Australian businessman killed in condo fall

[gregory luhrs]

Hmm maybe they should rename thailand the land of smiles, suicides, and imbeciles. That should kick start tourism.

[surangw]

a long lost brother ( thai husband ) in the mx somewhere ?

[joboss]

As there are so many people speculation the wife must have pushed him which can be considered. But than again, us foreigners are often 20kg up more heavy and lots stronger.

Now I luckily never been in a physical confrontation with my missus or any Thai lady (or man for that matter) but I am 100% sure that my missus could never trow me over our condo balcony, even if she gave it all.

So the pushing seems quite odd to me too. I do also not believe there are so many real jumpers here but I ain't a policeman to find that out.

Excellent point. For most Thai women, throwing or pushing a fully grown falang male off a balcony would be a difficult proposition.

Some attempts might succeed of course, particularly with the element of surprise, but it's impossible to deny that many would not.

We can therefore say that if a significant percentage of these suicides really are murders, large numbers of failed attempts using similar methods must have also taken place.

Have they?

pushing would indeed be difficult for just one woman. but why not consider there was a few men who entered? it should at least be ruled out. a spiked drink, nap on the couch, a quick call downstairs....and done.

I am not saying this happened for this particular incident...but I suppose there may have been others that were staged. When you think about it....not very hard to do.

Did you read the sentence that mentioned the study of CCTV to assist with the investigation?

[northernphil]

every time I read about a suicide in Thailand I am reminded of one my early trips to pattaya

I was staying at the siam sawaddy on soi buchou.

one evening I was using the phone in the lobby to phone my daughter in the uk when an Asian

girl came running up to me in a highly agitated state shouting and crying, I asked the people behind the desk what was wrong and I was told she was drunk and not to get involved.

I looked around and the girl had gone while I was talking to the receptionist.

I have to admit that a few hours later when the girls body was discovered in a shaft alongside the lift I was mortified, all the staff followed the line that she had committed suicide.

the next day me and a friend went to see where they said she had jumped from and it was an access point about 9ft high.....and the girl was 5ft nothing and no means of climbing this hight was ever indicated...in the papers it was suicide....and I left for England a week later

and no police or anyone made any enquiries as to what happened to this little Korean girl.

I believe this girl was murdered and she was in fear of her life in the lobby, but as we have been reminded of late tourism is big bucks here so maybe the truth gets downgraded to protect the big money.hence everyone and their dog is flying off roofs/balconies.

WOW, that is really sad, how many times have you said to yourself ..." If only I had ......" Thanks for your imput , bad dream stuff fer sure.and going to bed in 10 minutes.

[redandyellow]

I wonder why the response is so high to these incidents, when they are becoming almost as common as grass, no coldness intended or inferred, just facts.

There are one or two a week like clockwork, month in month out, year in, year out.

I guess people like watching a moving train wreck, a street fight, stopping at fatal accidents to peek..

That's why we are Manimals, the M is there on purpose, as we cluck our thick tongues at other's misfortune, we also have time to look in the mirror and self-adjust our own attitude, bias, and attempt to morph from Manimal to human beings.

It's rarely accomplished, and certainly I haven't been able to crawl out of the mire (either).

Best

[LisuLover]

Please..please..please, if anyone is contemplating 'Hari Kari', dont jump, you could land next to some kids and condemn them to a life of nightmares and therapy. Instead, buy some diving weights, rent a boat and at least you'll provide food for the dwindling fish stocks.

[Echo Tango]

I wonder if these recent suicides are accidents. What's the average height of the banisters on these condo porches? I live in a house that's a couple of years old and the banister on my upstairs balcony is way too low. It wouldn't pass the building code back home. There doesn't seem to be a building code of any kind in Thailand.

[gk10002000]

Folks, it really is beyond coincidence the number of times foreigners involved with Thai wives or girlfriends and allegedly or factually having financial difficulties commit suicide.

"Preecha said the Australian might have financial difficulty or might have quarreled with his young Thai wife"

[honcho]

Give the guy some respect. - "young Thai wife" her age and what he was wearing are not important.

i for one was very interested in his apparel!!! haha

[katana]

Khaosod (29/03/15) spoke to the building's lettings manager, Miss Somjid Banphot, who said the deceased had lived in the building since 2006 and was considered a model resident, always smiling.
Investigating officer Police Lieutenant Pricha Phonlasa said examination of the building's CCTV footage showed him leaving his room alone on the 17th floor with a book in his hand and entering the lift to go up to the roof.
Just before the incident occurred, another resident saw an object falling past their floor followed by a loud bang. When they looked over their balcony, they saw the body lying there.
Police went up to the roof and found a foreign language book lying there, indicating the position he jumped from.

[chooka]

Other media sources are say that the Thai woman was not his wife, his wife and family in Australia are currently travelling to Bangkok. The Thai was apparently a mistress.

[chooka]

Khaosod (29/03/15) spoke to the building's lettings manager, Miss Somjid Banphot, who said the deceased had lived in the building since 2006 and was considered a model resident, always smiling.

Investigating officer Police Lieutenant Pricha Phonlasa said examination of the building's CCTV footage showed him leaving his room alone on the 17th floor with a book in his hand and entering the lift to go up to the roof.

Just before the incident occurred, another resident saw an object falling past their floor followed by a loud bang. When they looked over their balcony, they saw the body lying there.

Police went up to the roof and found a foreign language book lying there, indicating the position he jumped from.

that passport is cancelled.

[MaiChai]

There is a solution to this, that can be learnt from the Japanese: don't have windows that can open. If you have been to Japan you will know what I mean. No external access.

[fey]

countries almost never commit suicide by jumping off of buildings.

Why do they do it here ? Something is not right.

good point. they do often jump off bridges for suicides, but when its a building traditionally its being thrown off.

[bheard]

Just another farang dead, why would the BIB need to bother?

[Straight8]

Another likely murder will be swept under the carpet as suicide.

Sad!!

[JackBurtonsTruckerHat]

I wonder why the response is so high to these incidents, when they are becoming almost as common as grass, no coldness intended or inferred, just facts.

There are one or two a week like clockwork, month in month out, year in, year out.

I guess people like watching a moving train wreck, a street fight, stopping at fatal accidents to peek..

That's why we are Manimals, the M is there on purpose, as we cluck our thick tongues at other's misfortune, we also have time to look in the mirror and self-adjust our own attitude, bias, and attempt to morph from Manimal to human beings.

It's rarely accomplished, and certainly I haven't been able to crawl out of the mire (either).

Best

I think the response is so high, because we're all wondering If we might be next, or how to avoid being the next one to take the plunge.

Edited March 31, 2015 by JackBurtonsTruckerHat

[Alfahane]

I know the wife. She is not that "young" and not his wife. Assumptions have been made and the newspapers don't double check the facts. The guy has a wife, but in Australia.

...but as so often many people here become expert criminologists.

[Alfahane]

Other media sources are say that the Thai woman was not his wife, his wife and family in Australia are currently travelling to Bangkok. The Thai was apparently a mistress.

I know the wife. It's exactly like this.

[EyesWideOpen]

There is a solution to this, that can be learnt from the Japanese: don't have windows that can open. If you have been to Japan you will know what I mean. No external access.

Same for casinos in Las Vegas....

[katana]

that passport is cancelled.

The expiry is 16/12/14. I believe it's standard practice for the passport office to clip the corner(s) of the previous one when you apply for a new one.

[MyFriend You]

Maybe it's because of the political situation here in Thailand. It certainly depresses the hell out of me.

Why would the Political situation of any country not your own depress you?? Has it impacted on you directly, had your property 'nationalized', bank account drained, house confiscated by tax authorities?? I think not.........I hope someone that really knows him would pipe up and tell 'The Rest of the Story' speculation does nothing but generate rumor, wish I knew him and his situation, I certainly would tell someone. RIP to the Man.

[JackBurtonsTruckerHat]

As there are so many people speculation the wife must have pushed him which can be considered. But than again, us foreigners are often 20kg up more heavy and lots stronger.

Now I luckily never been in a physical confrontation with my missus or any Thai lady (or man for that matter) but I am 100% sure that my missus could never trow me over our condo balcony, even if she gave it all.

So the pushing seems quite odd to me too. I do also not believe there are so many real jumpers here but I ain't a policeman to find that out.

Excellent point. For most Thai women, throwing or pushing a fully grown falang male off a balcony would be a difficult proposition.

Some attempts might succeed of course, particularly with the element of surprise, but it's impossible to deny that many would not.

We can therefore say that if a significant percentage of these suicides really are murders, large numbers of failed attempts using similar methods must have also taken place.

Have they?

pushing would indeed be difficult for just one woman. but why not consider there was a few men who entered? it should at least be ruled out. a spiked drink, nap on the couch, a quick call downstairs....and done.

I am not saying this happened for this particular incident...but I suppose there may have been others that were staged. When you think about it....not very hard to do.

Did you read the sentence that mentioned the study of CCTV to assist with the investigation?

The problem with 'studying' the CCTV footage to assist with the investigation is that often times with these mysterious 'suicides' the CCTV is conveniently turned off or tend to 'malfunction' right during the incident. This seems to happen often when people sail off high balconies in Pattaya. It's like those pesky CCTV's have a mind of their own!

[kiwikeith]

Preecha said police ... will further question the wife after she gets over her grief to determine the motive.

Yes, of course, wait as long as she would like you to. Don't even think of interviewing her now.

Maybe, he not only teach tennis to another young Thai, then mummy beer jealous and argue and bingo he fall back down to tennis court.

[theoldgit]

A number of irrelevant and/or offensive posts removed.

[mercman24]

should be interesting when his wife meets up with his mistress, would love to be a fly on the wall

[mercman24]

first question by wife, "where is the money" ? answer, what money ? there is none. he poor man, teach tennis

[gk10002000]

Khaosod (29/03/15) spoke to the building's lettings manager, Miss Somjid Banphot, who said the deceased had lived in the building since 2006 and was considered a model resident, always smiling.

Investigating officer Police Lieutenant Pricha Phonlasa said examination of the building's CCTV footage showed him leaving his room alone on the 17th floor with a book in his hand and entering the lift to go up to the roof.

Just before the incident occurred, another resident saw an object falling past their floor followed by a loud bang. When they looked over their balcony, they saw the body lying there.

Police went up to the roof and found a foreign language book lying there, indicating the position he jumped from.

that passport is cancelled.

Seriously, do you mean canceled as in some official action? Do the cut corners indicate the passport is not or has not been valid? Old USA passports get a big hole punched in them showing they are not valid (like if you get a new passport and have the old one returned to you).

[gk10002000]

_{well he wasn't a "nobody" and I doubt if he had financial difficulties with this CV from Macquarie Bank}

_{Ellis Moate}

Director

_{Ellis has over 25 years business experience with major Australian and Global companies, including General Management responsibilities encompassing Commercial, Information Technology, Sales Management and National business accountability.}

_{During his time with Macquarie Marketing Ellis has worked with many major Australian and Global organisations to optimise their Sales and Marketing processes. Ellis has deep experience assisting his clients' retain, develop and grow their customers through - customer and market segmentation, benchmarking, process redesign, along with raining and coaching.}

_{Ellis has worked extensively throughout most countries in Asia in his business and consulting career, gaining first hand experience with the managerial issues of developing and implementing world class Sales and Marketing practices across the region.}

_{Ellis brings to all his projects a successful formula based on deep management experience, successful hands on consulting assignments, extensive international business exposure and a personal drive and energy that ensures the highest standards of customer satisfaction and project quality.}

_{another profile of him from this thai company Business Research Specialist....}

_{http://brs-thai.com/newsite/why-work-with-brs/our-team/}

To me that sounds like a CV for a dubious "Financial Advisor" aka snake oil-merchant!!

Why did this highly successful need to teach tennis, when in Thailand??

Just a CV. Here's a link to the chap's company. A pretty solid client base by the look of it.

http://www.macquariemarketing.com/about_2.html

I suggest one waits until it is ascertained there are not any allegations of missing funds or bad investments before using the CV as "evidence" of anything.

I see mostly fluff in his CV. I see a post middle aged man who might be runnning out of steady income jobs and who has skills and experience that are far from uncommon. A solid financial forensic analysis investigation might shed a lot of light on things

[F4UCorsair]

Khaosod (29/03/15) spoke to the building's lettings manager, Miss Somjid Banphot, who said the deceased had lived in the building since 2006 and was considered a model resident, always smiling.

Investigating officer Police Lieutenant Pricha Phonlasa said examination of the building's CCTV footage showed him leaving his room alone on the 17th floor with a book in his hand and entering the lift to go up to the roof.

Just before the incident occurred, another resident saw an object falling past their floor followed by a loud bang. When they looked over their balcony, they saw the body lying there.

Police went up to the roof and found a foreign language book lying there, indicating the position he jumped from.

that passport is cancelled.

Seriously, do you mean canceled as in some official action? Do the cut corners indicate the passport is not or has not been valid? Old USA passports get a big hole punched in them showing they are not valid (like if you get a new passport and have the old one returned to you).

When a new PP is issued, Australian authorities (Foreign Affairs Dept) cut the corners of an 'old' passport to show it is expired. They may do the same with cancelled passports, but his expired in December 2014, so that's the likely explanation.

Edited April 1, 2015 by F4UCorsair