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A charity worker at the scene of the man's death in Patong

Australian Found Hanged from Patong Hotel Balcony

Sunday, August 14, 2011
UPDATE

The dead man has been named as Richard Eric Pratt, 57. His family has been notified.

Original Report

PHUKET: An Australian man has died after apparently jumping from a balcony at the Banana Love Hotel in Patong.

His 35-year-old Thai girlfriend, who found him hanging from a length of red cord at 5.10am, told Patong police that he had had medical problems.

The couple had been staying at the hotel in Rat-U-Tit 200 Pi Road for five months. All bills had been paid on time, officers said.

Phuketwan has been given a name but will not publish it until the man's relatives have been notified.

People suffering from depression or feeling down are advised to talk to friends or family, or to visit a doctor.
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Comments

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khun Sert Tongdee, you're 100% sure is a suicide? in my opinion murder can't be ruled out... people suffering from depression or feeling down don't bother to pay bills before take his own life

Posted by iamnotthai on August 14, 2011 20:00

Editor Comment:

Khun Sert Tongdee is 100 percent certain the man is dead, iamnotthai. The rest is up to police and embassy officials to determine. Unless you have some inside knowledge of this particular case, your guesswork is inappropriate.

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Why bother with the rope? He's 'lucky' he didn't decapitate himself.

Posted by Xircal on August 14, 2011 21:06

Editor Comment:

It was not a long cord.

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My inside knowledge is that as in TOO MANY cases police blindly believe tales about illness and classify them as suicide...
No evidence, no handwritten farewell letter, no common sense in the whole story, in the end nothing but another foreigner dead and a former Thai wife or girlfriend in good health (and wealth).

Posted by iamnotthai on August 14, 2011 21:21

Editor Comment:

Common sense and depression are not necessarily soul mates, and there's no evidence in this case for your suspicions. However, the more thorough the investigation, the better. Coronial-style inquests are something that all embassies should be seeking.

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Apparently.... yeah sure always.

Posted by Hockey on August 14, 2011 22:53

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Coronial style inquests? Are those that serve Mexican beer?
Just joke ED. Coroner's inquests, or plain inquests would have done. If there is any suspicion a Coroner's inquest would be held in the case of a British subject - Aussies have the same system.

Posted by Andrew on August 14, 2011 23:19

Editor Comment:

True, Mi'lud. However, Aussies who die overseas don't have inquests back home.

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Why would anyone who "had had medical problems", implying that he had long-term poor health, go on holiday to Thailand? He would have stayed in Australia and got first-class care for free there under their system.

Posted by Judge on August 15, 2011 15:28


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