'Debt-ridden' Austrian 53, found hanged in Phuket apartment parking lot

[Lite Beer]

'Debt-ridden' Man, 53, found hanged in Phuket apartment parking lot

PHUKET: Police do not suspect foul play in the death of a 53-year-old man who was found this morning hanged at a Kathu apartment's parking lot.

Police Lieutenant Sawanya Ieadtrong of the Thung Thong Police Station was notified at about 7am this morning via the 191 emergency hotline that a foreigner was thought to have hung himself at an apartment on Soi Seua Leuang in Kathu.

Accompanied by rescue workers, Pol Lt Sawanya arrived to the scene, the parking lot of a Pleum Jai Apartment, and found the man hanging from a nylon rope tied to a beam overhead.

Officers did not note any signs of a struggle, and found five empty bottles of Singha beer about 2 meters from the body.

The deceased did not have any valuables on his person, though police did find a scrap piece of paper in his pocket, with the written message "Call my son Chris [number omitted]"

Tenants identified the deceased as an Australian national who lived in an apartment room 30 meters from where the body was found.

The landlord was notified and led police to the deceased's room, where they found the man's personal items, identity documents and a letter addressed to his son.

The landlord and other apartment tenants told police that the deceased had worked in tourism but had recently been struggling financially due to a lack of business, having incurred a number of outstanding personal debts with neighbors.

The landlord said that the deceased had failed to pay his rent for two months.

And based on the claim that "maids clean the premises regularly" Police suspect that the five beer bottles had most likely been left by the deceased, who was estimated to have died 3-4 hours before being discovered by a female tenant this morning at 6.30am.

The Phuket News is withholding the name of the deceased as police have not yet been able to notify the man's kin.

Nonetheless, the body has been transported to Vachira Phuket Hospital for further examination.

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/debt-ridden-aussie-53-found-hanged-in-phuket-apartment-parking-lot-53987.php?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

-- Phuket News 2015-09-06

[Just1Voice]

Sad. No family members he could have turned to for help?

[zaphod reborn]

RIP. Phuket is the most expensive place to live in Thailand. Too bad he couldn't find or didn't want to find other options.

[lovelomsak]

Being me and always suspicious I would have dusted the beer bottles for prints to see who else had handled them. Perhaps he was hung by a disgruntled person he owed money to.

[bamukloy]

I just dont understand why some people are so desperate to remain here, even up to the very last stages of desperation.

Even if you dont have family who can help pick you up, surely theres some kind of welfare help or safety net available that one can rely on in Australia?

[steven100]

They are quick to jump to a conclusion. What about medication in the room .... and the thai gf.

[worgeordie]

RIP, Aussie, debt is the last thing I would top myself over.

regards Worgeordie

[grumpyoldman]

RIP. Phuket is the most expensive place to live in Thailand. Too bad he couldn't find or didn't want to find other options.

Also, just tough times here now. Tourism market has shriveled to the "zero baht" mass market tourists along with poor exchange rates for many of the tourists we used to have ten years ago.

RIP

[Old Croc]

Another news site states this guy is Austrian,

[oxo1947]

RIP, Aussie, debt is the last thing I would top myself over.

regards Worgeordie

Yes I have always had the belief that if you owe someone money and you don't have it...........you don't have a problem, they do. .....................

----------------------------------------------

*BTW before someone mentions money lenders (although there is no proof of that here)

what's the worse they can do-----Kill you

[Kannikapor88]

Another news site states this guy is Austrian,

For thais Austrian and Australian is same - even thai teachers tell that to students. We have also heard it on thai news ...

RIP whatever country

[bdenner]

Another news site states this guy is Austrian,

For thais Austrian and Australian is same - even thai teachers tell that to students. We have also heard it on thai news ...

RIP whatever country

IMHO the note clearly shows English is the guy's first language = Australian

RIP

[TPI]

Sad, but it was his choice! Not all of us have the powere to decide when, where or how we'll depart this life, good for him!

[thhMan]

Everyone handles things in their own way

I have mates who "sense" when I am in a spot of bother, knowing full well I never admit I am.... and step in to help....

It is tough living in Thailand and at the age of 53, its even tougher trying to find a means of support....

[Brit_Doggie]

So debt ridden or not he kicked the bucket therefore he was a pail man and aka farang be it aussie Austrian or what, just seems sad that people have to resort to this type of dealing with lifes little issues R.I.P.

[ronthai]

RIP Sir.

Although I do not agree with his decision, I do respect his choice.

[Blindside]

RIP.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[jko]

Utterly tragic.

Reading his note brings a lump to my throat. Heaven knows what kind of desperation he must have felt to subject himself to this painful and frightening 'solution'

It takes guts to do this. However bad his situation was, it is sad that the courage he needed to kill himself was not enough to go out and seek help instead,

One also wonders whether his debts will now become the responsibility of his next of kin, who might have otherwise baled him out before he decided to do this?

That would be doubly tragic.

RIP to this troubled soul, and condolences to all those he left behind.

[Oziex1]

I just dont understand why some people are so desperate to remain here, even up to the very last stages of desperation.

Even if you dont have family who can help pick you up, surely theres some kind of welfare help or safety net available that one can rely on in Australia?

What you are saying is that you don't understand the severely depressed.

[how241]

R.I.P.

[Oziex1]

Reported as Austrian in another news outlet, two countries often confused.

[ldnguy]

Another news site states this guy is Austrian,

For thais Austrian and Australian is same - even thai teachers tell that to students. We have also heard it on thai news ...

RIP whatever country

This is similar to some American news outlets that think Thailand and Taiwan are the same place.

[stevenl]

RIP, Aussie, debt is the last thing I would top myself over.

regards Worgeordie

Yes I have always had the belief that if you owe someone money and you don't have it...........you don't have a problem, they do. .....................

----------------------------------------------

*BTW before someone mentions money lenders (although there is no proof of that here)

what's the worse they can do-----Kill you

Beat you almost to death. That they can even do many times.

[lee b]

Very sad indeed. RIP

[ldnguy]

Being me and always suspicious I would have dusted the beer bottles for prints to see who else had handled them. Perhaps he was hung by a disgruntled person he owed money to.

And before the disgruntled person killed him, he got him to write a note to his son and leave a voice message? I wonder how he managed that. Perhaps you could explain this to us

[ldnguy]

Everyone handles things in their own way

I have mates who "sense" when I am in a spot of bother, knowing full well I never admit I am.... and step in to help....

It is tough living in Thailand and at the age of 53, its even tougher trying to find a means of support....

Perhaps it's time to give your maates a break and stop getting into bother. Not really fair on them to keep stepping in to help.

I have to disagree about 53 being an age when it's difficult to find a way to support yourself. It should be easier than ever at that age. You've had 53 years to educated yourself, get skills, save, etc. There's no real excuse.

[hgma]

It makes me sad.

53 and no options.

R.I.P.

[ldnguy]

It makes me sad.

53 and no options.

R.I.P.

While this is very sad, he did have options. He could have gone back to his home country and got a job. For some reason, many farangs refuse to take that option. I know a couple that are in desperate situations, yet refuse point blank to even think about going home to sort themselves out. Their choice though.

[louse1953]

Being me and always suspicious I would have dusted the beer bottles for prints to see who else had handled them. Perhaps he was hung by a disgruntled person he owed money to.

Give me a break Einstien,he left a msg on the phone explaining why.Any opportunity eh.

[ezzra]

I wonder... what value did HE put on his life? a few thousand baht worth? that's all he thought his life, the

grief to his son and relatives, are worth? if you ask me, he sold his life too cheap.....