own countries news and see everyday the news is full of violence, cover-ups, officials screwing up and so on. Why in the world would anybody think a less developed nation, by almost definition, wouldn't and shouldn't be the same or worse?

More than 2,000 criminal suspects died in police custody over a three-year period ...

Of old age, heart attack, cancer, other illness, and accidents. I wonder how many Americans die in there bathroom each year as well. Or are those all Murders as well in your book?

[GOLDBUGGY]

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

Prison Sentence for Stealing a Moped ..Is NOT a death sentence .

And to assume that a Prisioner gives up all rights on Conviction , and use this as Some form of " Excuse " is simply not Rational .

He was not provided the Duty of Care that he deserved ..Sorry ..Not acceptable Anywhere . The minute he goes in there his personal safety must be assured . Not good enough .

So many people die unjustly all over the world and there is just not enough resources to protect everyone but things do tend to improve over time even in the Thai jails but priorities need to be given to resources available and protecting innocent people from criminals needs to be a bigger priority than protecting criminals from criminals.

Yes, people shouldn't die in prisons out of violence but then again he stole the motorcycle and he acted up while in jail. So many other causes out there and people that need protecting than people who seem to want to write their own ticket to the afterlife.

Many truths in what you say but I must have missed the part in this Head Line saying he was acting up in prison. I did read he was in a Wheel Chair and could hardly talk when he was later beaten a second time though.

I wonder what he said, or tried to say, that caused that? Or was it just meeting with an Embassy Official to plead his case enough?

[JohnThailandJohn]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

USA averages a prison murder each month

A few differences here...

1. Thailand in its entirety is just a bit bigger in population than California alone... one of the 50 U.S. states.

2. Typically in the U.S., those awaiting trial on minor non-violent charges are not locked up with serious, convicted violent criminals.

On Number 2 you are wrong. It isn't until after conviction do prisoners get classified with few exceptions such as notable people who would be targets and known gang members.

On number 1 you are addressing a stat that is wrong. See: WASHINGTON More than 2,000 criminal suspects died in police custody over a three-year period ... http://www.nbcnews.com/id/21255937/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/t/study-died-police-custody-over-years/#.U22hrPldX6k

Also of note is Wiki article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_in_custody) with links for many countries and starts off: A death in custody is a death of a person in the custody of the police, prison service or other authorities. Death in custody remains a controversial subject, with the authorities often being accused of abuse, neglect, racism and cover-ups of the causes of these deaths. (note Thailand not listed in this article)

Again big difference other places when things like this are reported in the news rational people just don't condemn an entire country or see it as a reflection of all its people or even see it as the norm because they know it is newsworthy ... except in the US where things like this tend to only be news worthy if caught on video in all its gore. Once an a while people should read their own countries news and see everyday the news is full of violence, cover-ups, officials screwing up and so on. Why in the world would anybody think a less developed nation, by almost definition, wouldn't and shouldn't be the same or worse?

More than 2,000 criminal suspects died in police custody over a three-year period ...

Of old age, heart attack, cancer, other illness, and accidents. I wonder how many Americans die in there bathroom each year as well. Or are those all Murders as well in your book?

While a regretable incident, lets stop trying to pretend Thailand is so much different than everywhere else. Things make the news here just like anywhere else because they are news worthy or not common occurrences. Just like most other places the vast majority of prisoners do their time and get out .. often to repeat more crimes. Yes, Thai jails are different than the US and the US jails are different than Canada and Mexico and so on and so on but common sense will tell us all if you put yourself into a situation to be surrounded by criminals than your odds greatly increase of bad things happening to you. And yes of course less developed countries are almost certainly going to have less pleasant jails.

The leading cause of death among jail prisoners was suicide, accounting for 29% of all deaths (of course these are real suicides as opposed to Thai suicides because every prison guard in the US is honest). In 6% of deaths among jail prisoners, no definitive cause of death was determined. (that is about 60 Deaths a year with no cause of death listed .. can you see the reaction here if just 1 farang death happened in jail with no cause of death determined?)

https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/(S(g0zwk0jou1x4vz45tgqzpf45))/displayArticle.aspx?articleid=22841&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

Death by drug or alcohol intoxication (7%) was the third leading single cause of death ... the oldest inmates (age 55 or older) and the youngest inmates (age 17 or younger) had the highest suicide mortality rates. Whites had the highest suicide rate.

http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/pjdc0009st.pdf

Edited May 11, 2014 by JohnThailandJohn

[JohnThailandJohn]

Many truths in what you say but I must have missed the part in this Head Line saying he was acting up in prison. I did read he was in a Wheel Chair and could hardly talk when he was later beaten a second time though.

See the link at the bottom of the OP (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2624092/British-tourist-46-beaten-death-Thai-prison-accused-stealing-moped.html) and keep in mind it is a very one sided article.

Edited May 11, 2014 by JohnThailandJohn

[happysanook]

Disgusting. I remember when I first came to Thailand 7 years back. Some well traveled hippy told me to be careful of reverse nationalism. I was quite sure it would never happen to me. All I needed was a couple years more for the magic to disperse and be replaced with disdain for these people.

Edited May 11, 2014 by happysanook

[Rumblecat]

or maybe just dont pick a fight with 70 thai guys in a crowded room with no way out, or a plane full of passengers for that matter, which this guy had previously done jail time for

Please can you provide link for plane incident...

(Not that I disbelieve you, but such accusations should be substantiated.)

I guess this must be the plane incident.

http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/1.501285

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/drunk-in-jail-after-stripping-in-a-jet-371974

[Basil B]

Thanks for the info, I did look but could not find,seems like another quality tourist, 44 convictions at the age of 43, I can now understand why he did not get bail,

“He was removed from the aircraft by police and he continued to be uncooperative with them.”

http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/1.501285

or the problem was sorted without him being charged.

I can also understand how he wound up his cell companions but that does not excuse the prison authority of its duty of care, I am assuming for his own protection he should have been in solitary.

I am also surprised any airline would carry him.

[paz]

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

Expect that people coming in comes out alive as it probably happens in your country.

Other than that expecting a modicum of compassion an understanding from people like you is probably too much.

[paz]

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.

Actually it has a LOT to do with Thailand, if you could care get informed about the conditions of their prisons, that are not like "all over the world"

[paz]

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.

What about don't lecture when you know nothing? Suggest you focus on running your school and keep exploiting it.

[Seastallion]

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

Not being beaten to death is a reasonable expectation.

On the contrary, being beaten, perhaps to death, is a realistic expectation, in any country's prison if you are not a member of a major gang......and even if you are.

[jalansanitwong]

Thai prisons get a bad wrap IMHO.

Of course afew farangs die in Thai prisons. A hell of a lot of Thais die as well ! Its called....PRISON.?

i would much rather take my chances in a Thai prison than go to one of those sub-human hell holes in Sth America

or even the USA.

Prisons in Venezeula , Peru,Colombia and Guatemala are unbelievable. Most farangs wouldnt last long.

Edited May 12, 2014 by jalansanitwong

[sumtingwong]

Thai prisons get a bad wrap IMHO.

Of course afew farangs die in Thai prisons. A hell of a lot of Thais die as well ! Its called....PRISON.?

i would much rather take my chances in a Thai prison than go to one of those sub-human hell holes in Sth America

or even the USA.

Prisons in Venezeula , Peru,Colombia and Guatemala are unbelievable. Most farangs wouldnt last long.

Dutch Aruban Joran van der Sloot is still alive and getting married after killing a Peruvian girl and probably an American girl in Aruba.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joran_van_der_Sloot

[Benmart]

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

Yes, it's a prison, which is generally meant to safely house prisoners.

It seems reasonable to expect that a person (You or I), would not be killed by another inmate, while awaiting trial or serving a sentence.

I prefer not to trivialize an article when someone has died. Perhaps this man and his family didn't expect any sort or classes, leisure activities or his violent death while in custody.

[GAZZPA]

Thai prisons are not holiday camps. I make no apology for not finding this sad tale to be noteworthy.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

A tourist beaten to death in a Thai prison after nicking a moped is not noteworthy?

With all the trivial stuff in the press how is it this isn't worth a mention?

Seriously fella, you must be having a crazy day? Have you had enough sugar?

[paz]

Thai prisons get a bad wrap IMHO.

Of course afew farangs die in Thai prisons. A hell of a lot of Thais die as well ! Its called....PRISON.?

i would much rather take my chances in a Thai prison than go to one of those sub-human hell holes in Sth America

or even the USA.

Prisons in Venezeula , Peru,Colombia and Guatemala are unbelievable. Most farangs wouldnt last long.

You don't know what are you talking about. Thai prisoner treatment is routinely subject of reports by international organizations. You should vo visit a prisoner to see with your eyes, I can tell you privately how it is done.

Edited May 12, 2014 by paz

[Chicog]

Thai prisons are not holiday camps. I make no apology for not finding this sad tale to be noteworthy.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

A tourist beaten to death in a Thai prison after nicking a moped is not noteworthy?

With all the trivial stuff in the press how is it this isn't worth a mention?

Seriously fella, you must be having a crazy day? Have you had enough sugar?

You're talking about a country where a female Australian tourist can be stabbed to death by someone looking for Bt500 to pay his bar tab.

Or a policeman can shoot you dead because he fancies raping your girlfriend.

And you find it noteworthy that a thug with multiple convictions for violent assault died at the hands of some hardcore Thai prisoners?

It must be nice in your world mate, but unfortunately I live in the real one.

[paz]

Thai prisons are not holiday camps. I make no apology for not finding this sad tale to be noteworthy.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

A tourist beaten to death in a Thai prison after nicking a moped is not noteworthy?

With all the trivial stuff in the press how is it this isn't worth a mention?

Seriously fella, you must be having a crazy day? Have you had enough sugar?

You're talking about a country where a female Australian tourist can be stabbed to death by someone looking for Bt500 to pay his bar tab.

Or a policeman can shoot you dead because he fancies raping your girlfriend.

And you find it noteworthy that a thug with multiple convictions for violent assault died at the hands of some hardcore Thai prisoners?

It must be nice in your world mate, but unfortunately I live in the real one.

More exactly you live in your world of cynism and cold statements. The fact that the world is horrible doesn't justify being indifferent. Your attifude would be different if something like that or even much less had happened to your friend or relative.

[Chicog]

Well it didn't so som num na.

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[paz]

Well it didn't so som num na.

Pathetic. Keep doing and you will quickly reach the same ethic standards.

[Chicog]

What a silly thing to say

Go back to being outraged by Daily Mail articles, there's a good chap.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[gemini81]

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

So what do you expect? A violent, traumatic death of theft accusations as the daily norm?

[GAZZPA]

Thai prisons are not holiday camps. I make no apology for not finding this sad tale to be noteworthy.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

A tourist beaten to death in a Thai prison after nicking a moped is not noteworthy?

With all the trivial stuff in the press how is it this isn't worth a mention?

Seriously fella, you must be having a crazy day? Have you had enough sugar?

You're talking about a country where a female Australian tourist can be stabbed to death by someone looking for Bt500 to pay his bar tab.

Or a policeman can shoot you dead because he fancies raping your girlfriend.

And you find it noteworthy that a thug with multiple convictions for violent assault died at the hands of some hardcore Thai prisoners?

It must be nice in your world mate, but unfortunately I live in the real one.

Who are you "Judge Dredd"? I didn't see anything about him being a thug with a violent criminal past, and even if this is correct he was being detained for nicking a scooter!

You are obviously one of these "round them all up in a field an bomb the bas**rds types".

I think you need to get grip on what the real world is. He did not deserve to be beaten to death, full stop.

[Chicog]

Who are you "Judge Dredd"? I didn't see anything about him being a thug with a violent criminal past, and even if this is correct he was being detained for nicking a scooter!

You are obviously one of these "round them all up in a field an bomb the bas**rds types".

I think you need to get grip on what the real world is. He did not deserve to be beaten to death, full stop.

I never said he did.

I simply said I am neither surprised nor shocked by it.

Perhaps some of you have led sheltered lives.