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Blinky Bill

Nienke

By Nienke
in Chiang Mai

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Nienke Platinum Member

Nienke

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Dear All,

I just received a dreadful and shocking message of Blinky Bill aka Ian's oldest daughter Jessica, who passes on the following message of her Aunt Caz..

This is Caroline .... , Ians sister. Ian was tragically killed Wednesday afternoon in a plane crash in Borneo.

His funeral is near his home in Java this Sunday the 29th of April in the afternoon.

If you would like to attend please contact his boss Greg Newberry on +62 eight one one19six seven 51

Please call me if you would like to speak to me on +61425 seven zero four 520

Ian was a much loved father, son, husband, brother and friend who will be terribly missed by us all.

May his memory live on forever in all of our hearts.

I was already wondering why it was so quiet from BB's side on Thaivisa. Now I know. :(

I remember when I signed up on Thaivisa, BB first thought I was a man, and reacted sometimes pretty tough to my posts. Once he figured out that i was not, the tone of his posts changed. Later when I met him for real, I think it was during Thaivisa's first party at Tuskers, I teased him about it.

I've popped into BB only a few times at Tuskers and Mad Dog, where he always acted like a true gentleman towards me. He was a very kind huge man with a small heart.

Dear Ian, Rest in Peace. Your passing is a real loss!

My heart goes out to his family and friends.

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harrry Star Member

harrry

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Really sorry to hear this. I never ran into him when he was a policeman in Heidelberg where I lived but I am sure he a a good one. I met him a couple of times in CM. He was a good person who I am glad to have met.

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Rasseru Gold Member

Rasseru

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Such sad news. Like many others, I liked him well as soon as I met him. Actually, that's not quite true. That understates it. I liked him well even before I met him. He was a kind man. A good-hearted man. One of the kindest and best-hearted I've ever met. Here's a story that will explain my disjointed rambling. More than five years ago, I came to know him in this way. I asked on Thai Visa Forum if anyone knew of a place in Chiangmai that sold Indonesian kretek cigarettes, explaining that I was partial to them. Some time later, I received a private message from him, with whom I had had no interaction before of any kind, in which he offered to pick me up a carton of kreteks in Indonesia and bring it to me the next week or sometime after not much longer than that. I wrote back immediately, thanking him for his kindness, but explained that sadly it wouldn't work. I was going to be out of town the whole time he was going to be visiting. Back he came with one of his 'No worries!' If I told him where I lived he would drop it off for me at home . . . and that's what happened, without us ever having met. We did not too long after, on his next visit to Chiangmai, and I was always happy to meet him thereafter. Did I mention his kindness and good heart?

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elektrified Diamond Member

elektrified

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That is very sad news. I met him and had a chat with him for a couple of hours one night over drinks. I too, instantly liked him. I always thought I would like to meet up with him again as he was really a fascinating person with lots of experiences over his lifetime.

R.I.P. Ian

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meadish_sweetball Star Member

meadish_sweetball

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At first, Blinky and I got off a bit on the wrong foot as he had a tendency to go quite rough on newbies. But throughout the years we grew to understand each other better, and at one time both of us happened to be on the Sunshine Coast with a day to kill; Ian got in touch and we spent a day out together driving up into the mountains north of Brisbane to visit a friend of his, and had a great afternoon there over a beer or five. Great memory.

A strong man with a kind heart, as others have said. I will miss him and my condolences go out to his family.

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OldeBellPedr Silver Member

OldeBellPedr

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I got to know Ian quite well over the past year or two - he was a real 'pub' man - loved sitting at the bar and yarning about anything and everything. He was always happy to talk about his job, which took him to some pretty remote and desolate places - he knew the job had risks - and ultimately the risks have proved too great. The very riskiness of the job probably accounted for the fact that he looked at life full in the eye.

He walked into my pub a year or two back pumped my hand and announced ' I'm Ian McCullough, but you've probably never heard of me as anything other than Blinky Bill'. The man was not at all like his rather cantankerous ThaiVisa 'persona' and I liked him as soon as I started talking to him- as did everyone else who met him at The Bell.

He was one of those larger than life people you meet from time to time who's done far more things in life than you'll ever do, but who doesn't lord that fact over you.

I will miss you mate, As George says above, you were a great guy. I pray that you Rest in Peace.

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tigerbeer Platinum Member

tigerbeer

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Its beyond words what can be expressed about this beautiful and loving person. He was a dear friend of mine and would always message me on Skype to ask how I am doing. It was only a few weeks back and we were talking about when he would come back to Chiang Mai next. He brought such life to wherever he went around town. He was also a very big part of the expat Chiang Mai community. Full respect to you kind sir for the life that you lived. I will miss you Ian. RIP my friend.

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uptheos Star Member

uptheos

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My fondest and scariest memory of Ian was back in 1997 (appx). He gave me a ride on the back of his bike from The Escape to Loi Kroh.......I really didn't mean to hug him, but the chicken rails were not sufficient! On TV we had many head to head encounters, in particular regarding England v Australia for The Ashes and of course he was always a gracious loser, wink wink.

One of the great character's with a good sense of humour and as he would say; "a bloody OK guy"

RIP Ian.....Blinky Bill will be missed.

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ThaiPauly Diamond Member

ThaiPauly

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One of the real characters on Thai Visa, I always had a great banter with him. He called me Thaipoorly and i called him Bikini Bill.

We met on several occasions, you could not help but like the big man.

This news is devastating, and my thoughts are with his family at this time

RIP Mate.

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StevieH Platinum Member

StevieH

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bloody hell this is awful news. only met blinky bill a few times in person but enjoyed a beer with him and he was a proper gentleman and a hugely likeable fellow. RIP and thoughts with his family at this time. pleasure to have met you ian.

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