Thai police spokesman says Belgian tourist died from suffocation

[blackson]

I seem to recall that earlier reports had her scheduled for travel to BKK after leaving her burned out room?

Do suicidal persons book travel tickets?

[Laab Muu]

30 minutes ago, blackson said:

I seem to recall that earlier reports had her scheduled for travel to BKK after leaving her burned out room?

Do suicidal persons book travel tickets?

There have been a number of cases of foreigners killing themselves at the airport in Bangkok after checking in for a flight home, so yes, I would say sometimes they do.

[dlodratsab]

On ‎7‎/‎4‎/‎2017 at 7:45 AM, ThaiWai said:

Hanging from a low height is the jailhouse method.  Seen it a dozen times personally.  After that you lost me due to a run on sentence with overuse of random punctuation and fancy words intended to dazzle the reader.  However, I am gonna go out on a limb and say no one has ever been strangled by "pulling the victim by her feet".  

Another "been there seen it done it"...yesterday it was a suicide you saw, a woman stabbing herself in the heart. Is there no end to the dramatic scenes in your interesting life folder?

[Krenjai]

16 hours ago, Lamar said:

Sunday 02 June, the Police made an official statement about this alleged suicide attempt. According to the police, this suicide attempt took place on April 4th at the Nopphawong railway station, Bangkok. Elise would have attempted to kill herself by throwing herself under a moving train. She would have been saved by the action of passers-by with the help of railway police . She was then sent to the Somdet Chaopraya Institute of Psychiatry for treatment. She later travelled to Koh Tao.

 

There appears to be no record of this event in the press. Thais citizens who save the life of a young Western woman in distress, that would have made a good headline.

 

In that Sunday 02 June official statement, Police told that Pol Colonel Pumpanmuang will be sent Monday 03 June to collect information at the train station and at the Institute of Psychiatry.

 

We are on Tuesday night and we are waiting for the evidence that the Colonel Pumpanmuang picked up yesterday ...

 

We are waiting for the testimonies of the passers-by who rescued the young woman, as well as for the testimony of the railway police, for the testimony of the locomotive driver, for he testimony of the person who registered her admission to the hospital, for the testimonies of the doctor and nurses who took care of her, as well as for the testimony of the driver who took her away when she left psychiatric institute

 

We are also expecting material evidence, such as the exit form filled of Elise's own writing and signed by her. It is probable that his stay in the psychiatric Institute or the consultation was not free; so a record of the financial transaction should be found, for example, the recording of a money withdrawal from an ATM within or in the vicinity of the Institute building, or possibly the trace of a transaction carried out by Elise's insurance.

 

Let us wait until Colonel Pumpanmuang has publicly and openly exposed all this evidence before concluding that Elise tried to commit suicide on April 4 ...

 

 

 

 

I think there is a good chance you will never see any evidence that:

 

1) Indeed it was Elise who jumped in front of a train and was rescued by bystanders. CCTV? Nah....

2) Any record of the hospital confirming it was indeed Elise who was 'treated' there. 

 

I think what you will see is a statement by the RTP confirming this all to be correct after carefully studying the evidence and facts. Possibly even backed up by witnesses confirming the above events. 

 

What I don't understand, if indeed this did happen, why was this not reported immediately after the body was found? I mean, any previous suicide attempt would have make the case much easier this was very likely a suicide. They could have said, yes we have another dead body on our shores but this was a suicide, she tried it before....

 

But NO, these facts are hitting the newswires now after they tried to sweep the whole case deep under the carpet for two months. Why now? Now it seems much more like a cover up smoke screen trying to hide the real facts.

 

So I am too waiting to see convincing evidence of the above two events? Why do I feel we will not get this?

Edited July 5, 2017 by Krenjai

[Krenjai]

Governor takes on Media over “Death Island"

 

http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-xtra-video-governor-takes-on-media-over-“death-island-july-5-62850.php#Ju3RtwT4ilTtLM8i.97

 

Is this the Thai Trump?

[bannork]

1 hour ago, Krenjai said:

 

I think there is a good chance you will never see any evidence that:

 

1) Indeed it was Elise who jumped in front of a train and was rescued by bystanders. CCTV? Nah....

2) Any record of the hospital confirming it was indeed Elise who was 'treated' there. 

 

I think what you will see is a statement by the RTP confirming this all to be correct after carefully studying the evidence and facts. Possibly even backed up by witnesses confirming the above events. 

 

What I don't understand, if indeed this did happen, why was this not reported immediately after the body was found? I mean, any previous suicide attempt would have make the case much easier this was very likely a suicide. They could have said, yes we have another dead body on our shores but this was a suicide, she tried it before....

 

But NO, these facts are hitting the newswires now after they tried to sweep the whole case deep under the carpet for two months. Why now? Now it seems much more like a cover up smoke screen trying to hide the real facts.

 

So I am too waiting to see convincing evidence of the above two events? Why do I feel we will not get this?

According to The Thai Rath newspaper June 30th edition,  it was Elise's mother who informed the Belgian embassy of her suicide attempt by jumping in front of a train.

[Khun Han]

3 hours ago, bannork said:

According to The Thai Rath newspaper June 30th edition,  it was Elise's mother who informed the Belgian embassy of her suicide attempt by jumping in front of a train.

 

When? After she was told by the RTP?

[bannork]

2 minutes ago, Khun Han said:

 

When? After she was told by the RTP?

The article says Elise's mother told the Belgian embassy about her suicide attempt in front of the train before her death. Due to this information,  the police investigated that matter further. 

So, according to the article she told the RTP rather than vice versa.

[Wilsonandson]

According to The Thai Rath newspaper June 30th edition,  it was Elise's mother who informed the Belgian embassy of her suicide attempt by jumping in front of a train.

T news article dated 30/6/17
Tells the same story.
Could post the link but not allowed.

[tukkytuktuk]

If Elise mum had known her daughter tried to kill herself by jumping infront of a train before going to Ko Tao then why did she say recently that her daughter wasn't the type to commit suicide.

 

NO, the police must have told her mother first, it doesn't make sense the other way round.

[bannork]

27 minutes ago, tukkytuktuk said:

If Elise mum had known her daughter tried to kill herself by jumping infront of a train before going to Ko Tao then why did she say recently that her daughter wasn't the type to commit suicide.

 

NO, the police must have told her mother first, it doesn't make sense the other way round.

Taken from the scene of the attempted suicide near Hualamphong railway station, (saved apparently by  a passerby and railway police), to the psychiatric hospital  Somdet Chao Phraya, staff would have  looked at her passport and  likely informed her mother, seeing the address of next of kin in the passport.

Did they inform the Belgian Embassy too? I would have thought so, yet 2 days previously it was said the mother informed the Embassy.

 The local railway police of Hualampong  knew about this of course but there's no reason to suppose police investigating the case in Koh Tao this last week had any idea until they were told. 
 

Edited July 5, 2017 by bannork

[tukkytuktuk]

5 minutes ago, bannork said:

Taken from the scene of the attempted suicide near Hualamphong railway station, (saved apparently by  a passerby and railway police), to the psychiatric hospital  Somdet Chao Phraya, it's highly likely the Belgian embassy was informed after staff looked at her passport . They then likely informed her mother, seeing the address of next of kin in the passport. The local railway police of Hualampong  knew about this of course but there's no reason to suppose police investigating the case in Koh Tao this last week had any idea until they were told.
 

So the mother knew her daughter was suicidal, but as her mother said to der farang in an interview a week ago.

 

Elise’s mum Michele said: “I do not believe what the police have told us. We fear somebody else was involved.

 

“We’re more and more thinking that the police information is not the right explanation.”

 

So it's the mother that caused the media hype, sensation that has affected tourism on the island. Not Samui Times, who is just reporting the news like all the other media are.

 

The mother had the right to an investigation, but obviously she knew that without media hype she wouldn't get it.

 

My opinion, Tukky

[bannork]

16 minutes ago, tukkytuktuk said:

So the mother knew her daughter was suicidal, but as her mother said to der farang in an interview a week ago.

 

Elise’s mum Michele said: “I do not believe what the police have told us. We fear somebody else was involved.

 

“We’re more and more thinking that the police information is not the right explanation.”

 

So it's the mother that caused the media hype, sensation that has affected tourism on the island. Not Samui Times, who is just reporting the news like all the other media are.

 

The mother had the right to an investigation, but obviously she knew that without media hype she wouldn't get it.

 

My opinion, Tukky

The mother mentioned the cult, how Elise had changed over time. Perhaps that was who she was referring to when she said she feared someone else was involved. Her daughter had spent her time on Koh Samui, not Koh Tao. Even her stop off on Koh Tao was sudden.

But the Samui Times and a bunch of farangs jumped on it to infer the so called  'Koh Tao mafia' were involved. 'Death island'. The mother, poor lady, was/is in turmoil, She didn't sensationalize the story ,the Samui Times and the rest of the media did with lurid tales of a body half eaten by monitor lizards. Oh, how she must have enjoyed reading that, but hey anything to get clicks and advertising revenue. 

Pass the sick bag Alice.

[PoorSucker]

Her daughter had spent her time on Koh Samui, not Koh Tao. Even her stop off on Koh Tao was sudden.

Source please, as far everyone knows she stayed with this yoga guru on Koh Phangan.

[Wilsonandson]

The mother mentioned the cult, how Elise had changed over time. Perhaps that was who she was referring to when she said she feared someone else was involved. Her daughter had spent her time on Koh Samui, not Koh Tao. Even her stop off on Koh Tao was sudden.
But the Samui Times and a bunch of farangs jumped on it to infer the so called  'Koh Tao mafia' were involved. 'Death island'. The mother, poor lady, was/is in turmoil, She didn't sensationalize the story ,the Samui Times and the rest of the media did with lurid tales of a body half eaten by monitor lizards. Oh, how she must have enjoyed reading that, but hey anything to get clicks and advertising revenue. 
Pass the sick bag Alice.

She knew her daughter had tried to kill herself early April and on Koh Tao 2 and half weeks later she did. It wasn't about finding a murderer. The mother wanted a big investigation, and knew that would happen.

Don't blame Samui Times and others for the media sensation. The hype and interest in Ko Tao is leaked photos of a horrific crime scene in the 2014 murders.

Horrific photos.

The person responsible for those photos being leaked is the true reason that Ko Tao has recieved such negative press. Not to mention the Outcome of the case.

You can't just blame all the negativity on one media outlet. You research the internet. Type in death island. See how many articles, blogs and comments there are. Even my big Sister who lives in the UK said to me once "murder island" before people were even saying that in the press.

Slander, computer crimes act, the island is angry. But is looking for the wrong people to take it out on. Try finding the leaker of those horrific phitographs.

Lastly, if you live in Thailand, doesn't mean that YOU have to go full Thai. Stop being a sheep and remember where you grew up. Stick to your guns.

[Khun Han]

1 hour ago, bannork said:

The mother mentioned the cult, how Elise had changed over time. Perhaps that was who she was referring to when she said she feared someone else was involved. Her daughter had spent her time on Koh Samui, not Koh Tao. Even her stop off on Koh Tao was sudden.

But the Samui Times and a bunch of farangs jumped on it to infer the so called  'Koh Tao mafia' were involved. 'Death island'. The mother, poor lady, was/is in turmoil, She didn't sensationalize the story ,the Samui Times and the rest of the media did with lurid tales of a body half eaten by monitor lizards. Oh, how she must have enjoyed reading that, but hey anything to get clicks and advertising revenue. 

Pass the sick bag Alice.

 

Complete and utter tosh. The stories about Elise's body came from locals. Why wouldn't the press report those stories? And victims's families almost invariably want all the gory details, no matter how distressing, because it helps to give them closure. If the police had been open and honest from the start, instead of trying to keep Elise's death quiet, there wouldn't have been any confusion about how she died.

 

The only 'pass the sick bag alice' moments in this are reading the feigned moral outrage by people who routinely defend that godforsaken island and it's depraved hillybilly locals.

[bannork]

10 minutes ago, Wilsonandson said:

She knew her daughter had tried to kill herself early April and on Koh Tao 2 and half weeks later she did. It wasn't about finding a murderer. The mother wanted a big investigation, and knew that would happen.

Don't blame Samui Times and others for the media sensation. The hype and interest in Ko Tao is leaked photos of a horrific crime scene in the 2014 murders.

Horrific photos.

The person responsible for those photos being leaked is the true reason that Ko Tao has recieved such negative press. Not to mention the Outcome of the case.

You can't just blame all the negativity on one media outlet. You research the internet. Type in death island. See how many articles, blogs and comments there are. Even my big Sister who lives in the UK said to me once "murder island" before people were even saying that in the press.

Slander, computer crimes act, the island is angry. But is looking for the wrong people to take it out on. Try finding the leaker of those horrific phitographs.

Lastly, if you live in Thailand, doesn't mean that YOU have to go full Thai. Stop being a sheep and remember where you grew up. Stick to your guns.

I'm not blaming all the negativity on one media outlet, The Samui Times is simply following  the tabloid trash which is worldwide- sensationalism sells! Truth is the first casualty in the race for ratings.

By the way, I remember where I grew up- it was a dreadful place called Hull. Hull, hell and Halifax they used to say when I woz a nipper. I've never seen a sheep in Thailand but there are plenty in the UK.

[YetAnother]

i bet i could find 10 firends

[Pattaya46]

2 hours ago, bannork said:

// to the psychiatric hospital  Somdet Chao Phraya, staff would have  looked at her passport

and  likely informed her mother, seeing the address of next of kin in the passport. //

"address of next of kin" ??

Which countries have this information in their passports?

Mine doesn't, and I never saw any passport with that information...

[bannork]

3 minutes ago, Khun Han said:

 

Complete and utter tosh. The stories about Elise's body came from locals. Why wouldn't the press report those stories? And victims's families almost invariably want all the gory details, no matter how distressing, because it helps to give them closure. If the police had been open and honest from the start, instead of trying to keep Elise's death quiet, there wouldn't have been any confusion about how she died.

 

The only 'pass the sick bag alice' moments in this are reading the feigned moral outrage by people who routinely defend that godforsaken island and it's depraved hillybilly locals.

The man who found the body said it was intact and he found it when climbing the hill to admire the view and noticed a bad smell.

The 'story' the tabloids said was the locals grew curious because a monitor lizard was going up the hill every day so they walked up the path to find a half eaten body.

I have yet to see any interview with any local who says that but if so I'll take back my words.

I'm not sure about  your sentence here- And victims's families almost invariably want all the gory details, no matter how distressing, because it helps to give them closure.

Why wouldn't you keep a suicide quiet? A lot of media don't publicize suicides .

https://mountainx.com/opinion/commentary/in_the_case_of_suicide_to_publish_or_not_to_publish/

 

 

[bannork]

3 minutes ago, Pattaya46 said:

"address of next of kin" ??

Which countries have this information in their passports?

Mine doesn't, and I never saw any passport with that information...

British passports-  2 names and addresses  usually the names of next of kin and a friend

[gk10002000]

On 7/4/2017 at 0:26 PM, ThaiWai said:

It must be done with 2 hands and takes longer than you think.  Any one not totally incapacitated would resist and if their hands were tied ligature marks on the hands or wrists would be evident.  If the hands were free, the victim would defend themselves likely resulting in capturing the suspects DNA under the nails ("fingernail wounds" you mentioned would not be a typical item to look for).  Asphyxia in a suspicious or unusual scene minus evidence of strangulation would lead an investigator to a smothering option.  The totality of the circumstance would have to be evaluated.  Every scene is different but foul play is far more difficult to conceal then presumed by novices.  

you mistake thai police and investigators for real investigators. Also you keep focusing on fingernail wounds.  Any smart smotherer would simply not be bare faced or have exposed skin.  It really is easy to prevent

[gk10002000]

Just now, bannork said:

British passports-  2 names and addresses  usually the names of next of kin and a friend

Well, maybe Brit passports do, I don't know.  Of course the USA passport has a place you can write in such information, but the passport does not come with any such information when it is issued

[bannork]

Just now, gk10002000 said:

Well, maybe Brit passports do, I don't know.  Of course the USA passport has a place you can write in such information, but the passport does not come with any such information when it is issued

Er no, you're supposed to fill it in when you get it.

 

[Dogmatix]

The deputy spokesman of the Royal Thai Police said forensic examination of the Belgian tourist showed she died from suffocation, indicating she took her own life.

 

Yes, but we only have Thai police word for that and I am sorry but they have little or no credibility in a case like this where national interests and possibly personal interests are at stake.  The autopsy was done by them and there was no independent autopsy.   Then the corpse was cremated, apparently on the advice of the Belgian embassy, rather than flown home to Belgium where an independent autopsy would have been conducted by the government.   So we have no evidence at all, just the police's uncorroborated story which may or may not have an element of truth to it. 

Edited July 5, 2017 by Dogmatix

[Khun Han]

18 minutes ago, bannork said:

The man who found the body said it was intact and he found it when climbing the hill to admire the view and noticed a bad smell.

The 'story' the tabloids said was the locals grew curious because a monitor lizard was going up the hill every day so they walked up the path to find a half eaten body.

I have yet to see any interview with any local who says that but if so I'll take back my words.

I'm not sure about  your sentence here- And victims's families almost invariably want all the gory details, no matter how distressing, because it helps to give them closure.

Why wouldn't you keep a suicide quiet? A lot of media don't publicize suicides .

https://mountainx.com/opinion/commentary/in_the_case_of_suicide_to_publish_or_not_to_publish/

 

 

 

You wouldn't keep a strange death quiet, particularly one in a place as notorious as Koh Tao, at the very least in order to avoid the confusion and speculation that arises when tou do. The Koh Tao authorities only have themselves to blame for this latest mess.

[TheLobster]

I'm looking for the topic regarding Samui Times as per this post:

Anyone know where it is?

[gk10002000]

1 hour ago, bannork said:

Er no, you're supposed to fill it in when you get it.

 

supposed to fill it in, does not mean that people have filled it in, or that it is current or up to date.  Very good reasons to fill it in, but the point is, the usa passport by itself does not come with addresses in it

[Krenjai]

http://www.samuitimes.com/samui-times-responds-news-reports-sued/

[TheLobster]

56 minutes ago, Krenjai said:

http://www.samuitimes.com/samui-times-responds-news-reports-sued/

Thank you, there really are some Weird People making comments, Jenifer for example. I've seen similar stuff from someone with a similar name from the same location on these forums.