Ex-US serviceman found dead in room surrounded by cash and valuables

 

Picture: Morning News

 

PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN: -- A former US soldier was found dead in his rented room in Prajuab Khirikhan town yesterday.

 

Police found Thai and foreign currency left on a table, a sealed brown envelope stuffed with cash and bankbooks showing deposits of 1.3 million baht, reported Morning News.

 

He lived alone and had split up from his Thai wife.

 

Caretaker Winai Chorpthamkit, 55, called police to the rooms where they found 71 year old Monte Frank Madeiros naked in bed face up.

 

He was clutching the air-con remote in his right hand. He had been dead at least 24 hours.

 

In a wardrobe they found a sealed brown envelope that was stuffed with cash. On the table was Thai money in thousands, hundreds and 20s all laid out. There was also a quantity of US dollars on the table.

 

Police found two bankbooks - one account had more than 900,000 baht the other more than 400,000 baht.

 

There were lots of prescription medications in the room and a Nokia phone. Police hope to use this to contact his relatives.

 

Caretaker Winai said that Mr Madeiros was a retired soldier who had been living in Thailand for eight years. He had split up from his Thai wife.

 

Winai said that the man had told him that he received a pension of 80,000 baht a month but this was not enough for him to live in the United States. So after retirement he had decided to come and live in Thailand where his pension would be enough to live on.

 

Source: Morning News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-02-17

They hope to contact his relatives. Very respectful in allowing the media to publicly reveal his name before any relatives have been notified. Classy move!

Looks like the last thing he did was counting his money. Another one in the Thai mass grave of farangs. Let´s hope some greater powers take care of his poor and lost soul.

R.I.P.

R.I.P. served his Country, then passes away on his own, so sad....

R.I.P.

 

Sad to see his life ended. 80,000 Baht is almost $2300 a month.

 

I am sure he lived like a king for this money in Thailand, I am not sure why it is not enough in US for a retired life ?

 

Actually for a very simple life, and to interact with normal people, we don't need lot of money. We need true love and friendship.

 

3 minutes ago, NextStationBangkok said:

R.I.P.

 

Sad to see his life ended. 80,000 Baht is almost $2300 a month.

 

I am sure he lived like a king for this money in Thailand, I am not sure why it is not enough in US for a retired life ?

 

Actually for a very simple life, and to interact with normal people, we don't need lot of money. We need true love and friendship.

 

 

True love in Thailand? Sad to say, its fat hope as long as you are a farang. 

2 hours ago, Get Real said:

Looks like the last thing he did was counting his money. Another one in the Thai mass grave of farangs. Let´s hope some greater powers take care of his poor and lost soul.

Mass grave of farangs???? Do you think farang don't die in their home country?

 

Poor and lost soul??? - - where did you get that from? 

 

Talk about Get Real - you seem to be projecting, unless you knew him personally...

 

RIP good sir... 

If that was his life savings, the B1.3M/~USD37K doesn't sound like an awful lot.  That's just what was in the bankbooks, however.  'Doesn't include what was in the sealed envelope ("stuffed") and on the table, as I read it.

 

71, lots of prescription meds and an aircon remote clutched in his hand...    Except for the neatly laid out stacks of money, one might jguess it was just his time. 

 

There are some lower cost-of-living places in the states where you could get by on $2300.  "Pension".  At 71 and retired from the military, he'd be collecting his military pension as well as social security.  Maybe that was both, but seems small.

 

Anyway, RIP.   Sad to go by oneself, all alone like that 

3 minutes ago, ThaiCitizen said:

If you don't like the way Thai legal proceedings operate, you can always go home instead of criticizing. 

Rather ironic as you are a newsreader.

What's wrong with criticizing, if that's what he thinks about it.   Who says he has to go home just because he has a critical comment to make?   If YOU don't like it, maybe YOU should be the one going somewhere else, for your reading enjoyment.  

3 hours ago, jerojero said:

They hope to contact his relatives. Very respectful in allowing the media to publicly reveal his name before any relatives have been notified. Classy move!

Classy or not, that is often done here. Accept it, leave, or just complain. I doubt it will make any difference no matter what you do..

42 minutes ago, NextStationBangkok said:

R.I.P.

 

Sad to see his life ended. 80,000 Baht is almost $2300 a month.

 

I am sure he lived like a king for this money in Thailand, I am not sure why it is not enough in US for a retired life ?

 

Actually for a very simple life, and to interact with normal people, we don't need lot of money. We need true love and friendship.

 

not everyone wants to watch corn grow.   maybe guy wanted Chicks to play with.................hehehehehe.     YOU DONT need to make judgements about the deceased.

41 minutes ago, NextStationBangkok said:

R.I.P.

 

Sad to see his life ended. 80,000 Baht is almost $2300 a month.

 

I am sure he lived like a king for this money in Thailand, I am not sure why it is not enough in US for a retired life ?

 

Actually for a very simple life, and to interact with normal people, we don't need lot of money. We need true love and friendship.

 

I'd be surprised if a king would live on B80k/mo. I am always amused by the differences in rationalization where living expenses are concerned. I can understand if you live on a pittance because that is all you have or if you are saving it for family. However, I know several expats who are living here on a shoestring; yet have money and no family for whom to leave it. 

No idea what kind of lifestyle he led but dead at 71 isn't unrealistic, even for someone in good condition. 

 

My military pension is the same amount - often don't spend it all if we have a quiet month around the house.

16 minutes ago, hawker9000 said:

What's wrong with criticizing, if that's what he thinks about it.   Who says he has to go home just because he has a critical comment to make?   If YOU don't like it, maybe YOU should be the one going somewhere else, for your reading enjoyment.  

Good reply.  

RIP, brother. Hope you're in a better place now. 

2 hours ago, Get Real said:

Looks like the last thing he did was counting his money. Another one in the Thai mass grave of farangs. Let´s hope some greater powers take care of his poor and lost soul.

 

He was on the bed.  The money was on the table.  You are wrong. 

Young really, but sad to hear of a passing soul alone. He seems to have had a good relationship with his landlord. 

News? On a slow news day. EX US serviceman ?? This might shock people here but there was a time when a requirement of citizenship was serving in the US Army. Not all did BUT It was a citizen army, not a volunteer army. And he is old enough to be from those times, wonders never cease.

 

 

 

"Sealed" brown envelope stuffed with cash - now unsealed.

 

2 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

R.I.P. served his Country, then passes away on his own, so sad....

...how dare they reveal any of his property..always about the money.

"RIP"-Bro

4 hours ago, jerojero said:

They hope to contact his relatives. Very respectful in allowing the media to publicly reveal his name before any relatives have been notified. Classy move!

Oh get over yourself. This is Thailand and the world of instant media news after all.

 

RIP

1 hour ago, cheechee said:

not everyone wants to watch corn grow.   maybe guy wanted Chicks to play with.................hehehehehe.     YOU DONT need to make judgements about the deceased.

I am not judgemental. Just guessing what might have happened. It could be a natural death too, because he is already 71.

 

He might have lived a happy life too. He was not running short of money, because he had more than a million baht, and on top counting his monthly pension too.

 

But my opinion is we don't need lot of money to live happy. Priority in life makes the differences. If we drill down to a simple life and thankful to other people, we don't have to worry about money.

Wow (20,000B) 800 Aussie dollars a week pension.Sounds pretty good to me. Must have been living the high life if that was not enough.

1 hour ago, kenk24 said:

Mass grave of farangs???? Do you think farang don't die in their home country?

 

Poor and lost soul??? - - where did you get that from? 

 

Talk about Get Real - you seem to be projecting, unless you knew him personally...

 

RIP good sir... 

Poor is because had to depart from all his money, and lost means that it might have been the only way out or that still the soul is restless for not solving the case if there is one to solve.
Mass grave of farangs simply points to all that comes here and die or get killed.

However, just didn´t think you would get it. Never mind. Cheers!

Sad, very sad. That he was gripping the remote control might be indicative of some sort of spasm. In my book 71 years old is not really that old so what a shame having served his country but couldn't enjoy a bit more life. R.I.P. my friend

1 hour ago, ThaiCitizen said:

If you don't like the way Thai legal proceedings operate, you can always go home instead of criticizing. 

Rather ironic as you are a newsreader.

Perhaps the most ridiculous argument response "you can always go home"...Is that the best you can offer...? The guy made a serious and valid statement and I am sure many others here would agree with him. Why must you be so invidious.......You might wish to Google that, since you like to read so much. RIP to the gentleman that passed. And thank you for your service, sir.

The report seems to be obsessing over all the money - the dead ex-serviceman is secondary. As if to say - 'look, there was all this money, and nobody stole any'. Yet.

2 hours ago, wvavin said:

True love in Thailand? Sad to say, its fat hope as long as you are a farang. 

 

Plenty of people enjoy true love here.  

If someone doesn't its probably something to do with their choice of partner, rather than the fault of the country.