Quebec man fights for truth two years after daughters died in Thailand

[Suffinator]

Truth in Thailand ... an unknown substance.

You have to feel for such families because the real truth is that the Thai authorities will do everything possible to sweep this and other such incidences under the carpet in order to protect tourism ... fortunately it's having the opposite effect and yet trying to tell a Thai to learn from this is like trying to teach a mosquito not to bite people.

So glad I left Thailand and so happy my money no longer supports such a vile country.

[steve654]

Got to feel for the family. Seems the father is having a very difficult time accepting the deaths and the fact he may never get a conclusive answer is not going to help.

Though am confused by a few statements including how police couldn't identify them as their names were made publicly very soon after their deaths and before they got sent back to Canada. This like many stories has also had so much BS speculation posted too which certainly doesn't help him --- I actually recall reports that said they (Thai & Canadian) authorities determined the cause of death to be insecticide poisoning. Then there was also the reports of the foreigner who escorted them to the room that night --- did they ever have police in his home country question this guy?

I remember seeing a report on Canadian TV and the evidence seemed very convincing that it was insecticide poisoning. If I remember well, in many countries this insecticide is only for licensed use, but many break the rules and if you are unlucky to come in contact with the fumes that have not yet been vented out, you start to turn blue from depletion of oxygen which I think is what happened in this case. There were other reports that it was mixed in their drinks. Either way, I'm so sorry for their parents and wish them well.

Edited December 14, 2014 by steve654

[Suffinator]

Keep on fighting,seek the truth,just maybe Thailand will improve

their investigations of these many deaths of tourists in Thailand,

instead of just taking the easy way out,by just covering them up.

regards Worgeordie

The Thais will never change unless change is forced upon them. The solution is extraordinarily simple ...

1. Expats leave and vow not to return until significant changes are made - I did. Just imagine the loss to the economy if every expat walked.

2. Tourists refuse to come to Thailand until significant changes are made - now that all my friends and family are aware of what it's like they refuse to come.

Do not rely on Government to change for they rely on the people's ineptness to do something tangible. Government does NOT hold the power ... people do and if you want change then you have to take action; it doesn't have to be violent or even that vocal ... again cut off the money and see how quickly changes would be made.

I've notice a few posters here talk about how the expat community continuously complains about everything from corrupt cops to immigration and yet those bar stools remain far too comfortable. Change ... yes everyone appears to want it but nobody wants to do anything about it.

Yes I left because I got tired of being fleeced, treated like a second rate human at best and witnessing all the human rights abuses and murder ... leaving was the best and only solution for I believe in action not words.

[Suffinator]

Quite simply those who are above the law do not want the truth to be told, so how are you going to make it happen?

Well what would be a real step in the right direction, if the Canadian Authorities, namely the Embassy did something about it. They have a duty to their citizens, but sadly, as i many cases, the Embassy does nothing !!!

Once again someone asking their Government to take action ... they only deal in diplomacy and rarely speak the truth ... their primary job is to ensure money flows.

If you want change then look in the mirror, stop talking about it and do something about it ... leave in protest, tell all your friends not to come to Thailand. Government never holds the power ... the people do.

[SamuiAxe]

Today, exactly three years ago, on the spot, my son died in a Thai police-cell on Samui. He was arrested with five grams of marijuana and was already imprisoned for three months. waiting for an arraignment . He was send back and forth between the Bophut police-cell and the county prison. On the evening of the 14th of December 2011 he killed himself in a police-cell after being separated from the other detainees because he was restless and loud. Fortunately, (sick), his suicide was recorded on an security camera and some staff members from our embassy came to Samui to check the images thoroughly. It was obvious, my son had indeed taken his own life. I was 'glad' that there was video footage, otherwise I would have doubted the cause of his death till my own dying day.. Later they showed my son's body on Samui-TV, he lay on a metal plate and a policeman was playing with one of his feet! I know 100% sure that my son did it himself, but I do also know that many Thai have absolutely no respect for other humans, being dead or alive! My deepest sympathies go to Mr.Belanger, I have suffered a loss too, but at the least I got closure. I hope, that Mr. Belanger will find closure too, but I'm very afraid that he will never get it. Too much time has passed, I don't believe the real truth about what exactly happened with his daughters will ever be known..... After all, we are just Farang, for many Thai just one notch above the Burmese people, only good for leaving our money here..

[ToddinChonburi]

Just another very sad story.

[rkidlad]

Got to feel for the family. Seems the father is having a very difficult time accepting the deaths and the fact he may never get a conclusive answer is not going to help.

Though am confused by a few statements including how police couldn't identify them as their names were made publicly very soon after their deaths and before they got sent back to Canada. This like many stories has also had so much BS speculation posted too which certainly doesn't help him --- I actually recall reports that said they (Thai & Canadian) authorities determined the cause of death to be insecticide poisoning. Then there was also the reports of the foreigner who escorted them to the room that night --- did they ever have police in his home country question this guy?

The fact that he won't get answers "is not going to help" - What drivle!

The whole reason he's doing what he's doing is because he knows he's being lied to. He wants closure for Christ's sake.

And as for the foreigner who was reported, you really think the authorities wouldn't have looked into that? Or maybe the authorities were like "Oh, some foreigner was knocking about around their room. Should we look into that?" "Na! Let's just create some cock and bull story that people won't believe that will make us look we're hiding something"

Dinlow.

[OmarZaidMD]

Remember ... You are in Asia where life is extremely cheap

[kiwikeith]

From buckets laced with mosquito repellent I read. Good luck to these families trying to get justice, with Thai island Mafias reach going high up it will be some task.

Probably from the cheap charlie toxic bed bug spray , the same as what happened to the kiwi girls in Chiang Mai.

An undercover news team went to Chiang Mai and took samples from the room and the air con filters, they were anylsed in NZ as being deadly toxic,I cant remember the name of the chemical but it was what killed these girls and a few other nationalities in different rooms.

I think it was a previous mayor or could have been current who owned the guest house and nothing was ever done about the toxoligy report or anyone made to answer for this.

Shame on Murry MC Cully the National MP for overseas affairs who did sweet nothing about it.

What hope is there for the Quebec girls or the Burmese 2 when our own politicians are to gutless to stand up for their own.

[mok199]

... those little cops in those tight little uniforms are good for <deleted!> all...except harrassing us when the rent is due

Edited December 14, 2014 by metisdead

[katana]

There was a thread on this back in March where the likely culprit was the fumigant aluminium phosphide. In contact with moisture in the air, this product emits a highly toxic gas, phosphine.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/710763-deaths-of-quebec-women-in-thailand-may-have-been-caused-by-pesticide

Google also turns up cases of aluminium phosphide killing people in neighbouring apartments to the room that's being fumigated. The phosphine gas travels through the drains in the bathroom into the next door apartment killing the neighbours who are unaware of the danger they are in.
In Thailand where they tend to forgo the use of U-traps in their plumbing, this could well have happened. The hotel operators fumigated an empty room in the hotel, believing the neighbouring rooms were safe, with tragic consequences.

There's an interesting documentary on phosphine poisoning in Saudi Arabia where several people have died after their rooms were fumigated with the substance.

[TheFishman1]

This is Thailand when in CM the people that died in there room from bed bug spray what happened to the owner? Nothing When the young man ran over the Policeman what happened to him Nothing. It's the same story here just different names And Faces

[rickirs]

I'm surprised it's taken the authorities so long to find the guilty Burmese that committed the muders.

[paddyjoe41]

I certainly feel for this mr belanger,it sure would tear a man to pieces to loose 2 children together,and then to be told a complete pack of lies.make no mistake it was not the first time and it will not be the last time it has happened,I too remember the CM Hotel deaths there was so much BS going around at the time,and as usual money got in the way of the truth,as stated the hotel owners are fully responsible for the lot.I doubt that Mr belanger is looking for compensation,im sure the truth would help him far better to come to terms with his great loss,sadly that,in my opinion,would be looking for a miracle,but its a long road that has no turning.RIP girls.

[Travelman868]

Two years to get Coroners report and the bodies too decomposed to identify and an Island involved.

Compare that with the couple of days to arrest the two boys on Koh Toa who were cleared using DNA and then re arrested using DNA again.

With all due respect to the "diligent" work carried out by the RTP surly the first DNA sample could only have come from one place and if that

cleared the boys !!!!!!!!

[JohnThailandJohn]

Got to feel for the family. Seems the father is having a very difficult time accepting the deaths and the fact he may never get a conclusive answer is not going to help.

Though am confused by a few statements including how police couldn't identify them as their names were made publicly very soon after their deaths and before they got sent back to Canada. This like many stories has also had so much BS speculation posted too which certainly doesn't help him --- I actually recall reports that said they (Thai & Canadian) authorities determined the cause of death to be insecticide poisoning. Then there was also the reports of the foreigner who escorted them to the room that night --- did they ever have police in his home country question this guy?

The fact that he won't get answers "is not going to help" - What drivle!

Of course it is because that is not what I said though not sure if the problem is your need for glasses, slower reading or a lesson in reality vs. what you imagine.

[rkidlad]

Got to feel for the family. Seems the father is having a very difficult time accepting the deaths and the fact he may never get a conclusive answer is not going to help.

Though am confused by a few statements including how police couldn't identify them as their names were made publicly very soon after their deaths and before they got sent back to Canada. This like many stories has also had so much BS speculation posted too which certainly doesn't help him --- I actually recall reports that said they (Thai & Canadian) authorities determined the cause of death to be insecticide poisoning. Then there was also the reports of the foreigner who escorted them to the room that night --- did they ever have police in his home country question this guy?

The fact that he won't get answers "is not going to help" - What drivle!

Of course it is because that is not what I said though not sure if the problem is your need for glasses, slower reading or a lesson in reality vs. what you imagine.

*Yawn

[F4UCorsair]

Conclusions.....most posters are jumping to convlusions.

Might it be a case of just using drugs???

I have no idea either, so my speculation is just that, not giving a personal, and it seems, authoritative, opinion on the cause of death??

I hope the man receives some comfort from any outcome. I know tough it must be, having lost a daughter, but I knew the cause prior. That doesn't make the loss easier, but at least I had an explanation.

Edited December 14, 2014 by F4UCorsair

[26vinny]

more deaths on thai islands shocking i guess just the norm now koh tao is known as murder island looks like the other islands are up for a race to see who can beat it

[desktop]

Rykbanlor hit the nail on the head. That's a very plausible explanation right down to waiting a couple days to figure out what to do.

As he says, waiting a few days? That's exactly what they did.

There is no way the proprietor would not go to get money for rent when the girls didn't check out on time.

[timmyp]

Got to feel for the family. Seems the father is having a very difficult time accepting the deaths and the fact he may never get a conclusive answer is not going to help.

Though am confused by a few statements including how police couldn't identify them as their names were made publicly very soon after their deaths and before they got sent back to Canada. This like many stories has also had so much BS speculation posted too which certainly doesn't help him --- I actually recall reports that said they (Thai & Canadian) authorities determined the cause of death to be insecticide poisoning. Then there was also the reports of the foreigner who escorted them to the room that night --- did they ever have police in his home country question this guy?

I have read a few news stories about poisoning in Thailand having been intentional.

Some say it was too much insecticide sprayed in the rooms, and police at the time were suggesting that others consumed the insecticide intentionally as a recreational drug (first I ever heard about something like that), but others have suggested that the poisoning was likely intentional, and that it has been happening quite a bit. This is as of 3-4 years ago. I read about other murders around the same time in different places in Thailand that also involved insecticides, Thais and foreigners alike. I don't have time to dig up link, I encourage the studious TV readers to do that if interested.

Here is a story NPR did a few years back:

http://www.npr.org/2012/10/20/163303716/tourist-deaths-raise-poison-experts-suspicions

[lil fluffy clouds]

Quite simply those who are above the law do not want the truth to be told, so how are you going to make it happen?

Well what would be a real step in the right direction, if the Canadian Authorities, namely the Embassy did something about it. They have a duty to their citizens, but sadly, as i many cases, the Embassy does nothing !!!

Busy keeping up trade relations...

Individuals and justice don't count for anything...

Big business does...

B

[mojorison]

I have a friend who runs a business over there and sadly all the locals know exactly what happened.

They were killed by heavy duty fumigation products that are used to kill bedbugs etc. There are certain products that aren't for commercial sale here, and would require a licence to use back west. The room is supposed to be sealed off for 6 or 7 days during fumigation and then another 2 or 3 days for airing out the room. This procedure was not followed. This is without question a case where the hotel owners is fully culpable but was able to pay off the Police.

To add my own suspicion - it said the bodies were discovered 3 days later despite being only booked in for 1 night - they probably sat for a few days while these scumbags tried to decide what to do.

Very sad story

Yeah I will confirm that story for what it is worth. Totally unimaginable for a guest house operator to not know the whereabouts of it's guest after just1 day let alone 3.

[ggt]

Except for the $20,000 apology from the Thai government...the lack of reliable information and investigators dragging their feet is normal operating procedure in Thailand...the truth is well hidden and will never be known...

Edited December 14, 2014 by ggt

[JohnThailandJohn]

I have a friend who runs a business over there and sadly all the locals know exactly what happened.

They were killed by heavy duty fumigation products that are used to kill bedbugs etc. There are certain products that aren't for commercial sale here, and would require a licence to use back west. The room is supposed to be sealed off for 6 or 7 days during fumigation and then another 2 or 3 days for airing out the room. This procedure was not followed. This is without question a case where the hotel owners is fully culpable but was able to pay off the Police.

To add my own suspicion - it said the bodies were discovered 3 days later despite being only booked in for 1 night - they probably sat for a few days while these scumbags tried to decide what to do.

Very sad story

While I would not find it surprising if they were killed from misuse of fumigation chemicals, I don't believe you are right about them only checking in for one night. I could swear the maid opened the door on the day they were supposed to checkout. Could be wrong but seem to recall the maid saying she wanted to see if they wanted to stay another day since they were supposed to checkout that day. Somehow they maid suspected they were in the room and didn't clean it for two days but on the third went in.

Edited December 14, 2014 by JohnThailandJohn

[lil fluffy clouds]

more deaths on thai islands shocking i guess just the norm now koh tao is known as murder island looks like the other islands are up for a race to see who can beat it

Think you'll find the other islands already have a history...

[risky11]

I have a friend who runs a business over there and sadly all the locals know exactly what happened.

They were killed by heavy duty fumigation products that are used to kill bedbugs etc. There are certain products that aren't for commercial sale here, and would require a license to use back west. The room is supposed to be sealed off for 6 or 7 days during fumigation and then another 2 or 3 days for airing out the room. This procedure was not followed. This is without question a case where the hotel owners is fully culpable but was able to pay off the Police.

To add my own suspicion - it said the bodies were discovered 3 days later despite being only booked in for 1 night - they probably sat for a few days while these scumbags tried to decide what to do.

Very sad story

Thank you for sharing this insight. It sounds about right. I recently visited Thailand and enjoyed my stays in Chiang Rai, Bangkok and Pattaya. However, when I went to the Philippines, I encountered the strong smell of fumigation in the Makati condo I rented. The property manager apologized, but we simply had to endure it while it dissipated. In the future, I will open the windows and turn on the fans - or simply request another room. Good warning to all travelers....

[DaveinAsia]

Quite simply those who are above the law do not want the truth to be told, so how are you going to make it happen?

Well what would be a real step in the right direction, if the Canadian Authorities, namely the Embassy did something about it. They have a duty to their citizens, but sadly, as i many cases, the Embassy does nothing !!!

Don't you think it's kind of naive to put your faith in foreign embassies/authorities? Do you really believe they give a s-hit about any of us? Wake up pls. Just a while ago my point was proven when the Bobbies came over to 'investigate/observe' the double murder case on the Gulf of Thailand. As predicted they were powerless and left after a while with a sun tan and a suitcase full of souvenirs

[wilcopops]

It seems to me that there needs to some concerted joint effort by the international community to bring Thailand into line with modern practice's when it comes to crime.

Time and again the Thai authorities shown no concern for the victims and families and concentrate on obfuscation or even deception to make any unpleasantness go away.

It shows that there ius a culkturebin Thailand that accepts corrupt practice over due process of law every time.

[Baa_Mango]

I thought the family had conclusively found out it was pesticides that cause the tragic deaths of their daughters?

Maybe just the topic is misleading? Is the father looking for.. justice ? A tragic case, just like all the others. Depressing.