PHUKET: The deaths of 47 expats or tourists have come to the notice of Phuket police in the first six months of the year, details released to Phuketwan reveal today.
Travel certainly broadens the mind but it can also shorten one's life.
Two murders are among the Phuket deaths, along with two suicides, two drownings and 18 crash or accident fatalities.
In revealing the details, Phuket's police are more open and understanding than other Phuket authorities who no longer reveal the statistics for the number of deaths and injuries incurred on Phuket's roads, or the number of drownings at beaches and day-trip destinations.
A backward step was taken in April, 2012 when authorities on Phuket decided to stop releasing monthly updates on the road toll and drownings.
This means we have no official totals for the number of deaths on Phuket's roads in 2012 or 2013, or for the number of drownings, and no way of conveying to readers whether your chances of losing your life on Phuket are getting worse or better.
It's an odd decision for Phuket to uphold given that most safety campaigns around the world are based on community efforts to target these kinds of tolls and improve them by better awareness and safety.
We hope that at some time soon, the National Council for Peace and Order turns its attention to road safety and drownings and sticks to its principle of transparency.
Perhaps before the NCPO reacts, authorities on Phuket might do the right thing and go back to their sensible release of monthly updates. We hope so.
That way, everyone - residents, tourists and expats - can work towards reducing the road toll and the number of drownings.
The number of deaths reported by Phuket police in the first six months of 2014 is consistent with previous years.
Phuketwan reported the circumstances surrounding the murder of Frenchman Fabrice Boigeol when two robbers broke in to his rooms at a Rawai villa.
The other murder case, that of Indonesian Yafet Matahelumal at Rassada on February 10, has gone unrecorded until now. Possibly, the 24-year-old may have been involved in the fishing industry.
In publishing the details of expat deaths as recorded by Phuket police, Phuketwan continues to seek improved standards in reporting and recording all deaths on Phuket.
When the honorary consuls' three-monthly forums with the Phuket governor and other Phuket administrators were first established in 2009, diplomats complained that the island's police were slow to let them know when an expat was killed.
The police quickly improved their standards, and releasing these details to Phuketwan has been an important part of the continuing process of keeping the world informed.
Phuketwan and diplomats in Thailand remain grateful to Phuket police for their concern to let people know the fate of tourists and expat residents who fall victims to mishaps and misadventures on the island.
We wish other authorities on Phuket were keen to be as transparent as the island's police. Perhaps they need to travel more.
Paul Norris 46 Britain January 12 Vichit motorcycle crash
Mariwan Qader Salim 27 Iraq January 13 Naka Island drowning
Peter Richard Hofmann 77 Germany January 19 Patong Bathroom fall
Daniel Burkhard 72 Switzterland January 23 Patong personal illness
Adin Medzic 47 Australia January 30 Patong Hosptial steps fall
Gregory Tanqueray 37 France February 3 Karon motorcycle crash
Georg Erwin Bach 55 Germany February 5 Laem Ka Rawai flying machine crash
Karl Peyer Huch 71 Germany February 7 Phuket City no clear cause
Gulaker Tore 52 Normay February 8 Patong personal illness
Timur Ivanov 43 Russia February 9 Cherng Talay personal illness
Yafet Matahelumal 24 Indonesia February 10 Rassada murder
Stefan Hans Dressel 55 Germany February 12 Patong Hospital personal illness
Mrs Rabdall Sadra McIntosh 72 Britain February 15 Cherng Talay personal illness
Lars Gunnar Roland Hasselberg 58 Sweden February 18 Patong OTOP bar top fall
Miss Julie Andree Helene Humbert 32 France February 20 Thalang Car, motorcycle crash
Guy John Talbot Hobbs 20 Australia February 20 Rawai personal illness
Mrs Margret Hiller 73 German February 21 Thalang steps fall
Straka Robin Ulf Mikael 25 Finland February 24 Kamala pedestrian crash
Oleg Ukraine 28 Ukraine February 23 Phuket City balcony fall
Cornells Jocobus Van Der Linden 62 Netherlands February 25 Patong personal illness
Uvarov Vladimir 55 Russia February 26 Cherng Talay cause undetermined
Josh Christian Ezell 42 US February 28 Thalang motorcycle crash
Mrs Monkika Finke 57 Germany March 10 Patong personal illness
Wayne Anthony Stone 48 Australia March 13 Kamala motorcycle crash
Reima Juhani Aro 51 Finland March 21 Patong Hospital personal illness
Malcolm William Murdoch 63 Britain March 25 Cherng Talay personal illness
Miss Tiffany Gagnon 22 Canada April 1 Patong Hospital personal illness
Alexey Yanchenko 28 Kyrgystan April 2 Kathu motorcycle crash
Bent Vagnso 54 Denmark April 3 Phuket International Hospital personal illness
Bay Kheng Yeow 43 Singapore April 3 Renaissance Mai Khao no cause recorded
Henning Bargfeldt 57 Denmark April 8 Honey Resort Karon personal illness
Kiselev Lgor 59 Russia April 15 Karon fatal fall
Walter Frederick Bell 63 Britain April 15 Patong Hospital personal illness
Fabrice Boigeol 37 France April 18 Morakot Bungalow Rawai murder
Hu Hehui 51 China April 19 Vichit motorcycle crash
Mrs Anna Claudia Schmid Groppuso 59 Switzerland April 26 Vachira Hospital Phuket personal illness
Roberto Bechetti 47 Italy May 2 Happy Apartments Patong suicide
Neilsen Henrik Ebsen 64 Denmark May 8 Nili Marina Hotel Patong personal illness
Ronald Douglas Litherland 67 Australia May 11 Cherng Talay personal illness
David Charles Staddon 59 British May 19 Patong personal illness
Tommy Joachim Bernholdson 50 Swedish May 21 Absolute Guesthouse Patong suicide
Jae Joon Lee 83 Korea May 30 Vichit personal illness
Bates Denis Joseph 31 Irish May 30 Vichit motorcycle crash
Gnyaneshwar Sindol 57 India June 3 Star Cruise personal illness
Philippe Wagner 45 Switzerland June 4 Karon pickup, truck motorcycle crash
Richard Stephen Griffin 46 Ireland June 17 PTN Apartment Patong personal illness
Matthias Ehlbeck 48 Germany June 28 Rawai motorcycle crash
Yalcin Dagdelen 45 Turkey July 6 Le Meridien Resort Karon drowning
Travel certainly broadens the mind but it can also shorten one's life.
Two murders are among the Phuket deaths, along with two suicides, two drownings and 18 crash or accident fatalities.
In revealing the details, Phuket's police are more open and understanding than other Phuket authorities who no longer reveal the statistics for the number of deaths and injuries incurred on Phuket's roads, or the number of drownings at beaches and day-trip destinations.
A backward step was taken in April, 2012 when authorities on Phuket decided to stop releasing monthly updates on the road toll and drownings.
This means we have no official totals for the number of deaths on Phuket's roads in 2012 or 2013, or for the number of drownings, and no way of conveying to readers whether your chances of losing your life on Phuket are getting worse or better.
It's an odd decision for Phuket to uphold given that most safety campaigns around the world are based on community efforts to target these kinds of tolls and improve them by better awareness and safety.
We hope that at some time soon, the National Council for Peace and Order turns its attention to road safety and drownings and sticks to its principle of transparency.
Perhaps before the NCPO reacts, authorities on Phuket might do the right thing and go back to their sensible release of monthly updates. We hope so.
That way, everyone - residents, tourists and expats - can work towards reducing the road toll and the number of drownings.
The number of deaths reported by Phuket police in the first six months of 2014 is consistent with previous years.
Phuketwan reported the circumstances surrounding the murder of Frenchman Fabrice Boigeol when two robbers broke in to his rooms at a Rawai villa.
The other murder case, that of Indonesian Yafet Matahelumal at Rassada on February 10, has gone unrecorded until now. Possibly, the 24-year-old may have been involved in the fishing industry.
In publishing the details of expat deaths as recorded by Phuket police, Phuketwan continues to seek improved standards in reporting and recording all deaths on Phuket.
When the honorary consuls' three-monthly forums with the Phuket governor and other Phuket administrators were first established in 2009, diplomats complained that the island's police were slow to let them know when an expat was killed.
The police quickly improved their standards, and releasing these details to Phuketwan has been an important part of the continuing process of keeping the world informed.
Phuketwan and diplomats in Thailand remain grateful to Phuket police for their concern to let people know the fate of tourists and expat residents who fall victims to mishaps and misadventures on the island.
We wish other authorities on Phuket were keen to be as transparent as the island's police. Perhaps they need to travel more.
Expat, Tourist Deaths on Phuket January-July 2014
Paul Norris 46 Britain January 12 Vichit motorcycle crash
Mariwan Qader Salim 27 Iraq January 13 Naka Island drowning
Peter Richard Hofmann 77 Germany January 19 Patong Bathroom fall
Daniel Burkhard 72 Switzterland January 23 Patong personal illness
Adin Medzic 47 Australia January 30 Patong Hosptial steps fall
Gregory Tanqueray 37 France February 3 Karon motorcycle crash
Georg Erwin Bach 55 Germany February 5 Laem Ka Rawai flying machine crash
Karl Peyer Huch 71 Germany February 7 Phuket City no clear cause
Gulaker Tore 52 Normay February 8 Patong personal illness
Timur Ivanov 43 Russia February 9 Cherng Talay personal illness
Yafet Matahelumal 24 Indonesia February 10 Rassada murder
Stefan Hans Dressel 55 Germany February 12 Patong Hospital personal illness
Mrs Rabdall Sadra McIntosh 72 Britain February 15 Cherng Talay personal illness
Lars Gunnar Roland Hasselberg 58 Sweden February 18 Patong OTOP bar top fall
Miss Julie Andree Helene Humbert 32 France February 20 Thalang Car, motorcycle crash
Guy John Talbot Hobbs 20 Australia February 20 Rawai personal illness
Mrs Margret Hiller 73 German February 21 Thalang steps fall
Straka Robin Ulf Mikael 25 Finland February 24 Kamala pedestrian crash
Oleg Ukraine 28 Ukraine February 23 Phuket City balcony fall
Cornells Jocobus Van Der Linden 62 Netherlands February 25 Patong personal illness
Uvarov Vladimir 55 Russia February 26 Cherng Talay cause undetermined
Josh Christian Ezell 42 US February 28 Thalang motorcycle crash
Mrs Monkika Finke 57 Germany March 10 Patong personal illness
Wayne Anthony Stone 48 Australia March 13 Kamala motorcycle crash
Reima Juhani Aro 51 Finland March 21 Patong Hospital personal illness
Malcolm William Murdoch 63 Britain March 25 Cherng Talay personal illness
Miss Tiffany Gagnon 22 Canada April 1 Patong Hospital personal illness
Alexey Yanchenko 28 Kyrgystan April 2 Kathu motorcycle crash
Bent Vagnso 54 Denmark April 3 Phuket International Hospital personal illness
Bay Kheng Yeow 43 Singapore April 3 Renaissance Mai Khao no cause recorded
Henning Bargfeldt 57 Denmark April 8 Honey Resort Karon personal illness
Kiselev Lgor 59 Russia April 15 Karon fatal fall
Walter Frederick Bell 63 Britain April 15 Patong Hospital personal illness
Fabrice Boigeol 37 France April 18 Morakot Bungalow Rawai murder
Hu Hehui 51 China April 19 Vichit motorcycle crash
Mrs Anna Claudia Schmid Groppuso 59 Switzerland April 26 Vachira Hospital Phuket personal illness
Roberto Bechetti 47 Italy May 2 Happy Apartments Patong suicide
Neilsen Henrik Ebsen 64 Denmark May 8 Nili Marina Hotel Patong personal illness
Ronald Douglas Litherland 67 Australia May 11 Cherng Talay personal illness
David Charles Staddon 59 British May 19 Patong personal illness
Tommy Joachim Bernholdson 50 Swedish May 21 Absolute Guesthouse Patong suicide
Jae Joon Lee 83 Korea May 30 Vichit personal illness
Bates Denis Joseph 31 Irish May 30 Vichit motorcycle crash
Gnyaneshwar Sindol 57 India June 3 Star Cruise personal illness
Philippe Wagner 45 Switzerland June 4 Karon pickup, truck motorcycle crash
Richard Stephen Griffin 46 Ireland June 17 PTN Apartment Patong personal illness
Matthias Ehlbeck 48 Germany June 28 Rawai motorcycle crash
Yalcin Dagdelen 45 Turkey July 6 Le Meridien Resort Karon drowning
It's a grim list and my neighbor that died of ''personal illness'' in June isn't on it so you can bet there's more than that missing.
Posted by Mai Kee Nok on July 24, 2014 08:55
Editor Comment:
Police only list the cases in which they were involved. Many people die without police being notified.