THE MAN who died on board a Phuket King's Cup Regatta racing yacht overnight on Wednesday after a party has been named as Joseph James Patrick, 42.
Mr Patrick, a Canadian, was a well-known local resident expat who achieved some notoriety on Phuket back in August for his part in a fracas that Phuketwan headlined: Phuket Friends Fall Out, And One Loses the Fight.
A photograph of Mr Patrick, grinning widely as he was led to a Phuket police station covered in a friend's blood after the fight, brought considerable feedback from readers.
The precise cause of Mr Patrick's death on board the racing yacht, anchored off the Phuket regatta centre of Kata beach, remains unclear, but other crew have speculated that it may have been a heart attack.
Mr Patrick was found on board the 14-metre cutter Pytheas Aura, owned by Canadian Reinhard Haiber, a well-know Phuket identity who also ran the Karma Lounge, a nightspot in southern Phuket.
On Tuesday evening Mr Patrick had last been seen ashore at a Phuket King's Cup Regatta party, which he left about 9pm, apparently to return to the Pytheas Aura.
Crew found Mr Patrick's fully clothed body lying on a bunk in a latched bedroom when they arrived on Wednesday for another day's sailing.
The Pytheas Aura had been performing well in Phuket King's Cup Regatta Modern Classic class racing, recording placings. The 24th annual regatta began off Kata on Monday and continues until December 11. Today is a rest day.
Mr Patrick's death was Phuket's second recent death at sea. On November 22, the body of a Chinese tanker captain was brought ashore after he died in his sleep on a voyage to India.
Phuket Friends Fall Out, And One Loses the FightMr Patrick, a Canadian, was a well-known local resident expat who achieved some notoriety on Phuket back in August for his part in a fracas that Phuketwan headlined: Phuket Friends Fall Out, And One Loses the Fight.
A photograph of Mr Patrick, grinning widely as he was led to a Phuket police station covered in a friend's blood after the fight, brought considerable feedback from readers.
The precise cause of Mr Patrick's death on board the racing yacht, anchored off the Phuket regatta centre of Kata beach, remains unclear, but other crew have speculated that it may have been a heart attack.
Mr Patrick was found on board the 14-metre cutter Pytheas Aura, owned by Canadian Reinhard Haiber, a well-know Phuket identity who also ran the Karma Lounge, a nightspot in southern Phuket.
On Tuesday evening Mr Patrick had last been seen ashore at a Phuket King's Cup Regatta party, which he left about 9pm, apparently to return to the Pytheas Aura.
Crew found Mr Patrick's fully clothed body lying on a bunk in a latched bedroom when they arrived on Wednesday for another day's sailing.
The Pytheas Aura had been performing well in Phuket King's Cup Regatta Modern Classic class racing, recording placings. The 24th annual regatta began off Kata on Monday and continues until December 11. Today is a rest day.
Mr Patrick's death was Phuket's second recent death at sea. On November 22, the body of a Chinese tanker captain was brought ashore after he died in his sleep on a voyage to India.
Update Two friends, one Canadian and one German, shared a drink on a Phuket rooftop early in the morning. Before the sun hit high noon, the pals had fallen out and fought.
Phuket Friends Fall Out, And One Loses the Fight
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Breaking News The body of a crewman who was delegated to spend the night on a King's Cup racing yacht off Phuket was found dead by other crew members today. Police are investigating.
Phuket King's Cup Regatta Shock: Crewman Found Dead on Yacht, Police Board to Investigate
Phuket Postcard: Life and Death on Kata Beach
Photo Album Phuket enjoyed perfect weather for holidaymakers off west coast beaches today. But at Kata, where hundreds frolicked, there was tragedy as well.
Phuket Postcard: Life and Death on Kata Beach
Tragedy Off Phuket: Tanker Captain Dies at Sea
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Tragedy Off Phuket: Tanker Captain Dies at Sea
Six Phuket Expat Drownings, Deaths, Unrecorded
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Six Phuket Expat Drownings, Deaths, Unrecorded
Judging by the "Phuket Friends Fall Out" story, I would think Phuket is better off without him.
Posted by Mike Boyd on December 9, 2010 11:42
Editor Comment:
From all accounts, that event was an aberration of the kind that occurs in many lives at some stage. We've heard mostly good about Joseph Patrick: he was always a willing contributor on the boat, happy to do more than his share of the hard work, we are told. Even if he had been bad through and through, your comment would be in poor taste, Mike. ''Evil be to he who evil thinks'' and ''Judge not lest ye be judged'' remain appropriate bits of advice.