Dangerous Country?

[Jromerz]

Frontpage, Friday, 3 August 2007

Thailand dangerous for Britons - August 3, 2007
Pieter points out: Amazing stuff, worth of 2Bangkok: Thousands of party-loving British tourists end their holidays in jail
...Brits that end up in hospital in Thailand each year: 233
...Brits that die in Thailand each year: 224...

So how many of those ending up in hospital also end up dying?

At the same time how many Brits on holiday end up doing things they would never dream of at home? Popular tourist destinations also have plenty of added risks for the non-locals...

[GWR]

Not disputing the influence of alcohol and other substances in all this, but .....

I wonder if at least some of these casualties are accounted for by 'natural' causes. Do these figures fail to differentiate between true tourists and retirees? For example, a retired Brit succumbs to a heart attack or even the cancer he had already been diagnosed with, but had already decided to see out his days in a warmer climate. Among all the reports of self and non self-inflicted injuries and deaths from places like Pattaya, Phuket and Hua Hin are a high number of people reported to have succumbed to the heart disease and cancer they already knew about.

Also, I used to work near a private hospital. Some of the admitted farangs would come over and use the internet facilities when they were largely recovered. A high number of these were recovering from Dengue Fever or intestinal ailments contracted in Thailand or elsewhere in the region.

[mdechgan]

I agree that statistic can be altered and bended just like rules and Thai law.

If a person was about to die chance are that he/she would be in a hospital before death is certified. Actually under Thai law one can't be considered dead without a death certificate from a hospital. So even if you are dead you have to be checked in a hospital and medical fees have to be paid.

[GWR]

I've seen numerous reports like this one from Pattaya alone. Here there are some doubts, but in many of the reports it is stated that the victim was known to be suffering from a terminal or serious illness:

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/news_03_08_50_3.htm

American found dead in his South Pattaya Apartment

Just after 7am on Friday, Police Lieutenant Colonel Samlan from Pattaya Police Station was called to the Yensabai Condominium Complex in South Pattaya to investigate a foreign fatality. Arriving at the scene, Police were met by the girlfriend of the deceased who explained that she had arranged to meet Mr. Humberto Adam Alvarado aged 54 from California, USA who resides in room number 612 on 6th Floor. A taxi had been arranged to take the pair to the Airport in Bangkok as the pair had planned to travel to Chang Mai together. Mr. Alvarado told the woman to wait for him on the ground floor. He never appeared and many telephone calls went unanswered. She decided to leave along with the Taxi and informed the Security Guard at the Complex to call her when he appeared. She heard nothing and returned to the complex at 7am. The Security Guard and the woman went to his room and gained entry. The body of Mr. Alvarado was discovered on the floor of the bathroom and the Police were called. An inspection of the body and room were made and it was seen that Mr. Alvarado was clutching a syringe, the contents of which are now being analyzed. Various tablets were found in the room suggesting the man was suffering from an illness which may be connected with the Syringe. A post mortem examination is now underway before Police continue with the case.




http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/03_08_3_2.jpg

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/pic_webnews/03_08_3_3.jpg

[GWR]

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/news_03_08_50.htm

National Police Chief attended Tourist Safety Meeting here in Pattaya

At the Sheraton Hotel in South Pattaya a new Hotel Association formed here in Pattaya held a Luncheon to present the Association to the media and to speak about safety here in Pattaya. Guest of honor at the event was Police General Saireepisoot, the acting Commander of Police here in Thailand who spoke with over 100 guests and explained his work in relation to tourist safety and how it applies here in Pattaya. Khun Paisan, owner of the Rabbit Resort and Khun Surat, owner of Mike Shopping Mall attended the event along with many other local business operators. Scholarships were presented to children of Police Officers who work here in Chonburi Province by the Association and a donation of 100,000 Baht was presented to Chonburi Provincial Police which, we have been assured, will be used to fight tourist crime.

[The Enforcer!]

Here is the full story on Brits abroad.....

http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029391638&a=KArticle&aid=1184757793657

The Enforcer!