'Defrauded' Briton Found Dead In Chiang Mai Guesthouse

[mitsubishi]

There should be a warning sign put up in arrivals at the airport warning of the dangers

of bar girls..... Seems to be an endless stream of sad stories like this one.... :-(

On a side note, with lots of Brits dying here, I wonder at what point their government

will step in.

I'm sure most know the dangers but go ahead anyway, so a warning wouldn't make any difference.

With respect, I don't think they do know the dangers or there'd be a lot less mugs being taken to the cleaners.

They get fed the PC line about Asians etc being angels compared to Europeans and so when they arrive overseas they have rose-tinted glasses practically glued over their retinas!

I've seen them swanning about bragging about it, convinced they are 'right-on', 'hip' and 'with-it' as honorary Thais who are reinventing themselves etc etc.

This one kid was in total denial that his house was not his own when he described basically paying a builder to develop some land (he didn't own) and the builders family were basically living there waiting for him to go home!

[The stuttering parrot]

Never underestimate the power of the pussy!

It's pulled kings of thrones you know.

50/50 hindsight by some posters.

Anyway you can put your guard up about many scams but someone somewhere will get under your guard if your not switched on.

Elephant breeding scheme.Well you have to admit it's an original.

Rip fella

[SteveFong]

what is truly frightening is,

the Thai police apparently know who the female swindler is,

but she wasn't paraded on TV with a re-enactment,

she wasn't arrested

she wasn't even named

what is that exactly?

he is dead, so there is no crime?

did he report the crime?

[Pierrefun]

Oh well, I'm sure the information I posted will be available in the morning when the rest of the English news catches up.

It is substantiated, but, whatever.

Anyway, RIP to the deceased.

He was a good singer.

As suspected, even the OP news service, Khaosod, has identified the deceased on their Thai language news website as the same identity posted earlier in the thread (and subsequently deleted).

Perhaps later today, their English language news website or another English language news website will do so.

R.I.P.

[noitom]

Condolences. But it sure sounds like he was on the sauce when he went ahead with that elephant breeding business presented by a Thai bar girl.

[smedly]

What a sad story

So when is this girlfriend being arrested?

unfortunately never, there is nothing illegal about being smart or stupid - you can work the rest out for yourself

There probably is a case for some sort of fraud (like the Nigerians recently arrested) but unless you have someone taking the case to court (hint hint) then it's going nowhere and the 10 million baht proceeds will be on a distribution

Died of what ????????? yeh right

[balo]

How can anyone fall for this scam ? Oxford education ? I think his brain must have been left at home.

[chooka]

What a sad story

So when is this girlfriend being arrested?

✋ oh stop it you're killing me. It will now just be her word as to what really happened.

[SteveFong]

actually,

my last wife's father was an oxford graduate

looking back now,

they were all pretty stupid

[MAJIC]

shortest verse in the Bible

Amen!

[The stuttering parrot]

A mate of mine is very highly educated and very sharp.

However no street smarts.

He would be cannon fodder for a girl like this.

[gerry123]

There should be a warning sign put up in arrivals at the airport warning of the dangers

of bar girls..... Seems to be an endless stream of sad stories like this one.... :-(

On a side note, with lots of Brits dying here, I wonder at what point their government

will step in.

uk gov?? help something like lets up the P P price and increase the application process time that will stop everything nasty happening

[Prbkk]

Being an Oxford grad does not make someone any more smart or worldly than those who attend 'lesser' institutions or no university at all. While it's easy for " Monday morning quarterbacks" to be critical, there is tragedy in this: broken dreams and a lost spirit.

Deep cynicism comes easily from a long period in Thailand but I hope this fraudster is arrested and made to pay for the life she has destroyed, no matter how silly the guy had been.

[Thai at Heart]

Being an Oxford grad does not make someone any more smart or worldly than those who attend 'lesser' institutions or no university at all. While it's easy for " Monday morning quarterbacks" to be critical, there is tragedy in this: broken dreams and a lost spirit.

Deep cynicism comes easily from a long period in Thailand but I hope this fraudster is arrested and made to pay for the life she has destroyed, no matter how silly the guy had been.

Being from any university is not a preparation for dealing with the level of dishonesty and conniving that has to go on to create this scam.

It can happen to anyone anytime and being in Thailand makes it even more likely. I feel desperately sorry for him and I feel blessed to have avoided such horrible people to steal his money in this way. Horrible disgusting people.

A basic trait of a psychopath is someone has no empathy for other people. There is an element of psycopathic behaviour in many Thais sometimes.

Edited November 14, 2014 by Thai at Heart

[Commerce]

I'll give a little insight shall I? I was duped out of 14m in my first years here. No matter how bright one is, there's always a way.

I got married... bought 2 large houses (in her name of course), a new Audi, (in her name of course), and this was AFTER she had had our BABY... yes baby. Married with baby, together 2 years. I thought I had a great life. I was working in China, earning well as a consultant. I was flying back and forth every 8 weeks. Into year 3, I flew back to Thailand, went home........ and... somebody I didn't know answered my door. She had sold both houses, emptied our JOINT bank account, and done a runner with my kid.

All my hard work and savings..... yes, I too went into a depression, but I never for once thought of suicide. I decided to make a comeback and get off my ass and fight on.

I did, and eventually met a fine woman, highly educated, as I waited and chose very carefully. Married 7 years now.... nice new home and new car, wife's a lecturer at Uni.

It is easy to be duped; my ex had it planned for 3 whole goddarned years..... including baby... to entice me to depart with my savings.

However, suicide was not an option for me. It's a shame for some, who just can't face such a loss. Don't, please, take the proverbial out of this young man; it can happen to anybody, especially if well planned!

[Pierrefun]

A basic trait of a psychopath is someone has no empathy for other people. There is an element of psycopathic behaviour in many Thais sometimes.

There is zero empirical evidence to suggest that any one nationality has any more incidences of psychopathology than another one.

You seem to think there is could simply be explained by the people you encounter in your own sphere of experience has a higher incidence.

Suggestion: Try experiencing a different circle of associates.

[Pierrefun]

BANGKOK — A British man who reportedly lost 10 million baht in a fraud scheme was found dead in his guesthouse room in Chiang Mai province today.

The description of the particular guesthouse involved indicates just how far the deceased had dropped in financial resources.

Rooms range in price from 100 Baht (cold water bathroom outside) to 400 baht with hot water, bathroom, and TV.

http://www.chiang-mai.org/inter-inn-hotel.html

[Thai at Heart]

A basic trait of a psychopath is someone has no empathy for other people. There is an element of psycopathic behaviour in many Thais sometimes.

There is zero empirical evidence to suggest that any one nationality has any more incidences of psychopathology than another one.

You seem to think there is could simply be explained by the people you encounter in your own sphere of experience has a higher incidence.

Suggestion: Try experiencing a different circle of associates.

I completely disagree. When people talk about the fact that "life is cheap" in Thailand. What do they mean? They mean that people can kill each other in Thailand for apparently minor things.

I have seen Thais scam each other with little fear of consequence of feeling or repercussion. I haven't been scammed myself, but I have seen 3 foreign friends taken to the cleaners and one that it was so obvious it was terrible to watch.

All I said was that a fundamental issue of a psychopath is a lack of empathy for others. The only person I have met that I was convinced was a psychopath was European. He could lie to you about whether the sky was pink or not.

This ability to act with zero compassion for another is to me often common between foreign men and a bad partner in Thailand. The seemingly mild mannered woman will easily gut and skin a farang financially having planned it.

So, if you don't believe its feasible to believe that some women in Thailand will lie to foreign men with a long term plan to scam them, I hope you never get caught out.

You have no idea of the quality of my sphere. When it comes to foreigners, I haven't managed to find too many lords and ladies even in the RBSC.

[slipperylobster]

Impossible.

Oxford grad duped by a woman wanting to breed elephants...?????????

Then he drinks to death?

Oxford???????? I thought that was a good school.

[Pierrefun]

A basic trait of a psychopath is someone has no empathy for other people. There is an element of psycopathic behaviour in many Thais sometimes.

There is zero empirical evidence to suggest that any one nationality has any more incidences of psychopathology than another one.

You seem to think there is could simply be explained by the people you encounter in your own sphere of experience has a higher incidence.

Suggestion: Try experiencing a different circle of associates.

I completely disagree.

All I said was that a fundamental issue of a psychopath is a lack of empathy for others.

You said more than that.

Read the rest of your own post.

If you disagree with my statement, than I am very willing to review your clinical evidence that one nationality is any more prone to psychopathology than another.

If it's just based on a hunch or your own personal experience, that doesn't qualify as the scientific evidence you implied with your initial post.

[ClutchClark]

A basic trait of a psychopath is someone has no empathy for other people. There is an element of psycopathic behaviour in many Thais sometimes.

There is zero empirical evidence to suggest that any one nationality has any more incidences of psychopathology than another one.

The absence of a study does not make something true or untrue. It simply means there is an absence of research.

I am not suggesting Thai at Heart is correct, it simply might be cultural differences and norms that westerners do not commonly find in their own cultures.

Some groups think if money is not guarded closely then they have a right to steal it while other groups might have the belief you don't take something that does not belong to you. They might walk right past a wallet left sitting on a table in plain view.

[slipperylobster]

As a bit of an extra on this, from what my wife read in the Thai news sources, apparently his gf tricked him into spending 10M THB to buy the elephant sanctuary, then got him to work there.

However, they didn't actually buy it, and they just let him work there because they allow volunteers to work at the sanctuary. He apparently dding realize this, so worked there thinking it was his own business. Although by the time he found out the truth, his gf had done a runner.

This is yet another reason that Britons who come to Thailand must be warned about the multitude of scams that are waiting for them.

They get that heat, juicy women and power from the financial clout and think they have the midas touch with x, y and z. There's a midas touch alright, but it ain't the farang who have it when it comes to scams that's for sure!

Goes to show you.....even with a good education, a man can be easily scammed.

Last week, Thai Visa got together and helped another British man get back home...he lost pretty much everything.

I hope others will reach out for advice before they jump into a business/home transaction....and check in periodically.

Sorry this man felt so badly for making his choices. He could have learned from the experience and recovered. The embarrassment can be overcome....and an intelligent man can earn back his money.

Edited November 14, 2014 by slipperylobster

[Thai at Heart]

A basic trait of a psychopath is someone has no empathy for other people. There is an element of psycopathic behaviour in many Thais sometimes.

There is zero empirical evidence to suggest that any one nationality has any more incidences of psychopathology than another one.

You seem to think there is could simply be explained by the people you encounter in your own sphere of experience has a higher incidence.

Suggestion: Try experiencing a different circle of associates.

I completely disagree.

All I said was that a fundamental issue of a psychopath is a lack of empathy for others.

You said more than that.

Read the rest of your own post.

If you disagree with my statement, than I am very willing to review your clinical evidence that one nationality is any more prone to psychopathology than another.

If it's just based on a hunch or your own personal experience, that doesn't qualify as the scientific evidence you implied with your initial post.

You are putting a cart before a horse. A part of being a psychopath is lacking any empathy for others.

When I see someone gutted and tossed aside with little or no consideration, that is borderline psycopathic treatment. When I see it happen so commonly , it would pay to realise that often in Thailand , there is a huge change you are being held with absolutely no regard by even people you consider to be friends.

It may well be harsh but true, that a farang might be the loneliest man in the room he is surrounded by his friends and family in Thailand.

This man has been gutted and ruined by someone he trusted and no doubt lots of people knew and did nothing to help him. Very sad. His trust was completely betrayed.

[daoyai]

It is really not too difficult to be scammed and those of us from good homes with higher educations are the easiest victims because we have little experience with desperate dishonest people. First the con person builds trust, after trust is established anything is possible. In this case believing that she purchased the elephant camp in her name would be easy to fake with a bit of forged docs, then maybe some camp staff were in on it to fool him further. This would be a very attractive dream, live and work in a lovely area have foreign volunteers to help for free and live with you lovely Thai partner there.... nice dream...

[Pierrefun]

^ ^ Not saying that what happened to this man wasn't terrible or tragic.

Just wished to comment on the inaccurate broad and sweeping statements that were inserted into the discussion.

Not wanting to detract any further from the core discussion, I will end here with, suffice to say, psychopathology is absolutely not nationality based.

Edited November 15, 2014 by Pierrefun

[slipperylobster]

Nobody, I think will disagree.

Somebody who walks in with millions of baht, and is not prepared, will be fortunate to walk out at all.

The rich people here have protection, and a network of professionals to ensure they are not duped.

Some farangs think they can copy/emulate that. But it appears to be a thing that you cannot "Buy in to."

One setup/hand washing/finder's fee...leads to another...and so on...and so on. There are so many that want to be brokers on every facet of a sale...transaction... hidden charges, payoffs, promises, but...in the end... they are looking at their own happiness...not yours.

Protect yourself..

[shirtless]

Its fraud and she should be prosecuted , Otherwise this is a very morally sick country.

[slipperylobster]

It is really not too difficult to be scammed and those of us from good homes with higher educations are the easiest victims because we have little experience with desperate dishonest people. First the con person builds trust, after trust is established anything is possible. In this case believing that she purchased the elephant camp in her name would be easy to fake with a bit of forged docs, then maybe some camp staff were in on it to fool him further. This would be a very attractive dream, live and work in a lovely area have foreign volunteers to help for free and live with you lovely Thai partner there.... nice dream...

Nice dream...true.

I hope people trust the posters (even the negative ones) a bit more. It never hurts to know what can happen. It only hurts after it does.

[wedders]

I'll give a little insight shall I? I was duped out of 14m in my first years here. No matter how bright one is, there's always a way.

I got married... bought 2 large houses (in her name of course), a new Audi, (in her name of course), and this was AFTER she had had our BABY... yes baby. Married with baby, together 2 years. I thought I had a great life. I was working in China, earning well as a consultant. I was flying back and forth every 8 weeks. Into year 3, I flew back to Thailand, went home........ and... somebody I didn't know answered my door. She had sold both houses, emptied our JOINT bank account, and done a runner with my kid.

All my hard work and savings..... yes, I too went into a depression, but I never for once thought of suicide. I decided to make a comeback and get off my ass and fight on.

I did, and eventually met a fine woman, highly educated, as I waited and chose very carefully. Married 7 years now.... nice new home and new car, wife's a lecturer at Uni.

It is easy to be duped; my ex had it planned for 3 whole goddarned years..... including baby... to entice me to depart with my savings.

However, suicide was not an option for me. It's a shame for some, who just can't face such a loss. Don't, please, take the proverbial out of this young man; it can happen to anybody, especially if well planned!

I am sorry to contradict you on this - but no. Well planned or not, it really cannot happen to anybody. For starters, the day I buy a property here I would make damn certain that it requires both signatures on the sale document. If that is not possible, I simply wouldn't do it. I have been married and divorced here, a joint account was, is and always will be totally out of the question.

As for my divorce and settlement, it cost me the grand total of 45 baht. We had a child too, but I obtained full custody.

All of this while living here permanently, 12 months a year. If I was working abroad? Absolutely zero chance of me trusting any Thai girl, no matter how plausible, no matter how apparently genuine her feelings for me.

There is a reason why it does not happen to everybody.

[saakura]

Is there any evidence to show that he actually had such a large amount of money 10 million which she swildled and sent him to alcohol? Or was he addicted to alcohol already and she took whatever he had and his claims of 10 million are exaggerated?