Dutch man's "Suicide" in Thailand a possible murder case

[FredNL]

!!! Murdered !!!

This was my reaction / reply, 3 years and 3 months ago !!!
Same facts, same evidence.

And this case not the only one that has been layed off as an accident or a suicide in Puke-it.

According to Thai police the slogan in commercials must be: Tired of life? Come to Thailand, give us all your money and get killed !!! (We will just say that you commited suicide.)

Edited April 27, 2016 by FredNL

[JCauto]

I've never in all my years and travels come across such an inept and useless group of individuals. Besides collecting money, what are these clowns good at?

Making cheese, wooden shoes, speedskating...look, the Dutch can be a bit "straightforward" at times, but I don't see them as being much more inept than any other Europeans.

[CantSpell]

Thai police believe he committed suicide

As soon as you see the words Thai police in a sentence, take whatever goes before or after it with a very large pinch of salt. They want things sewn up with minimal fuss, nice and easy so everyone looks good. Nothing else matters.

So many come here for a good time and end up in a bag. What a senseless waste!

Actually the WORST part is the end of the sentence in the linked articles:

The Thai police believe he committed suicide by walking into the ocean in a disturbed and intoxicated state.

Sometimes wonder if they actually try to think before they speak....

[luckyman]

Ah yes the old beating yourself to death with a whiskey bottle way of suicide....

lol. u didn't read the whole story.

Exactly amd if you do read it, suicide or even an accident is quite possible.

Weird his buddy left him alone on the first day out of the hospital, and careless to go out to Bamgla rd the first night out imho. To be continued...

[luckyman]

Probably in the sea with a can of beer watching the stars when bang a fishing boat fishing for squid hits him, then the propeller cuts his head, knocked out cold he drowns. The fishing boat crew think they've hit a piece of wood.

After 2 years, what can anyone prove? The 4 inch cut into the back of his head must be a propeller. You don't stab people in the back of the head. Anyway that's enough armchair detective theories from me.

I like it though. It looked less suspicious to me than most 'balcony-jumpers' we read about here too.

[kiwikeith]

Ah yes the old beating yourself to death with a whiskey bottle way of suicide....

He must have had some hell of a stink the night before when he was beaten with the bottle.

He was on the phone when he left his friend, posible a irl from the night b4 not satisfied about something or her gig was not satisfied.

Where did this happen???

While I believe that many suicides are genuine I also believe tha many are not, if you think that police calling suicides , suicide is a joke then read the book by Roger stone -- the man who killed Killing kennedy, the case against LBJ, and see what the American police called suicides-- just as bad as Thai Police.

[bamukloy]

Pray tell me anyone if its not Murder how did he end up dead. Nobody gets out of hospital and commits suicide the same day. They say his blood alcohol was a low reading, did they test his blood for any drugs ? I think not. Its the Thai police's way of working things out KISS keep things simple stupid. Too hard to solve if they admit it was not suicide.

I would be looking at the hospital where they treated him. If, when admitted, he was difficult or enraged they would have given him god knows what concoction of drugs.

If he was force fed anti psychotic drugs every 3 times a day for a week and let go dry i can absolutely believe he wondered into the beach in a catotinic state.

The people in some of these hospitals have absolutely no idea what they are doing with the administering of drugs.

[Kawapete]

It is very confusing for the local police when Farrangs often perform suicide with blond instruments or stabs them self in the back just to make it look suspicious.

[DaveinAsia]

I think we can all agree the RTP has an awful reputation. Not only amongst foreigners - also Thais.

Corruption here isn't like corruption back in the west. What I mean is that of course it goes on in the west, but the people doing it know it's illegal and wrong. They're taking the risk because they think it's worth the reward.

In Thailand, especially with the RTP, corruption is a business model. It's the way things are done. As a foreigner, you're welcome to say that's how they do it here so let them crack on - fair enough. What isn't fair enough is too accuse fellow foreigners of being negative or 'anti-Thai' for simply mistrusting the police here as a rule of thumb. I know I do. I call it common sense.

Well said. It's pretty logical when one thinks about it but some of 'us' have lost their logic reasoning after living here to long. One can become infected with dysfunctionality because of too much heat, big Leo's and som tam

[Surasak]

I've never in all my years and travels come across such an inept and useless group of individuals. Besides collecting money, what are these clowns good at?

Er, being clowns?

[Old Croc]

His body was found in Patong Bay and with him was a dry bag containing his medication. (Presumably issued by the hospital for pain relief).

A couple of things:

A person intent on suicide heading into the ocean to kill himself, wouldn't put his belongings into a dry bag.

A murderer wouldn't put his victim's belongings in a dry bag before drowning him.

I have trouble believing that murder by drowning, at a popular tourist beach in view of potentially hundreds even at a late hour, would be the preferred method used by any murderer. Stabbing, beating, shooting - yes, but to render someone unconscious and carry them into the waves to drown seems very unlikely.

An ill advised, late night swim, and being struck by a passing long tail boat, would seem the most likely to me.

[Baerboxer]

If he was as argumentative, pompous and obnoxious as some of our Dutch TV members i am sure there would be a long list of suspects wanting to swing a bottle of whiskey at head.

Hope they get to the bottem of this whatever circumstances transpire.

Nothing like a bit of racist bigoted rhetoric with your breakfast.

Still, normal standard for some juvenile posters as we see here.

[SamuiAxe]

Let's be honest, many Thais do not want us here.

Retirees and two week holiday makers were tolerated.

Now there are too many coming, and staying. And let's be honest, many are unwanted in their own countries.

It will get worse, before it gets better.

If I would still live in my home-country than my pension would be considerably higher! I am being punished for living outside my own country. I miss out on all those extra payments that retirees get whom are living in my home country. Besides that, every year that I spend outside my home country 2% of my elderly pension will be subtracted. That means that when I came to Thailand I was 50 years old. When I reach the age for an elderly pension, (67) I will have lived in Thailand for 17 years.. Therefore I will receive 17*2%=34% less pension! So you are right, I am unwanted in my own country because it would cost the government more if I would stay in Holland

Edited April 27, 2016 by SamuiAxe

[Baerboxer]

His body was found in Patong Bay and with him was a dry bag containing his medication. (Presumably issued by the hospital for pain relief).

A couple of things:

A person intent on suicide heading into the ocean to kill himself, wouldn't put his belongings into a dry bag.

A murderer wouldn't put his victim's belongings in a dry bag before drowning him.

I have trouble believing that murder by drowning, at a popular tourist beach in view of potentially hundreds even at a late hour, would be the preferred method used by any murderer. Stabbing, beating, shooting - yes, but to render someone unconscious and carry them into the waves to drown seems very unlikely.

An ill advised, late night swim, and being struck by a passing long tail boat, would seem the most likely to me.

Or there again, someone wallops him on the head causing the head wound and then throws him in the sea to drown, whilst making sure no one's about at the time.

Was he wearing a swimming costume, goggles, snorkeling perhaps?

I have trouble believing anything the BiB say especially where farangs are involved. They either can't be bothered to do their job; or have a pre-decided conclusion to suit someone.

[Prbkk]

It's a sad state of affairs when one reads about deaths in Thailand and the first though now is murder. Once I would have thought: suicide, sad. Now my first thought is murder, even when suicide is more logical. I don't like being so cynical and suspicious but it has come to that point.

[tukkytuktuk]

Probably in the sea with a can of beer watching the stars when bang a fishing boat fishing for squid hits him, then the propeller cuts his head, knocked out cold he drowns. The fishing boat crew think they've hit a piece of wood.

After 2 years, what can anyone prove? The 4 inch cut into the back of his head must be a propeller. You don't stab people in the back of the head. Anyway that's enough armchair detective theories from me.

A video of Patong beach from 2013 showing a long tail boat arriving at the beach. Check out the propeller. Now my theory is making more sense. This is also the police's theory of what happened too.

[jaltsc]

"Thai police believe he committed suicide..."

It is difficult to believe that Thai police could get something as serious as homicide wrong. When was the last time something like that happened?

What time is it?

rephrasing; when was the last time they didn't get it wrong ? Comes to mind another 'suicide' during the reign of square face, when several guys who had their hands bound behind their backs, were blindfolded, and then managed somehow to shoot themselves in the back. Police suggested suicide.

You'd think the arrows in the backs would have raised some suspicion.

[Old Croc]

His body was found in Patong Bay and with him was a dry bag containing his medication. (Presumably issued by the hospital for pain relief).

A couple of things:

A person intent on suicide heading into the ocean to kill himself, wouldn't put his belongings into a dry bag.

A murderer wouldn't put his victim's belongings in a dry bag before drowning him.

I have trouble believing that murder by drowning, at a popular tourist beach in view of potentially hundreds even at a late hour, would be the preferred method used by any murderer. Stabbing, beating, shooting - yes, but to render someone unconscious and carry them into the waves to drown seems very unlikely.

An ill advised, late night swim, and being struck by a passing long tail boat, would seem the most likely to me.

Or there again, someone wallops him on the head causing the head wound and then throws him in the sea to drown, whilst making sure no one's about at the time.

Was he wearing a swimming costume, goggles, snorkeling perhaps?

I have trouble believing anything the BiB say especially where farangs are involved. They either can't be bothered to do their job; or have a pre-decided conclusion to suit someone.

My thoughts were largely based on the discovery of a dry bag with his body.

There doesn't seem to be any mention of what he was wearing when found, although I would think late night swimmers rarely use snorkeling gear. Was he fully clothed? Underwear would normally be the most likely apparel for impromptu, nocturnal swimming.

So, where was his clothes, his phone, his wallet and other possessions?

I don't believe it was suicide, but I do think misadventure more likely than murder, on the facts available..

[Bob12345]

His body was found in Patong Bay and with him was a dry bag containing his medication. (Presumably issued by the hospital for pain relief).

A couple of things:

A person intent on suicide heading into the ocean to kill himself, wouldn't put his belongings into a dry bag.

A murderer wouldn't put his victim's belongings in a dry bag before drowning him.

I have trouble believing that murder by drowning, at a popular tourist beach in view of potentially hundreds even at a late hour, would be the preferred method used by any murderer. Stabbing, beating, shooting - yes, but to render someone unconscious and carry them into the waves to drown seems very unlikely.

An ill advised, late night swim, and being struck by a passing long tail boat, would seem the most likely to me.

After watching the actual program the article is referring to I have a few notes to that:

1. the lifeguard who found the body indicated there are no boats going there after 7PM and before 7AM, so being hit by a longtail boat does not seem too obvious

2. the guy was wearing swimming trunks that were not his and that were waaay to small, where did those come from?

3. a late night swim seems a bit unlikely as he was sober (no alcohol found in blood), but maybe its from medication?

4. the cut on the head did not seem deep enough to be caused by a boat propeller (deep cut but not deep enough to bear the scull visible)

[hgma]

Nice for his family, embassy did what?

Oh in 2013 alprazolam was readily available in every pharmacy so it does make a lot of (non) sense to go and swim with a sealed waterprroff bag with 9 pills and a head wound

I am not even stunned.

[Nicolas32]

We will never know the real truth about this case and many other suspicious deaths because of Royal Thai Police are corrupt and lazy to really investigate even cases that have involved Thais with tourist or expats just gets swept away under the carpet like always and the media could go a long way with so many case involving tourist or expats when they are involved but are too lazy to do this also ..

here is example

A gruesome murder took place at a farm close to amphoe Phon, Khon Kaen province late evening on December 15, 2009. The victim was Stephen Ronald Drewett, a 52-year-old man from England, who was allegedly shot dead by a relative of his wife.

According Denis Steele who was a close friend of the deceased, Mr Drewett was in the process of divorcing his wife whom he had been married to for 8 years after she repeatedly disappeared on purpose up to two weeks and came back with expensive jewellry which she said was given to her by friends.

The divorce was also meant to regain parts of the assets bought by Mr Drewett during the marriage, among them a hotel, a house, a farm, two cars and a motorbike. Documents show that his wife transferred most of his assets to herself by using her maiden name instead of the couple’s family name 4 months into the marriage.

Mr Drewett was confident he would have gotten at least 50 percent of his assets totalling over 20 million baht back, Mr Steele said in an e-mail conversation. But only six weeks before they had to appear in court in Khon Kaen province, Mr Drewett was shot.

About a week before his death, Mr Drewett was visited at his hotel by his wife and 8 of her family members “with axes and the normal Thai weaponry,” Mr Steele reports. After a heated discussion, the group then proceeded to take Mr Drewetts car in which he had hidden his last 6,000 baht, fearing it would not be safe in the hotel.

A few days after that incident, the wife called Mr Drewett and asked him to come to the wife’s farm to settle the dispute. Mr Steele’s attempts to convince him not to go were to no avail.

After he arrived at the farm, a shot was fired at Mr Drewett by the wife’s brother, but missed him. When Mr Drewett tried to escape from the premises by climbing over a wall, he was fatally shot in the back and succumbed to his injuries moments later. They allegedly told police that they thought he was an intruder and they were in danger.

According to Mr Steele, the police made no effort to investigate the case further and the brother who allegedly fired the deadly shots was released from detention the day after the incident.

Mr Steele, who lives with his son in Udon Thani, was given a three months time frame to find the next of kin in order to continue the dispute over Mr Drewett’s assets. But at the time the time he established contact with the victim’s son, the three months had passed and the assets legally transferred to his wife.

In March 2010, Stephen Ronald Drewett was cremated at a temple in Khon Kaen and his ashes scattered into the sea at Khao Takiab, Hua Hin where the three friends where going to open a business together.

http://www.farang-deaths.com/case/stephen-ronald-drewett/

Edited April 27, 2016 by Nicolas32

[Old Croc]

His body was found in Patong Bay and with him was a dry bag containing his medication. (Presumably issued by the hospital for pain relief).

A couple of things:

A person intent on suicide heading into the ocean to kill himself, wouldn't put his belongings into a dry bag.

A murderer wouldn't put his victim's belongings in a dry bag before drowning him.

I have trouble believing that murder by drowning, at a popular tourist beach in view of potentially hundreds even at a late hour, would be the preferred method used by any murderer. Stabbing, beating, shooting - yes, but to render someone unconscious and carry them into the waves to drown seems very unlikely.

An ill advised, late night swim, and being struck by a passing long tail boat, would seem the most likely to me.

After watching the actual program the article is referring to I have a few notes to that:

1. the lifeguard who found the body indicated there are no boats going there after 7PM and before 7AM, so being hit by a longtail boat does not seem too obvious

2. the guy was wearing swimming trunks that were not his and that were waaay to small, where did those come from?

3. a late night swim seems a bit unlikely as he was sober (no alcohol found in blood), but maybe its from medication?

4. the cut on the head did not seem deep enough to be caused by a boat propeller (deep cut but not deep enough to bear the scull visible)

My further thoughts:

1. The suggestion by that lifeguard that no boats travel in Patong Bay between 7pm and 7am is ludicrous in the extreme.

I did read that before commenting, but discounted it as idiocy.

2. I hadn't heard he was wearing swimming trucks, albeit very small. This helps confirm my thoughts he had voluntarily gone swimming. I can't think of any circumstance where someone else would put them on him, unless to preserve dignity after death .

3. You don't have to be drunk to go for a swim at night.

4. The depth of a cut from a long tail could vary according to the force of the contact.

I still think many are making the leap from accident to murder without real evidence to support the theory.

[dunroaming]

It is no secret that in Thailand the most important thing is to protect tourism and therefore cover up any possibe murders. Suicide is the favoured explanation and it is only when outside agencies investigate that the truth comes to light. I am sure there are hundreds of murders covered up in Thailand every year. Been said many times before but truth and justice have no value in Thailand

[sambum]

I've never in all my years and travels come across such an inept and useless group of individuals. Besides collecting money, what are these clowns good at?

Deporting you? Be careful or big brother make take offence hehee... Seriously though!! Life is already cheap in Thailand and especially so with a foreigners life. Only, and seriously, only, if it is widespread online will it be looked into deeper or with more care. Usually by that time it is too late to change what was pronounced as it would make them lose face. That is worse than getting something wrong and fixing it.

e.g. Raiding an illegal gambling den/Bridge Club?

[tukkytuktuk]

It is no secret that in Thailand the most important thing is to protect tourism and therefore cover up any possibe murders. Suicide is the favoured explanation and it is only when outside agencies investigate that the truth comes to light. I am sure there are hundreds of murders covered up in Thailand every year. Been said many times before but truth and justice have no value in Thailand

A conspiracy theorist's heaven.

[Jack Garbo]

Thai face is more important than life.

Especially a farang's life.

Suicide.

I can't stand lying police who cover up deaths as accidents, just to save face.

Oh, am I talking about Thais or the Hillsborough scandal, where 96 people, mostly children, were "unlawfully killed!" by police incompetence and arrogance. But it can't happen in a "civilised" country, can it?

[Peterphuket]

I just have seen it, the video report on Dutch television, there's a lot of unclear, but suicide is unlikely, and ofcourse Thai police do not come from best.

http://www.rtlxl.nl/#!/vermoord-in-het-buitenland-343202/7d9aeab2-0891-3048-bb02-942ed54b2f99

[Rough Rider]

Most cases in Thailand end up being "Suicide". There is no further need for investigation and it does not harm the image of Thailand tourism. Thailand insinuates that a foreigner falls in love with a Thai chick and when the relationship goes sour, he commit "Suicide". After all 90% of the tourist come to Thailand for the Thai Chicks and entertainment. A murder case is very rare in Thailand because it does not happen often. It is rather an accident or natural cause of death....It is no secret that in Thailand the most important thing is to protect tourism..... If a murder case is been reported it will harm the image of the Tourist industry in Thailand and that is not allowed to happen..........

[Mudcrab]

His body was found in Patong Bay and with him was a dry bag containing his medication. (Presumably issued by the hospital for pain relief).

A couple of things:

A person intent on suicide heading into the ocean to kill himself, wouldn't put his belongings into a dry bag.

A murderer wouldn't put his victim's belongings in a dry bag before drowning him.

I have trouble believing that murder by drowning, at a popular tourist beach in view of potentially hundreds even at a late hour, would be the preferred method used by any murderer. Stabbing, beating, shooting - yes, but to render someone unconscious and carry them into the waves to drown seems very unlikely.

An ill advised, late night swim, and being struck by a passing long tail boat, would seem the most likely to me.

Or head hit with a machete and dragged into the ocean.

[Artisi]

"Thai police believe he committed suicide/was hit with a bottle/hit by a propeller''

They couldn't be arsed investigating it and risking possibly implicating a guilty Thai....a disgrace. The 'investigating' officers should be downsized to Condo security plebs at once....

Even at that level, it would be beyond their capabilities.