2 Years 8 Months For The Death Of A Farang
Almost a year ago Stickman printed a story about the death of a 31 year old man outside his apartment. This young man was a very close friend of mine. I had known him for almost 18 years, most of this time being in the U.K. The story was not quite accurate and I’d like to fill in the missing details.
He was a very quiet man. He was kind, caring and had never got into any kind of fight or arguments since I’d known him. He came to Thailand on our invitations and had been here for around 6 months. He had his fair share of girlfriends and unfortunately like most of us at one time or another, fell in love with the wrong girl. I’m sure you're all now saying, ‘bargirl’! No! She wasn’t a bargirl but I have a lot more respect for the bargirls he had known! She worked in an office as a secretary along Sukhumvit road in the Thong Lor area. She told Simon she had broken up with her Thai boyfriend as he was married and she no longer loved him! He also had a wife who was 5 months pregnant!
It wasn’t long before my friend moved her into his apartment and everything seemed just perfect!
After about a month this so called ex-boyfriend persistently started to telephone her up in the early hours of the morning and my friend asked her why? She said he wanted her back and didn’t like her living with a farang.
One night he turned up at our apartment at 2 o’clock in the morning demanding to see her. My friend escorted her to the front entrance of our apartment and she asked him to wait inside the building. After about half an hour he wandered outside the apartment and was then attacked. He was hit from behind and upon falling to the ground this so called ‘man’ continued to stamp on his head and torso. I received a telephone call around 3 AM saying my friend was walking aimlessly around the car park. My other friend had a car and took him to the nearest hospital. By the next day the doctors had declared him brain dead due to severe haemorrhaging. It was also reported that his testicles were severely damaged due to being stamped on. After 2 weeks of keeping him on a life support machine his parents requested that the machine be turned off as his bodily organs were all shutting down. I watched my best friend slip away in only 15 minutes. I couldn’t hold back one tear.
On the same morning of this attack the name, address and details of my friend’s attacker were given to the police. He was arrested 3-4 days later! He had been spoken to before the arrest over the telephone and this attacker informed them that he would perhaps come to the police station the following week with his lawyer. No remorse whatsoever! Did I forget to mention he worked for the Government?
Also while my friend was lying in a hospital bed it came to light from his girlfriend’s work colleagues that she was often on the telephone to her ex boyfriend saying ‘If you finish with your wife I’ll come back to you’. It was also noticed that my friend’s heavy, solid gold chain was missing. After a short enquiry we discovered she had it in her bag for “safe keeping”! We took it off her and asked her to leave the hospital. We still allowed her to visit but only at the times that ourselves or my friend’s parents were not at the hospital which limited her visits somewhat! The last we saw of her!
Today, I’ve just returned from this farce of a court case! He was sentenced to 8 years which was reduced to 2 years 8 months! Furthermore we were sent to the wrong courthouse. On our arrival to the correct courthouse, 1 hour later, nobody seemed to know anything and for one moment I managed to smile as the lady trying to assist was…a maid! The rest were standing around looking dazed! We never got to the hearing. I think we were not meant to!
Two years and eight months for the death of a farang in Thailand! Is this justice? Perhaps if this attacker had an ounce of pot in his pocket he would have been given a much harsher sentence. 10 – 15 years! Going back a year when my friend was in hospital, a colleague contacted the local newspaper. Perhaps a little publicity would put pressure on this case. The reply was ‘It’s not worth it and it’s also bad for tourism’. Fuck tourism! I was under the understanding that newspapers were supposed to deliver news irrespective of: the effects on tourism! I’m not out to damage Thailand’s tourism industry. As if I could! I happen to love living here! The press in the U.K. covered the story.
We are now waiting to hear from the British Embassy as to what can be done and was informed another court case may be set. Doubtful though!
I do not hate Thailand or its people. I do not say all Thai women behave like prostitutes and everyone’s corrupt as some would. I’ve met truly wonderful people here and the most evil. There are amazing women here that are beautiful and loyal. Still not married though!
What do I want? I’m trying to uncover this, get as much publicity as possible and hopefully put pressure on the courts should there be another date set. Any ideas? I want this bastard to serve his time!
Last note: On his arrest we came face to face at the police station and he smiled. No, not that warm loving Thai smile but a smug ‘I don’t give a fuck smile’.
Stickman says:
This is a very sad state of affairs. I'll never forget an article I read in the paper a year or so back when someone was found guilty of stealing 78,000 baht from their employer – and they were sentenced to 45 years in prison. This is pretty fucked up…
