German tourist’s suicide jump at Suvanarbhumi airport

[watso63]

No sympathy. Totally selfish act, not thinking of the trauma or effect it could have on any eye witnesses, the unfortunate clean up party or grieving friends and family. Pathetic Individual.

[Wat dee]

Poor Man, we never know what goes on in Peoples Minds..

Especially if someone is mentally ill.

Many mentally ill people commit suicide as a result of severe depression.

There are more people around us with various mental disorders than we might think.

In most cases they look like normal people.

Not in this case thou...

[PeCeDe]

As a fellow Canadian I can sympathize about your money... And I am horrified by the constant reports of Farang suicide in this country, it seems to me that we need an equivalent to AA for people feeling down and out. I have a friend, (and I'm worried about him), in his mid fifties with a 21 year old GF, she's screwing around on him, and he's mortified... As I have said to him "what do you expect?" It's purely a business transaction. Hmm LOS, is a beautiful place with beautiful people, take it for what it is, and enjoy... Life here when taken for what it is, is so superior to anything we can get in Canada, US or UK, or in this poor guys case Germany. IMHO

A TWO Part Observation on the Unfortunate, Ongoing, Persistent, as in Chronic, Unresolved Issue:

Part ONE. Does anyone have ACCURATE statistics on how many farang either jump, fall over the short railings, or are pushed to their deaths over balconies in Thailand, year on year?

I'm looking for totals, and accurate tallies for the three main types of fall. I realize it would be easier to get the US nuclear codes from Obama, but I like tough challenges.

Signed, Wishing upon a Star

Part TWO. Are there inherent farang (personality) types that are more prone to jump, fall or get pushed? If so, are the broad categories of money, alcoholism-drugs, general health and women not the root cause in 100% of cases, in no particular order?

I could have fit the first category nicely, as I lost 40 million Baht ( 1.2 million Canadian dollars , when it was almost at par) in the markets 18 months ago, it was my own fault, and amounted to 90% and change of my life-savings..and I'm in Thailand plenty of the time. I didn't look for any sympathy in the bottle, as I knew no one gave a crap (even my Thai wife was indifferent, she said it wasn't my fault) nor did I contemplate "the jump."

Bottom line? It probably-usually takes at least TWO categories to do the deed, and I only fit one, like a glove

Signed, But not always

[apalink_thailand]

There really should be a crack down on this sort of thing.

[dotpoom]

"Police said several farang tourists have committed suicides by jumping from the connecting platform between the car par and the fourth floor of the outbound passenger terminal at the rate of three or four suicides each year."

Might be a good idea to fence it up then.............if possible

[HooHaa]

Very sad when people do this. How desperate must someone be to end it all like this?

And 3 to 4 a year from the same spot? Maybe the need higher railings or box them in.

they did install tall glass barriers in front of the terminal, thats why he jumped from the car park.

i personally dont understand why you would pick the airport, plenty of nice condos in town.

only thing i csn think of is that no-one seems to question suicide at the airport

Edited March 13, 2015 by HooHaa

[kinmaew]

I think a lot of people don't realize there is no Ctrl Z available when you take this option. I don't believe there is anything worth taking your own life for you can always start again or find some new hope you just have to keep going and try and stay positive. RIP to the poor man.

[PeCeDe]

"Police said several farang tourists have committed suicides by jumping from the connecting platform between the car par and the fourth floor of the outbound passenger terminal at the rate of three or four suicides each year."

Might be a good idea to fence it up then.............if possible

I can agree with you to a point, but it seems to me to be like smoking, drugs or alcohol, it needs to be stopped before the thought process starts, or at least at the very beginning of that process... as someone else commented there ain't no Ctrl Z for his action... What a damn shame.

[NCFC]

Its a totally selfish act and the ultimate 'look at me' to do this in such a very public place. He obviously didnt think about how his actions might affect others. Shame on him.

[stephenterry]

It's a deadly cocktail that happens over here. Thailand attracts more than it's fair share of struggling people: men coming out of a failed marriage, men who have found themselves unemployed and unemployable, men who have never really been able to make a go of it back home. They arrive dreaming of a land of friendly, young and beautiful women, sunny beaches, welcoming locals. They may even be convinced in their first few weeks or months that their dream has come true, that they've made their escape to paradise. But no place can meet such unrealistic expectations, and they end up disconsolate and devastated ... they if their dream of paradise turned out to be a mirage and there's nothing left at home, where else to go? Many of them have probably left their friends behind, maybe even burned their bridges, and find themselves themselves alone in an alien land (I wonder how many have really even experienced drastically different cultures before they come here). So it's not surprising that we read of these things week after week, though sad nonetheless.

While I agree in part, it is still a generalization that all struggling people would contemplate suicide if it doesn't work out. I've had my fair share of the above, but it never deterred me from making the most of what I have here. Maybe, because I'm healthy, I'm not alone or lonely.

[fey]

Why do this at an airport? Are they that sad to be leaving?

sounds fishy to me as well.

suicides are typically planned in advance, not a spur of the moment thing at the airport.

if people are picking a particular spot it probably looks like a walkway or they cant see the drop.

Edited March 13, 2015 by fey

[PeCeDe]

Its a totally selfish act and the ultimate 'look at me' to do this in such a very public place. He obviously didnt think about how his actions might affect others. Shame on him.

In truth it is your comment that is extremely selfish and not thought through... I trust you have second opinions... The man was obviously in big trouble, and needed help. He did not try to make an exhibition of himself. He is now dead, have some respect.

[watso63]

Its a totally selfish act and the ultimate 'look at me' to do this in such a very public place. He obviously didnt think about how his actions might affect others. Shame on him.

In truth it is your comment that is extremely selfish and not thought through... I trust you have second opinions... The man was obviously in big trouble, and needed help. He did not try to make an exhibition of himself. He is now dead, have some respect.

Respect what exactly? Should have never been allowed to leave his mothers apron strings.

[PeCeDe]

Its a totally selfish act and the ultimate 'look at me' to do this in such a very public place. He obviously didnt think about how his actions might affect others. Shame on him.

In truth it is your comment that is extremely selfish and not thought through... I trust you have second opinions... The man was obviously in big trouble, and needed help. He did not try to make an exhibition of himself. He is now dead, have some respect.

Respect what exactly? Should have never been allowed to leave his mothers apron strings.

Some people can be so arrogant (like you) It's a damn shame when people give up on life, because it's so precious, but sometimes it happens, I trust you will never see it or experience it.

[Jeremy50]

These guys got taken for everything by a Thai girl, and could not stand to go back home broke and humiliated.

OR

They love Thailand so much they would rather kill themselves than leave ; )

NS

Notwithstanding a lot of these guys come for a go at another life or in someway to live a youth they might have missed out on. It must be absolutely devastating when the girl leaves you and all the money is gone too, which is usually the reason for the girl leaving in the first place. Most people I have known of in this situation considered suicide at some stage or another. The goose that lays the golden egg is just a turkey once the egg

is all eaten up, the girl usually goes looking for another goose. Of course there could be many other reasons why this chap took his own life.

[Jeremy50]

Its a totally selfish act and the ultimate 'look at me' to do this in such a very public place. He obviously didnt think about how his actions might affect others. Shame on him.

Clearly the part of your brain that controls feelings of empathy and sympathy is in some way faulty.

[spectrumisgreen]

3-4 a year on same spot, sound suppernaturel, something about that place , like the bridge in scotland or england where the dogs always jump off.

need to be investigated, not by the thai police offcourse

Hardly supernatural is it? (or 'suppernaturel' !).. Seems if you're that way inclined, you do what other such 'tortured souls' did before, and often WHERE they did it!!.. more a mystery - interesting too! - about the dogs and cats, really - have to look that one up! (ps: sorry, but going by the rest of your spelling is your name supposed to be Tony Dandelion?.. just wondered.)...

Edited March 13, 2015 by spectrumisgreen

[spectrumisgreen]

These guys got taken for everything by a Thai girl, and could not stand to go back home broke and humiliated.

OR

They love Thailand so much they would rather kill themselves than leave ; )

NS

Notwithstanding a lot of these guys come for a go at another life or in someway to live a youth they might have missed out on. It must be absolutely devastating when the girl leaves you and all the money is gone too, which is usually the reason for the girl leaving in the first place. Most people I have known of in this situation considered suicide at some stage or another. The goose that lays the golden egg is just a turkey once the egg

is all eaten up, the girl usually goes looking for another goose. Of course there could be many other reasons why this chap took his own life.

Thailand forever or back to Germany, maybe for the reasons you suggested, hey? Go figure!

[Jimbolai]

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This is very sad. I don't know if this frequent jumping habit speaks more of Thailand or Western counties.

It speaks to the demographic of middle aged males who commit suicide. The two age groups (for EU, Canada, Australia) males with the most pronounced suicide rates are 80 years+ and 45-49 years. It comes as no surprise then that these 45-49 year old males figure prominently in foreigner suicides in Thailand.

When I lived in Niagara Falls there were an awful lot of jumpers over the falls as well. There were so many that the media stopped reporting them as a matter of policy.

I met one of them. he went to commit suicide but changed his mind just before going over the edge. He went down and started swimming like hell. He did survive, of course, I met him. He had a small portable display station with pictures of the falls, himself of course and magazine stories and news reports. He was a nice chap. Good to talk to so I left him a nice tip. So now you know, out of work, go over the falls and tell people about it. No need to jump of a building. Just a nice vigorous swim in July or August. Make sure many tourist are watching and place an anonymous call to the police and news media.

PS, when his gig runs its course I am sure he can get a job as a swim instructor.

Edited March 13, 2015 by Jimbolai

[PeCeDe]

Its a totally selfish act and the ultimate 'look at me' to do this in such a very public place. He obviously didnt think about how his actions might affect others. Shame on him.

Clearly the part of your brain that controls feelings of empathy and sympathy is in some way faulty.

Nice comment, I couldn't have said it better.

[TSF]

He was scheduled to leave on March 16. So what was he doing at the airport with a bag on March 12?

[draftvader]

Post referencing another post by number removed. Please use the quote function. As we moderate the forums and remove posts the numbers will change. Quoting a number may end up with that post referencing the wrong post.

[Just1Voice]

Spent 20 years as a combat US Marine. Starting with 3 tours of Vietnam, and going from there. That will make you suicidal. (Or is that homicidal?). Then my beautiful wife of 28 year died after a 3 year battle with cancer. My world fell apart. Sold my business to my partners, put the money in the bank, bought a new Ninja 650, and for the next 4 years lived on the bike, traveling to every state in the continental United States. Sometimes driving like a maniac who didn't care, because I actually didn't. Carried a picture of my wife with me at all times, and one day, or night, it hit me why I should keep going and not give into the temptation. She wouldn't want me to end it. She would want me to go on, enjoy life, with the promise we would be together again when it was time. Started driving with less recklessness, more caution, actually taking the time to stop and enjoy all the things I was seeing. But I was there, at the edge, and it wouldn't have taken much for me to step off it.

Strange what a picture can do for you.

[PeCeDe]

Spent 20 years as a combat US Marine. Starting with 3 tours of Vietnam, and going from there. That will make you suicidal. (Or is that homicidal?). Then my beautiful wife of 28 year died after a 3 year battle with cancer. My world fell apart. Sold my business to my partners, put the money in the bank, bought a new Ninja 650, and for the next 4 years lived on the bike, traveling to every state in the continental United States. Sometimes driving like a maniac who didn't care, because I actually didn't. Carried a picture of my wife with me at all times, and one day, or night, it hit me why I should keep going and not give into the temptation. She wouldn't want me to end it. She would want me to go on, enjoy life, with the promise we would be together again when it was time. Started driving with less recklessness, more caution, actually taking the time to stop and enjoy all the things I was seeing. But I was there, at the edge, and it wouldn't have taken much for me to step off it.

Strange what a picture can do for you.

I did 2 tours in Nam, and know exactly where you come from. Started about two years ago, I had terrible flashbacks, all I could see was blood, mayhem and screams of pain, still get them every now and then but thank God for modern medicine. The name of the game is life is precious, and you can't throw it away. I am sure you will see your wife again.

[MrWorldwide]

Thailand is fast becoming the capital country for all sorts of tourist and expats death, nary a day goes

by without one tourist or two of any description meeting their demise in a myriad of ways,

It's almost like they come here to die in paradise or to fulfill a death wish... paradise lost...

A million ways to die in Thailand...

I can think of worse places - several of them in Oz - but let's take a moment to examine that from the Australian perspective.

http://intelligenttravel.com.au/travel-risk-management/where-australian-travellers-died-overseas-in-2013-infographic?hvid=1lC5xL

3% of the ~1000 Australians who died whilst overseas in 2013 had their deaths attributed to 'murder/suicide combined' : personally, I think that's abysmal recording but some here might see it as a more accurate picture. I spent time on the ABS website trying to verify the above data but its a joke - they figures the above site is using seem to line up with smarttraveller,gov.au and several media reports published when it became apparent that Thailand was the number one 'one-way trip' for Australians - at the time, more Australians were travelling to Thailand than any other OS destination. FWIW, the domestic suicide rate in Australia in 2012 was 1.4% of the ~147,000 deaths in Oz that year - 3% is double that figure, but the genius who decided to lump murder and suicide together has only muddied the waters further.

Anecdotally, I'm inclined to accept that more of the Australian suicides occur in Thailand than a large percentage of other destinations, but even a figure as high as 10% would mean 13 Australians killed themselves (or were murdered) in Thailand in 2013 : that's one every 4 weeks, a statistic many here would attribute to Pattaya balconies alone. Clearly, there is a gap between our perception, the tabloid media and reality and I believe that gap lies with our Embassy in Bangkok and their political masters in Canberra. Assuming that the Thai authorities have to provide the Embassy with the details of all Australian deaths in Thailand, I fail to see why that information isnt available in detail from the ABS website. The data should be as readily available as these tables:

http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[email protected]/PrimaryMainFeatures/3303.0?OpenDocument

i dont know what the diplomatic implications of publishing figures re the number of suicides / murders in a given country are, but clearly there is a gap between what DFAT knows and what Joe Public back in Oz knows. It's 2015 - let's light a fire under the shiny bums in Canberra.

[tinsom]

More like 2 or 3 a week

[laislica]

Why do this at an airport? Are they that sad to be leaving?

Who knows? Maybe they realise what they have to own up to on their return to their homeland?

Loss of face is not only an Asian thing!

Very Sad. RIP

[pumpuy]

A TWO Part Observation on the Unfortunate, Ongoing, Persistent, as in Chronic, Unresolved Issue:

Part ONE. Does anyone have ACCURATE statistics on how many farang either jump, fall over the short railings, or are pushed to their deaths over balconies in Thailand, year on year?

I'm looking for totals, and accurate tallies for the three main types of fall. I realize it would be easier to get the US nuclear codes from Obama, but I like tough challenges.

Signed, Wishing upon a Star

Part TWO. Are there inherent farang (personality) types that are more prone to jump, fall or get pushed? If so, are the broad categories of money, alcoholism-drugs, general health and women not the root cause in 100% of cases, in no particular order?

I could have fit the first category nicely, as I lost 40 million Baht ( 1.2 million Canadian dollars , when it was almost at par) in the markets 18 months ago, it was my own fault, and amounted to 90% and change of my life-savings..and I'm in Thailand plenty of the time. I didn't look for any sympathy in the bottle, as I knew no one gave a crap (even my Thai wife was indifferent, she said it wasn't my fault) nor did I contemplate "the jump."

Bottom line? It probably-usually takes at least TWO categories to do the deed, and I only fit one, like a glove

Signed, But not always

Well , that's kind of a coincidence . Me too , I lost 40 mio THB in the Stock market about 2 yrs ago ....

For a while , I became depressive , but then , one morning , I decided to visit a temple in the mountains behind Chiang Mai .

It was a beautiful morning , it rained heavily the night before , but the morning sun created a foggy , mystical athmosphere ...

A small group of elephants with their mahouts crossed the street to work in the forest ... When I arrived by the temple on a hilltop , it was nice and sunny , the view down to the foggy jungle was great .

I went to pray in front of the big buddha in the temple , a monk sitting near called me over to talk to him ;

" you look worried " he said , " I've got money probems " I answered . He laughed .

Now there is a question and an answer . The question is easy to find : why did he laugh ? The answer is not so easy to realize , but once I really understood , it changed my life .

I am happy now , I found peace inside me , I do not want more than this .

( But I still worry for the world gone mad , what a pitty ...)

[sir charles IV]

Suiciders are selfish and cowards and those who do it for everyone to witness are X2. No sympathy for losers.

[northernphil]

3 or 4 a year. A long way to go to catch up Pattaya , the brothel of Thailand and the most popular place to take the final plunge . I wonder if the reason behind these suicides will ever be found.