Sad news of death of expat bag snatch victim

I was saddened to read of the death in Bangkok on Sunday of Scots expatriate grandmother Lydia Riach who suffered head injuries after being the victim of a bag snatch in the vicinity of Sukhumvit Soi 22 the end of August. I offer sincere condolences to her husband, family and friends.

There has been a great deal of discussion of the incident on the Bangkok expat web boards and blogs, Thailand’s English language online news sites, such as Pattaya Daily News http://www.pattayadailynews.com/shownews.php?IDNEWS=0000010293 and in the Scottish press http://news.stv.tv/scotland , together some unsavoury and vitriolic exchanges between locally-based English language ‘reporters’ about how the ‘story’ has been handled.

From the news reports, I understand Mrs Riach’s handbag was grabbed by a cowardly pillion passenger on a passing motorcycle. Her bag was worn over her shoulder and across her chest, and she was dragged some distance before sustaining severe head injuries. Police have indicated they have a witness and are confident of an early arrest.

After reading of the incident, I decided to post and to suggest that to avoid a similar tragedy it may be prudent not to wear a bag attached across the body, precisely because if it is grabbed without warning by a fast moving thief, there is a strong possibility that the surprised wearer will topple and fall. To avoid possible targetting and injury, a bag should either be a properly worn backpack, which generally would not attract attention from motorcycle thieves, or be held in one hand on the side of the body opposite to passing road traffic.

I had the personal experience of my bag being snatched from my hand by a pillion passenger on a passing motorbike in Lad Phrao district four or five years ago. I was totally taken by surprise and the thieves were gone within seconds. Fortunately I was not injured and, despite the constant tales of woe we hear about the ineptitude of the Bangkok police, I have nothing but admiration for how they dealt with this theft.

Within a few weeks I was telephoned to come to a local police station to identify the bag and, if possible, to identify the culprits. At the station I found another eight or so people, all Thais, who had had bags stolen in a similar manner by this gang of two. The bags had been recovered from a nearby canal, after they had been emptied of anything of value to the thieves. I was able to retrieve my reading glasses, but two mobile phones had already been disposed of.

As the incident had happened at night I could not positively identify the two handcuffed young men sitting just metres from me at the police station, but I’m sure some of the pair’s other victims were able to do so.

It is extremely common for people in Bangkok to wear their their bags strapped across their chest, and while this may offer some protection from street assailants, it certainly has potential dangers if walkers are targetted by thieves on motorcycles.

I hope Bangkok police quickly apprehend the perpetrators of this crime which has had such a tragic outcome in taking the life of the late Mrs Riach, and such devastating consequences for her husband, family and friends.