Australian Jack Hansen-Bartel a victim of Thailand's brutal underbelly

[Lite Beer]

Australian Jack Hansen-Bartel a victim of Thailand's brutal underbelly
Lindsay Murdoch
South-East Asia correspondent for Fairfax Media

Bangkok: Australian Jack Hansen-Bartel didn't see the punches coming when he suffered horrific injuries to his face, ending his work as a part-time model and plans to enter a Melbourne university.

"I had no ability to defend myself as I was hit with cowards' punches," he says.

How 20-year-old Hansen-Bartel's life turned into a nightmare from that night on Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand in June reveals a dark underbelly in southern Thai resorts that are promoted as paradises and attract tens of thousands of Australian tourists each month.

The case has sent alarm bells through Thailand's expatriate community amid a spike in the number of murders, rapes and assaults on islands such as Samui and Phuket, including the gruesome hacking to death of British tourists Hannah Witheridge, 23 and David Miller, 24, on Koh Tao on September 15.

No staff of Samui's famous Green Mango club came to assist Hansen-Bartel, who was on the island celebrating his graduation from one of Bangkok's top international schools, as he lay semi-unconscious on the floor, three of his teeth missing, a flap jaggedly torn from his gum and swallowing his own blood, making it difficult to breathe, witnesses say.

As Hansen-Bartel's 24-year-old brother Jesse and five friends dragged him outside he said he felt his world was closing in and thought he was dying as blood gushed from his eye and mouth.

Outside in a small street known as Soi Green Mango a Thai man, who claimed he "owned" the street, attacked the group with a Taser, saying he was sick of foreigners.

Hansen-Bartel collapsed outside a go-go bar called Dream Girls, which was closed.

A man who appeared to be British turned up brandishing a bottle, yelling he was "sick of people like you".

As Hansen-Bartel, from the Melbourne suburb of Mentone, drifted in and out of consciousness, covered in blood and struggling to breathe, an ambulance arrived in the street but the medical staff inexplicably did nothing to help, witnesses said.

About 40 minutes after the attack Hansen-Bartel was lifted into a friend's van.

The driver took off following the ambulance, thinking it would lead them to a hospital, but it instead drove around in circles, apparently to try to lose the van.

Eventually the van driver broke away and by chance came across a small hospital, which agreed to treat him after payment for his medical costs were guaranteed.

"That was just the start of the nightmare," said Hansen-Bartel's mother, Annie Hansen, a single mother working in Bangkok.

Her son faces 18 months of multiple facial surgeries costing tens of thousands of dollars: his medical insurance had expired nine days before the attack.

Initial plastic surgery done on Samui needs to be redone before other surgery can be restarted.

Hansen-Bartel has been told by doctors to expect only 80 per cent recovery.

Samui police quickly charged two graduating students from an international school in China over the incident.

But six weeks later the students created charges of their own against Hansen-Bartel, alleging they were protecting a female friend who they claim he was "molesting," and that a fight ensued.

Hansen-Bartel strenuously denies the claim although he said had met the female on the beach earlier in the day and at a bar in Soi Green Mango.

Closed circuit television from the Green Mango appears to show Hansen-Bartel walking into the club with the woman before being stopped by the students.

"One said to me, 'she is with my friend…don't mess with her,'" Hansen-Bartel told Fairfax Media. "I said, 'Sorry, I didn't know.'"

Hansen-Bartel said he then asked the woman if she knew the men and she said she did and would stay at the club with them.

Hansen-Bartel was injured later in the night.

Annie Hansen said in the weeks following the laying of the complaint against her son the family received harassing phone calls and threats from Samui.

"We were terrified….we were trying to find a safe house to take Jack," Ms Hansen said.

"It's unbelievable. We feel like we are fighting a mafia and money while Jack did nothing wrong," she said.

Attempts Ms Hansen has made to have the case transferred from Samui to a Bangkok court have been rejected.

"We fear we will not be able to get justice on the island," she said.

Read More: http://www.smh.com.au/world/australian-jack-hansenbartel-a-victim-of-thailands-brutal-underbelly-20141003-10psqf.html

-- Sydney Morning Herald 2014-10-04

[PiPiFFS]

The same and far worse happens every weekend in every town or city in the UK. Samui is no different and i would say if anything safer. I can only presume Australians don't get drunk and fight ever ?

[krisb]

I don't quite get it.

Was he attacked by a guy who looked British (whatever that looks like) carrying a bottle who was sick of tourists??

[winnerinsix]

This morning, in my small city, I am reading about a young bloke with similar injuries, suffered in a fight at the local pub.... Thailand isn't the only place where blokes get belted in or around pubs/bars.... And I am not bagging bars/pubs.... I happen to enjoy visiting both...

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Update

Letter to the editor – a witness account of the Jack Hansen-Bartel attack

KOH SAMUI:-- The following letter has been sent to the editor of the Samui Times, it one mans harrowing account of what she saw on the 10 th of June in the Green Mango Soi, she cannot be named for legal reasons.

Running the gauntlet to medical help in Soi Green Mango, Koh Samui.

jack pre attack 1On the night of the 9th of June/early hours of the 10th June, Jack Hansen-Bartel was attacked by two Chinese American nationals at the Green Mango nightclub on Koh Samui, Thailand. Although this has made media headlines in Thailand and Australia, there is an entirely different aspect to this story that is still to be told. The reality is that the attack was only the beginning of the ordeal that night for Jack. Although this has nothing to do with the criminal case against the two attackers, and witnesses were advised by the police that it was completely unnecessary to mention what happened next in any statements, we feel that it is important to get the entire story out in order to illustrate what Jack actually had to contend with that night and the obstacles of presumptions and racial profiling that ensured he did not receive medical help.

After the attack on the stage dance floor area of Green Mango, friends and bystanders attempted to obtain assistance from security staff situated at the front of the Green Mango foyer area. There is a security check point operating where one enters the club only. Official Green Mango policy (we were later advised in a meeting with the Head of Security) is that security is only to be located at the front entrance and that they are forbidden to go into the dance area, where all the revellers are located as, he advised, farangs like to take the opportunity to visit the Green Mango’ to fight’.

Initially Jack was not moved from the spot that he had fallen as it was feared that he may have had serious spinal injuries. Jacks brother (who is currently studying biomedicine at Monash University in order to one day be a surgeon) checked on Jack and proceeded to find out from the people in the immediate vicinity who had seen the incident and what had happened. This information is currently with our the lawyers and cannot be disclosed. Simultanously people had moved to the front of house to ask for assistance that someone on stage had been seriously hurt. There was no communication difficulty as the people in this role all spoke fluent Thai.

Not only did all staff refuse to help or to check on the area the staff simply ignored pleas for help.

jack post attackIt was then that the decision was made that Jack had to be moved, regardless of a spinal injury, as he was still unconscious and haemorrhaging badly. This movement of Jack brought with it some degree of consciousness for him. He was now hyperventilating and panicked. What everyone was unaware of at this time was that not only were his teeth missing but, as he was lying down and the people attending to him were holding him down at times to keep him calm, this act was in reality was suffocating him. He was swallowing a lot of blood, we believe he swallowed some of his own gum tissue and bone from his jaw but the gum flap that had been jaggedly torn from his gum, had by now slid away from the shattered bone and was flapping down into his airway, occluding his breathing. One punch was to the eye and this blood of course was going direcvtly into his eyes occluding his field of vision.

After zero help and even less concern from security staff to assist, it was decided by the people assisting him that Jack needed to be walked out from the stage area and down the soi in order to get him closer to some actual medical help. As Jack was making his way out of the Green Mango he barely able to walk, his legs were giving way, he was ataxic and covered in blood. Coming up to the security guards and feeling that finally help was at hand, the attending group was told by security to “keep it moving” and to “leave the club” that Jack was “creating a scene” and was a “public nuisance”.

One of Jacks attendees who was begging for help, implored the Head Security Guard on that night to assist. He was literally begging for help, but security simply responded by saying that he didn’t like the young man’s tone that he was taking with him and began in turn to threaten the young man pleading for help on Jacks behalf. Security told the group that they “had better leave “.

Now frantic and crying, the group managed to keep Jack walking and on his feet, talking to him constantly whilst all the while still sobbing. They moved Jack out of Green Mango and further down the Soi in order to avoid further abuse from the security. After managing to leave the brutality and coldness of the Green Mango Jacks ordeal was still not over by any means.

Jack 3Jack was now frantic. He was stumbling and started to push all his helpers off him trying to tell them to get away from him as he couldn’t breathe and the tight feeling of claustrophobia was also setting in. He later described a feeling that the world was closing in on him and that he was unable to get any oxygen and thought he was dying. He happened to see who he recognised as one of his attackers on the way out of G.M and literally with his last ounce of strength tried to lunge at the man and to speak- both these attempts were unsuccessful as with no strength and no ability to stand straight or keep his balance, he merely stumbled again and regained a relatively upright stance for a moment with help from a bystander.

Soi Green Mango is actually not a terribly long soi by any means.

It is a walking soi and looks fairly innocuous. But that night to Jack it was one obstacle path after another, a series of gauntlets to be overcome in a desperate bid to get medical attention.

In the soi , a gentleman who identified himself as the “owner of the street”, approached the group who were all still sobbing and trying to manage Jacks constant manoevering between walking and collapsing, directly him to the end of the soi and the main road. This self proclaimed “owner of the soi” rushed at the group , verbally threatened the group, all whilst brandishing a Taser in an extremely menacing way. Jack was unaware of this confrontation taking place as they tried to walk him to safety. The group he was with was literally trying to assist Jack whilst now also acting as protectors and keeping him out of harms way of this outraged man.

The group tried to move Jack out of the man’s menacing range of reach as it was evident that he clearly had his sights set on that taser hitting Jack. The ‘owner of the Soi’ kept moving in closer, constantly yelling that the group was a public nuisance. He was sick of falangs in this soi acting this way.

One of the group said to this gentleman – you are not helping us, we need help. Please help us. This seemed to make the ‘owner of the street’ even angrier to the point where he was attempting to reach over people now to target his taser at Jack. By this time, Jack was now exhibiting signs of shock and transcended into a seizure-like state.

After one last reach that looked as though it would connect with Jack, a friend of Jacks jumped in the way to protect Jack from the inevitable taser hit. His friend took the electric current of the taser hit himself, rather than have this hit Jack. An electrical charge may have actually caused Jack at this point to have a cardiac arrest. We will forever be in debt to this person for taking this taser charge for Jack in this split second decision he had to make.

jack 2Jack was moved to the front gutter of an establishment called Dream Girls.

He ended here as it was at this point that his legs simply were so unsteady that he could no longer walk at all.

Rather aptly named really for Jack, as Dream Girls was the point where Jack lost all touch with reality and interchanged between moments of consciousness with unconsciousness.

Again his helpers lay Jack down on his back. Again the blood was blocking his breathing and the flap of gum was occluding his airway. When Jack was conscious at this point he believed he was actually being attacked by the good Samaritans that were trying to hold him down, so he would attempt to fend them off whilst trying to scream and to breathe. He would then travel again into unconsciousness and so it went. At this point in time it is advised (an ambulance was called approx. 40 minutes prior to arriving into the gutter outside of Dream Girls) the first responders arrived. Reaching here and with Jack unable to take another step, Jack felt he was going to die and the group felt that as the first responders were there, they were home free , that the ambulance would have a clear view of the group and be immediately at their side ready to take over. Jack was covered in the red cells of his blood and it was a very visible part of the soi to the main road, easy for any ambulance to spot as they would drive in search of the victim.

Bystanders, passersby and random people who thought they were being helpful were walking past pouring water on Jack, trying to wake him up, perhaps thinking if he were awake then he was clearly fine. This was a shock to Jacks system each time and the feeling to him was a jolting and again he would try and resist his friends who were holding him down.

A barmaid from the Henry Africa Bar who had actually been our waitress whilst there earlier in the night, remembered the group from a few hours earlier. She came out from Henry Africa Bar (directly across the road from Dream Girls gutter), and kindly brought out toilet paper in an attempt to help Jack and stem the bleeding. She was extremely kind and asked the group what had happened and that she remembered Jack as being such a lovely young man to her. Jack was still bleeding profusely and was now lying in a large puddle of his congealing blood. The entire group with Jack was very emotional still and in fact with this kind assistance and the ear of someone who would actually listen to them were now more emotional than before. One of the group started to hit at the adjacent metal sliding door of Dream Girls as he was screaming and crying.

Jack 4It was at this point that the next obstacle showed itself in the form of a balding Englishman who also had come out from the Henry Africa bar, only, unlike with the barmaid, this person they had never actually seen before. Instead of tissues and kindness coming out of the Henry Africa Bar, this time they were now faced with a threat from a man brandishing a bottle saying that he was going to ‘sort them out’. That he was ‘sick of people like you’ in ‘his’ soi. The barmaid who was still attending to Jack jumped to her feet and intervened before he could bottle anyone. She implored him to listen, and told him what had happened to Jack before he was able to bottle anyone. He seemed to retreat.

Not to be beaten, the self proclaimed ‘owner of the soi’ who had earlier attempted to taser Jack popped back up again!

The metal door that was facing the gutter area from Dream Girls was indented, he now pointed out. He was oblivious to Jack and his injuries yet managed at night to point out this small indent and demanded money.

Thankfully and to everyone’s relief, by this time the police had arrived and the group felt the night was finally coming to its rightful conclusion where help was at hand and Jack would receive urgent medical treatment. However, the police also showed no concern for Jack at all. Ignoring the groups plea for medical assistance telling him in Thai Jack had been attacked, the police officer would only converse with the ‘owner of the soi’ and the officer then told the group to pay for the small indentation that was made in the metal door. They paid immediately. The police then left Jack in the gutter with a group still trying to give medical attention that they were in no way equipped to give.

It was approximately another 30 minutes until an ambulance arrived. They arrived, heard the Thais say Jack was a ‘public nuisance’ and they were’ sick of farangs like this’ in the soi.

Jack was again going through an episode of consciousness/unconsciousness, struggling to breathe and whilst conscious thinking that his friends in all this who were holding him down, were strangers attacking him. The medical staff stayed a short time to observe. And decided that they would not take Jack for essential medical care. They advised that he was too frantic after observing him for approx. 3 mins.

One of the group had run down the main road off soi Green Mango where his van was parked. The group all carefully placed Jack in the back of the 8 seater, at which time the van proceeded to follow the ambulance. It appeared to the driver of the van that the ambulance was attempting to lose them. The ambulance was clearly going around in circles. Eventually the group found a local Thai hospital.

Receiving immediate treatment for Jack was then difficult as Jack had left his wallet with all his cards and money in the hotel room. He had no identification. This was worked out from Bangkok… which then led to the triptych of events…..

Since receiving this letter the Samui Times has been notified that a page has been set up on a website called Change.org, the world’s largest petition platform. The page is go garner support to stop the pair who attacked Jack from beginning their tertiary education. You can view that page by clicking here.

-- Samui Times 2014-10-05

[shirtless]

I think i can now strike Samui off my list, It seems like there is a real crime spike there and if tourism keeps dropping it will only get worse.Thailand the land of shinners.

[chooka]

This morning, in my small city, I am reading about a young bloke with similar injuries, suffered in a fight at the local pub.... Thailand isn't the only place where blokes get belted in or around pubs/bars.... And I am not bagging bars/pubs.... I happen to enjoy visiting both...

yea your right, there are 3 thais on trial at the moment in Melbourne, Australia for an attack on an Aussie who died as a result.

[dumpling]

The same and far worse happens every weekend in every town or city in the UK. Samui is no different and i would say if anything safer. I can only presume Australians don't get drunk and fight ever ?

You are correct, an assualt can happen anywhere in the world.The story is in the treatment of the victim and family after the crime had taken place.As for your sweeping generalzations about Australians and the UK, yes the guy was from Australia that does not mean he is a 'hard drinking Auzzy battler' be careful with sterotypes lest you become one.

The UK does have a major problem with drunken violence but has good policing and care for a victim.The lack sympathy on this site amazes me.

[PiPiFFS]

The same and far worse happens every weekend in every town or city in the UK. Samui is no different and i would say if anything safer. I can only presume Australians don't get drunk and fight ever ?

You are correct, an assualt can happen anywhere in the world.The story is in the treatment of the victim and family after the crime had taken place.As for your sweeping generalzations about Australians and the UK, yes the guy was from Australia that does not mean he is a 'hard drinking Auzzy battler' be careful with sterotypes lest you become one.

The UK does have a major problem with drunken violence but has good policing and care for a victim.The lack sympathy on this site amazes me.

Could you point out the " sweeping generalization " about australians in my post please ? The statement about the UK is FACT not generalization. I also think that the letter to the samui times reads like a " what not to do in the event of an accident " Nobody that was with this man could organise getting the guy to hospital ?

[monkey4u]

Young men and alcohol don't mix.

From my own experience many years ago, we all think we are bullet proof.

Better lay off the booze and enjoy the holiday

[SOTIRIOS]

.....Jack was a ‘public nuisance’ and they were.....................’ sick of farangs like this’ in the soi........

[Halion]

The same and far worse happens every weekend in every town or city in the UK. Samui is no different and i would say if anything safer. I can only presume Australians don't get drunk and fight ever ?

What the hell has that got to do with the egregious nature of this story. There are a host of differences obvious to those with the ability to view such incidents in a rational manner.

[Trentham]

This morning, in my small city, I am reading about a young bloke with similar injuries, suffered in a fight at the local pub.... Thailand isn't the only place where blokes get belted in or around pubs/bars.... And I am not bagging bars/pubs.... I happen to enjoy visiting both...

You are correct but at least in other countries they can get an ambulance.

[Time Traveller]

Maybe I missed the bit about racial profiling?

The reality is they were in the realm of the mafias. Mafias don't like people to create a scene and draw attention to their racket. Either intentionally or unintentionally. In Thailand no police or ambulance or any local is ever going to go against a mafia.

Are people this naive that they never heard stuff like this happens ?

Edited October 5, 2014 by Time Traveller

[wirat69]

....sounds like it needs a good lawyer to argue the liability of the bar owners, security contractors, soi "owners" et al for their complete failure to seek assistance for/when life and limb were in peril...... all the farang corporate people will know of their firm's emergency plans, safety plans, health and welfare plans, anti-discrimination training courses and a host of other such schemes hatched by legislators or legal advisers to avoid such a liability.....

Oh, sorry, forgot where I am!

[malcoml]

Yes the south of Thailand has a general very strange undercurrent.

I was on soi mango late 2008 when we heard what we thought was firecrackers. It was three young guys getting gunned down and there was blood everywhere.

All the Thai owner of the bar was concerned about was getting the music back on so the farangs would keep drinking.

Around that time they also found a girl no head, no hands, no feet.

Finally a group of overly aggressive ladyboys would not leave my friend alone until finally he told them to leave which they took the wrong way and followed us back to our hotel one night looking to teach us a lesson.

Yep it was time to go.

[car720]

Maybe I missed the bit about racial profiling?

The reality is they were in the realm of the mafias. Mafias don't like people to create a scene and draw attention to their racket. Either intentionally or unintentionally. In Thailand no police or ambulance or any local is ever going to go against a mafia.

Are people this naive that they never heard stuff like this happens ?

Sorry man, nothing about your comment, this is just where I jumped in.

What I see here is a guy who (possibly) bit off more than he could chew by taking on a couple of hard case Chinese, and believe me they do exist.

Under any other circumstances this would go away like mist on a mountain but this time he has got a Murdoch on his side. Fairfax or not.

[Joe Black]

Well this is one version of events.....

[Tony125]

Appaling treatment to this young man but as a side note "always" opt for the cheap travel insurance sometimes called trip insurance when going to any foreign country that will pay for flite changes, accidents/assults , hospital stays or med flites back home if nesscessary.

[Wat dee]

Not very impressive after picture of brutal beating. I understand mother will be worried about her son but why raise this story up again? Fund raising for the poor single mother, who can educate multiple kids in BKK's top international school? Sure there must be worthy charity cases.

Would be nice to hear other side of the story too.

[Phuketboy]

Maybe I missed the bit about racial profiling?

The reality is they were in the realm of the mafias. Mafias don't like people to create a scene and draw attention to their racket. Either intentionally or unintentionally. In Thailand no police or ambulance or any local is ever going to go against a mafia.

Are people this naive that they never heard stuff like this happens ?

And that is exactly why the so called mafias in Thailand (nothing more than uneducated street gangs really) are so influent. Maybe if people grew some balls and stood up to these F%^king W$%ankers maybe just maybe people could go about their lives in peace. The problem is nobody stands up to them so they think they have this power. They have nothing against a community if the community stand their ground. I have seen a few stances of one on one intimidation and they back down very quickly when they have so support from their friends. When they are groups like little dogs it's a different story.

[pumpuy]

This morning, in my small city, I am reading about a young bloke with similar injuries, suffered in a fight at the local pub.... Thailand isn't the only place where blokes get belted in or around pubs/bars.... And I am not bagging bars/pubs.... I happen to enjoy visiting both...

High on drugs , dope , it is hot , hot women , wanting to be the " number one " , too much testosterone in the blood , the " I did not like the way he looked at me/her " stuff is enough to be beaten to death and more than this , the elders , who know that they will never be the " number one " any more , full of hate and jealousy , refusing to help , disorientated ambulance driver who does not want to get involved ....

WELCOME TO PARADISE ! or is it hell ?

The times they are a changing , a hard rain is gonna fall .... (Dylan )

Edited October 5, 2014 by pumpuy

[belg]

islands of paradise, since long became islands of terror

avoid the places and tell your friends

[Graham8888]

My thai wife told me a long time ago - if you have no rice to eat someone will give you rice but if you live in the south you will go hungry.

Stop going to these places and they might change - same as I wouldn't go to Magaluf , etc. ?!!

[Number 3]

Not very impressive after picture of brutal beating. I understand mother will be worried about her son but why raise this story up again? Fund raising for the poor single mother, who can educate multiple kids in BKK's top international school? Sure there must be worthy charity cases.

Would be nice to hear other side of the story too.

Fair point mate. My understanding is that the media resurrected this one as it is still ongoing

With a family also suffering from island justice that is being witnessed again with David and Hannah's case.

Must be something in it if the army and Interpol are working with the family now

They don't usually step in to such cases unless something really obviously stinks.

We will see I guess.

[doggie888888]

My sympathy abated after reading post no 5.

Towards the end, we are asked to support a petition to stop the alleged perpetrators from starting their tertiary education.

On what basis? We can hardly be judge, jury and executioner based on the one sided and badly written reports, tragic as the case maybe for the young victim.

I might support a petition to relevant governments to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice but not to destroy someone's future based on the words of one side only.

[ldnguy]

Alcohol, bars, women. Same old story.

[zaZa9]

The letter paints a picture of a sobbing overly emotional pack of idiots who were scaring help away .

Why punch a door and swan around arguing with people?

Go and get a car and get him to hospital - you are lucky he didnt die while you all did your prima dona thing ...

[kinmaew]

"a Thai man, who claimed he "owned" the street, attacked the group with a Taser, saying he was sick of foreigners"

Jealous of foreigners because we have freedom and a classless society and are happier for it.

[korkenzieher]

Is that seriously a suggestion that Thailand is a classless society? Bruhahahahahahahaha!