News Forum - Norwegian man found hanged in Pattaya home

[Thaiger]

A 74 year old Norwegian man has been found dead in his Pattaya home’s toilet over the weekend. Police say they were horrified at the scene of the man’s death on Saturday evening. The man had cuts on his wrists, a slit throat, and he was hanging on a rope that was connected to the ceiling with a pool of blood beneath. The man’s home was in the Bang Lamung district ,east of Pattaya. In front of the toilet there was a handwritten note on the wall in red reading… “Ben killed me. I will be one ghost in the house 100%” Another […]

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[riclag]

Rip ! Sounds like he was in love with Ben imop

[rex]

Benzodiazapines.

[Freeduhdumb]

When I see these suicides I always want to know the full story of his life. At least the final years... decisions made, decisions not made? Chronic health issues finally get the best of him? What brought him to this kind of ending? I suppose Farang really don't have any place to turn, any place to seek remedies, anywhere to find an advocate in a foreign land and you have no family around. Just end it as you have no more hope?

[Noble_Design]

1 hour ago, rex said:

Benzodiazapines.

This is a pretty smart answer actually. We all thought that Ben was someone but never thought that it was something.

29 minutes ago, Freeduhdumb said:

When I see these suicides I always want to know the full story of his life. At least the final years... decisions made, decisions not made? Chronic health issues finally get the best of him? What brought him to this kind of ending? I suppose Farang really don't have any place to turn, any place to seek remedies, anywhere to find an advocate in a foreign land and you have no family around. Just end it as you have no more hope?

Why don't they just go back to their home country?

[astro]

51 minutes ago, Noble_Design said:

Why don't they just go back to their home country?

For many, that's not an option.

All bridges burnt, been too long in LoS to imagine settling anywhere else - sometimes not even enough money for the journey back to what once was "home".

 

[PapayaBokBok]

A ladyboy named Ben???...

[joseph]

If I ever had mentality to commit suicide I would travel north I procure the proper ingredients for a peaceful departure. Slashing ones throat, wrists and hanging seem a bit redundant.       

[JustAnotherExpat]

11 hours ago, Freeduhdumb said:

When I see these suicides I always want to know the full story of his life. At least the final years... decisions made, decisions not made? Chronic health issues finally get the best of him? What brought him to this kind of ending? I suppose Farang really don't have any place to turn, any place to seek remedies, anywhere to find an advocate in a foreign land and you have no family around. Just end it as you have no more hope?

This is exactly why I never burned bridges entirely. If I had to go back to the states I would have a meager but comfortable life with  house paid off and excellent medical care. So far - SO FAR! - things in LOS seem quite good.

[HiuMak]

RIP. Seems lots of cases for elderly farang lost their lives in LOS 

[Transam]

13 minutes ago, HiuMak said:

RIP. Seems lots of cases for elderly farang lost their lives in LOS 

Well yeh, one way or another, old age will take us....

[Soidog]

1 hour ago, JustAnotherExpat said:

This is exactly why I never burned bridges entirely. If I had to go back to the states I would have a meager but comfortable life with  house paid off and excellent medical care. So far - SO FAR! - things in LOS seem quite good.

A very wise move in my opinion. Two main things remain a risk or significant risk to foreigners living in Thailand over the next 20 years:  

Political instability potentially leading to social unrest and even all out civil war. I believe this risk will intensify with the current and next generation of more enlightened and informed youth.
 

Changes to government policy resulting in increased costs to remain long term in the country. We have seen some playing around with this such as insurance requirements for OA visas and the 800k or proof of monthly income. I believe the focus will intensify for long term stayers which remain unmarried, while continuing to push for short to medium term (2-3 month) tourists.

Both have been a risk for many years and never materialised. You could argue that this shows the risk is therefore unlikely and small. Or you could argue both are long overdue….

[Noble_Design]

10 hours ago, Soidog said:

Ben was a rat. Not a dog

You're right, my entire life I thought he was talking about a dog.

[Soidog]

3 hours ago, Noble_Design said:

You're right, my entire life I thought he was talking about a dog.

Yeah I thought that until someone told me it was a rate. Then the lyrics make even more sense

[Fanta]

13 minutes ago, Soidog said:

Yeah I thought that until someone told me it was a rate. Then the lyrics make even more sense

Another sweet childhood memory dashed against the rocks of Google. The back story is darker than Michael Jackson ever was!

“Don Black and Walter Scharf wrote the seemingly tender ballad "Ben" for the 1972 movie of the same name. It was the sequel to a movie called Willard, which was remade in 2003 starring Crispin Glover. 
In Willard, Ben is a pet rat trained by a human named Willard who has learned how to make rats do his bidding. Willard has the rats kill for him, but at the end of the movie they turn against him.
In the sequel, Ben, a young boy befriends the rat, but the rat turns evil and recruits other rats to attack humans. In the remake of Willard, Ben becomes an enormous super-rat.”

https://www.songfacts.com/facts/michael-jackson/ben

 

[analog]

16 hours ago, astro said:

For many, that's not an option.

All bridges burnt, been too long in LoS to imagine settling anywhere else - sometimes not even enough money for the journey back to what once was "home".

Makes me wonder if I should move back to my home country while I'm still young, in my 30s.

Edited May 10, 2022 by analog

[JustAnotherExpat]

On 5/10/2022 at 9:04 AM, Soidog said:

A very wise move in my opinion. Two main things remain a risk or significant risk to foreigners living in Thailand over the next 20 years:  

Political instability potentially leading to social unrest and even all out civil war. I believe this risk will intensify with the current and next generation of more enlightened and informed youth.
 

Changes to government policy resulting in increased costs to remain long term in the country. We have seen some playing around with this such as insurance requirements for OA visas and the 800k or proof of monthly income. I believe the focus will intensify for long term stayers which remain unmarried, while continuing to push for short to medium term (2-3 month) tourists.

Both have been a risk for many years and never materialised. You could argue that this shows the risk is therefore unlikely and small. Or you could argue both are long overdue….

Regarding political instability - around the year 2007 I made myself a "go bag" with passport, a small travel kit and $1000 USD cash in case some extreme event occured and made it necessary for folks like me to get out quick, fast, and in a hurry. Still have it handy. People might call me paranoid until the day they say "Gee, wish I'd thought of that!"

Regarding pushing us "long in the tooth guys" out - the need for 800k baht in the bank put a real stress on my finances as I was property rich, cash poor. I got through it legally and feel the result overall was  good for getting rid of most of the chaff. My concern is for my friends who chose to use the agent method for renewing annual extension. It wouldn't surprise me if those in power came down on them with absolutely no warning.

Regarding inflation - it's happening all over the world and is strictly due to corporate greed. Too many fortune 500 companies have shown record growth while the little guys suffer. It comes down to whatever the market will bear, but these greedos are squeezing too hard.

[Soidog]

7 minutes ago, JustAnotherExpat said:

My concern is for my friends who chose to use the agent method for renewing annual extension. It wouldn't surprise me if those in power came down on them with absolutely no warning.

Yes I have a similar concern for my friends who use this method of remaining in Thailand. When I ask them about it they all claim they are not worried and that there is nothing the authorities can do. These places are a Thai “business” and in many cases they are uniformed immigration officers and the transactions are done within the offices at Immigration. In other words, they can claim they thought it was legitimate. I’m not so sure myself and I fear one day a crack down could occur.  If not a crack down leading to immediate expulsion, a crack down that would cut off the option and leave many with a few months, if not days, to find an alternative. 

[Golden-Triangle]

Well, I have the funds in  my account, the only reason I  use an agent is to avoid all the unnecessary paperwork, I really do wish that they would streamline the process, 1 form, show the funds, get stamped & go home. Last time I did it I had a sheaf of paperwork running to about 20 pages.

[Benroon]

On 5/11/2022 at 4:15 AM, Soidog said:

Yes I have a similar concern for my friends who use this method of remaining in Thailand. When I ask them about it they all claim they are not worried and that there is nothing the authorities can do. These places are a Thai “business” and in many cases they are uniformed immigration officers and the transactions are done within the offices at Immigration. In other words, they can claim they thought it was legitimate. I’m not so sure myself and I fear one day a crack down could occur.  If not a crack down leading to immediate expulsion, a crack down that would cut off the option and leave many with a few months, if not days, to find an alternative. 

I have the same conversation, and the standard response is it is a legitimate stamp in my passport, yes it is I reply, but obtained fraudulently. It's a minimum 10 year ban if proven. So what's your plan for your family, wife, and house next week when you're deported? They go a bit quiet after that. It only takes an ambitious new head honcho that wants to make his mark and the pack of cards start to creak. 

Give you a smaller example, I live near the world famous Black Mountain golf courses, houses there can sell for 50million and upwards, all sold with full chanote. Only it's just been uncovered that they were never full chanote and owners, some there for decades suddenly are crapping themselves as the army look to reclaim some of it. Even the course is now under threat with numerous court cases unfolding. It transpires a dodgy land office worker 'arranged' the certification for the obvious kickbacks. This was over 20 years ago I'm told but some bright spark has now got hold of it and doesn't want to let go.

Best way to live here imo - is not with one eye open.

[Benroon]

On 5/10/2022 at 8:03 AM, analog said:

Makes me wonder if I should move back to my home country while I'm still young, in my 30s.

If you are able to live in Thailand in your 30's you would be utterly insane to go anywhere else ! 

[Benroon]

22 minutes ago, Golden-Triangle said:

Well, I have the funds in  my account, the only reason I  use an agent is to avoid all the unnecessary paperwork, I really do wish that they would streamline the process, 1 form, show the funds, get stamped & go home. Last time I did it I had a sheaf of paperwork running to about 20 pages.

If you're using an agent to save you hassle that's fine, perfectly legitimate, it's using one because you don't have the cash yourself that's the issue.

[Polkadot]

On 5/10/2022 at 2:26 AM, joseph said:

If I ever had mentality to commit suicide I would travel north I procure the proper ingredients for a peaceful departure. Slashing ones throat, wrists and hanging seem a bit redundant.       

Sounds like murder

[Polkadot]

On 5/11/2022 at 1:02 PM, JustAnotherExpat said:

Regarding political instability - around the year 2007 I made myself a "go bag" with passport, a small travel kit and $1000 USD cash in case some extreme event occured and made it necessary for folks like me to get out quick, fast, and in a hurry. Still have it handy. People might call me paranoid until the day they say "Gee, wish I'd thought of that!"

Regarding pushing us "long in the tooth guys" out - the need for 800k baht in the bank put a real stress on my finances as I was property rich, cash poor. I got through it legally and feel the result overall was  good for getting rid of most of the chaff. My concern is for my friends who chose to use the agent method for renewing annual extension. It wouldn't surprise me if those in power came down on them with absolutely no warning.

Regarding inflation - it's happening all over the world and is strictly due to corporate greed. Too many fortune 500 companies have shown record growth while the little guys suffer. It comes down to whatever the market will bear, but these greedos are squeezing too hard.

Poor govts

Biden spending money printing

 

Govt spending 

[rex]

On 5/10/2022 at 8:46 AM, JustAnotherExpat said:

This is exactly why I never burned bridges entirely. If I had to go back to the states I would have a meager but comfortable life with  house paid off and excellent medical care. So far - SO FAR! - things in LOS seem quite good.

Well aren't you special. Come here and brag about all your great friends and money. If you love it so much why don't you go back there and leave this place?