Gay man murdered in Pattaya

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readerc54

Re: Gay man murdered in Pattaya

Post by readerc54 »

Gaybutton wrote:Maybe there will be follow-up to the story, but unfortunately follow-up stories are rare in the local media unless it's a high profile case. This case doesn't seem to be particularly high profile. After all, how many reading this board would have remained particularly interested for more than a couple minutes if the gay part was never even mentioned? Without the gay part the story probably would never have been posted on this board in the first place.
You're right, GB; I wouldn't have posted it if the victim was not described by police as gay. Agree that this doesn't seem to be a particularly high profile case but that, I believe, is because the victim is Thai. Had it been a gay farang, it would automatically become high profile as foreign media picked it up.

You're also correct that follow up by local media is not likely unless an arrest is made. We come to visit or live here because we're attracted to Thais. But when a gay Thai man is killed it doesn't carry the same weight as if he was one of us. And that's sad. Chalk it up to human nature, I guess.
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Re: Gay man murdered in Pattaya

Post by Gaybutton »

readerc54 wrote:follow up by local media is not likely unless an arrest is made.
Even then there usually isn't a follow-up story. A follow-up story, if one appears at all, is most likely to appear if an arrest is made within a day or two.

For me, my main curiosity about this case still is wondering what evidence they had that the victim was gay.
readerc54

Re: Gay man murdered in Pattaya

Post by readerc54 »

I share your curiosity, GB, although I have another concern.

Whatever his orientation, his death is a tragedy. When I look at the crime scene photo I'm reminded--and I believe many here will agree--that he deserves more justice than he is likely to receive.

He was still a young man of 31 and could have well been among those many hundreds like him who support themselves in the bars and massage shops a boat ride away. It's not impossible that some of us may have known him.

The media coverage of his death is symptomatic of the evolving availability of local news in Pattaya. Over the past few years Pattaya One has changed the way it handles the collection of crime and other spot news. Originally it had staff beat reporters and follow-up articles were not uncommon. Coverage is now by free-lance photo journalists who go by names of Albert Jack and Danny Boy. I suspect they only get paid if they have a photo to go with the shrinking bit of news content.

So it's indeed possible we've heard the last of this murder . Nevertheless I'll still be checking the site, hoping I'm wrong.
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