American dies in fall from 17th floor of Phuket hotel

[rooster59]

American dies in fall from 17th floor of Phuket hotel



The American fell from the terrace of a hotel in Phuket's primary seaside party town, Patong. Photo: Isaac Stone Simonelli

PHUKET: A 40-year-old American man fell to his death from the 17th floor of a Patong hotel early this morning.

“When we arrived at the scene, we found the body of the man was laying in the parking lot of the Royal Paradise Hotel and Spa,” said Patong Police Deputy Superintendent Akanit Danpitaksat.

The man, whose name is being withheld pending confirmation that next of kin have been informed of his death, was staying alone in room 1717 of the hotel.

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/-American-dies-fall-17th-floor-Phuket/62887?desktopversion

-- Phuket Gazette 2016-01-16

[clockman]

They need that new road sign, beware of falling bodies. Love to see how many people in other Asean countries. Fall from buildings?

[trogers]

They need that new road sign, beware of falling bodies. Love to see how many people in other Asean countries. Fall from buildings?

Ever notice those foreigners falling off high buildings are from countries with heavily populated suburbs?

[steven100]

oh dear ! ... nice view from that appartment if that's his hotel ! 17th floor is quite high up ...

RIP ...

[canuckamuck]

Class news source, can't even be bothered to straighten the random photo of nothing in particular.

[lonewolf99]

When I worked in Singapore a few years back - locals spoke of the danger of "jumpers" there. The buildings are much closer together than Pattaya / Phuket etc., and have lots of walkways between them, rather than open car parks.The danger being that some one might land on top of you.....from a great height.

Double deaths. It is best to walk well clear of high rise buildings. I also remember idiot youths in my home country Scotland would throw Television sets from high rises to "see if it made a big bang".... mental.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/average-of-400-suicides/2055216.html

[dddave]

When I worked in Singapore a few years back - locals spoke of the danger of "jumpers" there. The buildings are much closer together than Pattaya / Phuket etc., and have lots of walkways between them, rather than open car parks.The danger being that some one might land on top of you.....from a great height.

Double deaths. It is best to walk well clear of high rise buildings. I also remember idiot youths in my home country Scotland would throw Television sets from high rises to "see if it made a big bang".... mental.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/average-of-400-suicides/2055216.html

So, it's clear there is a potential market for very stoutly constructed umbrellas in enclaves of tall condominium and hotel towers.

Somebody get on it.

[Colabamumbai]

It should be advertised as a tourist attraction in Thailand. Experience death from a high rise.

[Lupatria]

I found it a bit inappropriate to learn the local jargon of hotel staff for this is: "Cold Departure"

Whatever happened R.I.P. The age of 40 is not the right time to go...

[Briggsy]

Oh my God, the cop actually went down the cigarette butt and signs of a struggle route again. This must be the first lesson they teach in the Police Officer Training College, the same lesson repeated verbatim, unchanged since 1950 (when all men smoked) and they have just stuck with it.

Nowadays we have all sorts of technology, I'll give a hint (phone records, CCTV in hotels and on the street and, dare I mention it, DNA) and the latest techniques (like tracing the deceased final movements, interviewing witnesses like hotel staff and taxi drivers) but no, Thai cops, stuck in the 1950's, quick look around the room, prod the ashtray, note whether the furniture is in disarray and make a pronouncement.

[stevenl]

Oh my God, the cop actually went down the cigarette butt and signs of a struggle route again. This must be the first lesson they teach in the Police Officer Training College, the same lesson repeated verbatim, unchanged since 1950 (when all men smoked) and they have just stuck with it.

Nowadays we have all sorts of technology, I'll give a hint (phone records, CCTV in hotels and on the street and, dare I mention it, DNA) and the latest techniques (like tracing the deceased final movements, interviewing witnesses like hotel staff and taxi drivers) but no, Thai cops, stuck in the 1950's, quick look around the room, prod the ashtray, note whether the furniture is in disarray and make a pronouncement.

Mich better than the TV detectives who, based on a story, conclude that nothing is being done. Even though it says 'we are investigating the matter further'. But who cares about details, as long as people can get their rant in, no matter how unjustified it is.

[sabaii69]

Hope he didn't jump just because he had to go back to Orlando RIP

[oneday]

Oh my God, the cop actually went down the cigarette butt and signs of a struggle route again. This must be the first lesson they teach in the Police Officer Training College, the same lesson repeated verbatim, unchanged since 1950 (when all men smoked) and they have just stuck with it.

Nowadays we have all sorts of technology, I'll give a hint (phone records, CCTV in hotels and on the street and, dare I mention it, DNA) and the latest techniques (like tracing the deceased final movements, interviewing witnesses like hotel staff and taxi drivers) but no, Thai cops, stuck in the 1950's, quick look around the room, prod the ashtray, note whether the furniture is in disarray and make a pronouncement.

They haven't made a pronouncement yet, but let's do some prediction...............suicide!

[sirineou]

I have talked about unrealistic expectations, by some, when coming to Thailand, burning bridges, and not having a plan B in other threads

If you fail to plan, plan to fail. and I believe this is a big part on the high expat suicide rate .

Sad to see a young life cut short and even sadder to think of the mental distress the young man must suffered that lead to this.

[SOTIRIOS]

...nowhere in any publication are there any studies that suggest ........'People go on vacation to commit suicide'....

...better rewrite the books....???

...or look again......

[gandalf12]

Hotels in the USA have the windows locked shut so they can not be opened for this reason (and a fw other reasons as well)

[LivinginKata]

Hotels in the USA have the windows locked shut so they can not be opened for this reason (and a fw other reasons as well)

Exactly - there is huge safety issue with windows/doors on high rise balconies here in Thailand.

People on holiday get drunk and do some really stupid stunts = balcony deaths ...

[ourmanflint]

anyone care to explain how you fall from an apartment? Are there no safety rails or something?

[Reigntax]

anyone care to explain how you fall from an apartment? Are there no safety rails or something?

First, you need to get high, preferably very high and then go off the rails.

[Jimi007]

anyone care to explain how you fall from an apartment? Are there no safety rails or something?

Most safety railings I've seen at hotels in Thailand are maybe thigh high, not over waist high of a taller farang. So not exactly safe.

[LivinginKata]

anyone care to explain how you fall from an apartment? Are there no safety rails or something?

Most safety railings I've seen at hotels in Thailand are maybe thigh high, not over waist high of a taller farang. So not exactly safe.

Exactly correct - any balcony rails are very low.

[elgenon]

Windows typically can not be opened because of air con. But there are balconies! And if balconies, what does it matter if windows can be opened in regards to jumping or other?

[1marco1]

Floor 17th - room 1717... in Europe that aren't luckiest numbers!

RIP anyway.

[sead]

...nowhere in any publication are there any studies that suggest ........'People go on vacation to commit suicide'....

...better rewrite the books....???

...or look again......[/qu

Suicidal is when he think what he is going back to.

[ggt]

The real mystery is why the majority of foreign high-rise fall deaths...continue to go unsolved...and conveniently fall into the suicide category...easy to just sweep them under the rug...and go back to manning the road blocks to get a few extra coins for the girlfriend...

[oxo1947]

Mystery surrounds American man's fall from 17th floor of Phuket hotel; --OP

I am sure it wont be a mystery for long, now that they have posted it here.......................

[sirineou]

The real mystery is why the majority of foreign high-rise fall deaths...continue to go unsolved...and conveniently fall into the suicide category...easy to just sweep them under the rug...and go back to manning the road blocks to get a few extra coins for the girlfriend...

I thought the majority were suicides, do you think there is something else going on.? Why?

I ma not being glib, I simply dont know.

[ozyjon]

OK, new piece of kip to pack in my luggage,

note to self, book room on the ground floor.

[Minnie the Minx]

Maybe he was trying to take a selfie. The craze has claimed many lives.

Latest http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/jammu-and-kashmir-youth-falls-to-death-while-taking-selfie-from-reasi-fort/

[Norvid 1950]

The problem I see is this one: why anybody should travels so far to the orient to jump to his death? A surprise news for their own family? Spending last money they have? Making media news at last to get to be known?

Travel so far on an airplane is not fun at all. I guess he wasn't traveling on a business class.