Koh Tao French diving instructor found dead in Surat - police mystified

[snoop1130]

Koh Tao French diving instructor found dead in Surat - police mystified
Thaivisa Reporters


Image: Dailynews

SURAT THANI:-- Missing French diving instructor Jean-Francois Louet was found today dead in central Surat Thani, reports Thaivisa News.

The 46 year old had been missing since the 14th of this month when he had been on his way to Koh Tao. His decomposing body was found at the back of a banana plantation behind a school in downtown Surat.

Investigators think that the man had been dead anywhere between 10 and 15 days and are following up all leads in the baffling disappearance.

He was reported missing two weeks ago on March 18th. He had boarded the ferry to Koh Tao with his French girlfriend. He had left the boat before it departed to go and buy something but he had never returned.

An initial examination of the body at the scene by police and forensics experts suggest that there was no injuries on the body. It was lying face up. He was wearing green shorts, a blue t-shirt and a waterproof blue bag on his back.

Some red shorts were found near the body and collected as evidence.

The body has been sent for detailed autopsy and police are checking CCTV all the way from the harbour where he disappeared to the spot where the body was found.


-- 2016-03-29

[Lannig]

RIP my poor fellow citizen

Adieu

[robertthebruce]

How sad is this.....

Poor guy too young...

[ScotBkk]

RIP my poor fellow citizen

Adieu

Happens all the time. Pop into the shop can't be bothered going back home then the young man just dies - you couldn't make these stories up !!!!

[docshock13]

RIP my poor fellow citizen

Adieu

Happens all the time. Pop into the shop can't be bothered going back home then the young man just dies - you couldn't make these stories up !!!!

From previous reports, he had some issues with his leg(?). Those reports hint of decompression sickness. Possible he was disoriented after his last dive in Indonesia (which I believe was where he had been). Please correct me if I am wrong. In any case, RIP. Condolences to loved ones.

[KunMatt]

RIP my poor fellow citizen

Adieu

Happens all the time. Pop into the shop can't be bothered going back home then the young man just dies - you couldn't make these stories up !!!!

Indeed. Maybe all those condescending him before won't be so vocal now.

Mostly likely the story about him.being on the ferry and running back to a shop was fabricated all along.

Edited March 29, 2016 by KunMatt

[StealthEnergiser]

RIP Jean - Francois - we will probably never know how this happened .

[Chicog]

RIP Jean - Francois - we will probably never know how this happened .

Although a proper autopsy might help.

[johncat1]

Another Koh Tao mystery ? ....... Or not !!!

[iReason]

The mystery is, the frenchman and his girlfriend boarded the boat on March 14, he then disappears and the girlfriend doesn't report him missing until March 18.

[Rob8891]

Oh Lordy, Lordy. The TVF Harpies are at it yet again. Some poor guy does and you rush to get your names in lights. Did you stop to consider that his friends and loved ones might read this trash? No? I thought not.

[IslandLover]

From Khaosod English:

Col. Wisut said police have yet to learn the cause of death, but no visible signs of assault or violence were found on the body.

“We don’t know yet. We are investigating. According to his girlfriend’s testimony, he had a mental condition resulting from diving,” Wisut said. “He’s been a diving instructor for a long time.”

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1459248430

Some details from other press reports:

A blue rucksack was found with the body yet no blue rucksack is seen in the CCTV image of M. Louet at the pier. According to earlier reports he had left all his belongings on the boat. He went missing on 14th March and his girlfriend didn't report him missing until 18th March. Distance from pier to banana plantation where his body was found is around 2km. M. Louet worked for Golden Divers on Koh Tao.

Edited March 29, 2016 by IslandLover

[shunter]

Rob8891 post # 13

Oh Lordy, Lordy. The TVF Harpies are at it yet again. Some poor guy does and you rush to get your names in lights. Did you stop to consider that his friends and loved ones might read this trash? No? I thought not

Certainly dreadful really in fact on a par with the maligning of people who are fat or foreign etc.Those aptly described TVF Harpies are always with us, it seems they never die

Edited March 29, 2016 by shunter

[Khun Robert]

R.I.P my friend.

[MRDave]

Going to Koh Tao is like wearing a red shirt on Star Trek you just know something bad will happen on the Island where people get away with murder

[NCC1701A]

RIP.

He looks like a nice person in his photo. I was hoping he was going to be OK.

[jucel]

Police mystified, quelle surprise.

[webfact]

Body of Missing Frenchman Found
By Teeranai Charuvastra
Staff Reporter


Jean-francois Louet in an undated photo. Photo: Courtesy Steven Drylie‎

SURAT THANI — Police believe they found the body of a Frenchman who went missing 15 days ago in Surat Thani province.

Remains they believe to be Jean-francois Louet were found in a wooded area in the southern province at 11:30am on Tuesday, according to a local rescue worker.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1459248430


-- Khaosod English 2016-03-30

[webfact]

Missing French Koh Tao resident found

SURAT THANI: -- Police in Surat Thani believe they have found the body of Jean-francois Louet, the French Koh Tao resident who went missing in Surat Thani 15 days ago.

Human remains were found in a wooded area in Surat Thani at 11.30am today (Tuesday 29th March). Based on a necklace, watch, shorts and a dive watch found with the corpse police are confident they have the right man.

His DNA will now be checked to confirm the identity of the body. No visible signs of assault or violence were found on the badly decomposed body, police are yet to learn the cause of death.

Local police have notified the French Embassy, and are working to establish the exact identify of the man, no confirmation of the French man’s death can be given until there is a DNA match the police said.

The man, known as Jeff, 46, was due to take a ferry from Surat Thani to Koh Tao on the night of March 14th, however he left the ferry just prior to its departure and did not return.


-- Samui Times 2016-03-30

[Tanlic]

Oh Lordy, Lordy. The TVF Harpies are at it yet again. Some poor guy does and you rush to get your names in lights. Did you stop to consider that his friends and loved ones might read this trash? No? I thought not.

Are you serious they are mostly down and outs dying of boredom with huge chips on their shoulders and the hate everyone including themselves because life passed them by...give them time..they usually end up jumping over balconies so don't let it worry you.lol

Its the guessing that gets me.

A total lack of respect....RIP

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[jacko45k]

RIP my poor fellow citizen

Adieu

Happens all the time. Pop into the shop can't be bothered going back home then the young man just dies - you couldn't make these stories up !!!!

Are you being ironic? Didn't he leave a French girlfriend behind on the Ferry?

Strange tale and I hope more information is forthcoming.

[smotherb]

Poor word choice and absence of obvious alternatives also seem to plague some. I believe you offered two choices; stolen or given. He may have also purchased it, retrieved it, found it, even had it all along and, I am sure there may be other possibilities.

The keyboard sleuths are always lurking here about.

Edited March 30, 2016 by seedy
Quote hidden post

[blistering blue barnacles]

Bad news indeed, I was hoping he'd show up, but seriously doubted it.

Pain in leg sounds like a type 1 bend, not that serious. Type 2 bend, central nervous system, can cause disorientation, but the pain usually starts in the lower back. Doesn't sound likely for a diving instructor to get bent? Unless he flew to soon after diving. The negative pressure can bring on a bend.

My condolences to the family, and I hope the RTP manage to get to the bottom of it…

Edited March 30, 2016 by blistering blue barnacles

[bark]

His friends and family are looking for answers. Hope they find out the truth. Where is an statements from the French Government ?

[godden]

Went to buy something and ends up dead, Thailand is certainly getting more dangerous for falang every day, RIP good sir.

[torpedo1970]

Very sad - RIP

Think there is a lot more to this story, that we will never know.

That the girlfriend waited so long to report him missing is one of these mysteries.

Welcome to the world of smoke and mirrors - not to forget the spin-doctors....

TIT

[kiwikeith]

RIP my poor fellow citizen

Adieu

Happens all the time. Pop into the shop can't be bothered going back home then the young man just dies - you couldn't make these stories up !!!!

From previous reports, he had some issues with his leg(?). Those reports hint of decompression sickness. Possible he was disoriented after his last dive in Indonesia (which I believe was where he had been). Please correct me if I am wrong. In any case, RIP. Condolences to loved ones.

We can all speculate as to what happened, However the GF diid not report him missing for 4 days, that is pretty incredible and requires some explanation.

I think something was going on here,indeed the story is a mystery,the question is will it ever unfold or be thrown in the -to hard- basket.

[ChoakMyDee]

Oh Lordy, Lordy. The TVF Harpies are at it yet again. Some poor guy does and you rush to get your names in lights. Did you stop to consider that his friends and loved ones might read this trash? No? I thought not.

Are you serious they are mostly down and outs dying of boredom with huge chips on their shoulders and the hate everyone including themselves because life passed them by...give them time..they usually end up jumping over balconies so don't let it worry you.lol

Its the guessing that gets me.

A total lack of respect....RIP

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

What are you on about? I've read the whole thread and see nothing out of line. Some people guessing but not being disrespectful. I would suggest you are the one wound a bit too tight, not them.

[tuanku]

Not much to smile at in this story except the attachment of the 2 words - police mystified - to the headline. Is this not always the case if the cause of death is not blindingly obvious, and even then sometimes!

[ggt]

F i n a l l y...a farang death that does not get a quick "suicide" or "heat related" death certificate...

Maybe the authorities will actually do some detective work since this has become a high-profile case...drawing international attention...

One just can not be too careful...let one's guard down when out and about in unfamiliar parts of Thailand...