Patchara's parents unconvinced of cause of death

The parents of former pop star Patchara Wangwan are not convinced that suicide was the cause of their daughter's death in California.

Published: 13/10/2012 at 03:50 PM

Kosol Wangwan, the father of the husky-voiced former lead singer of The Ovation, a popular band in the 1980s, said that Patchara was always cheerful despite having gone through her parents' divorce.

The former Roi Et MP said he did not think that suicide was the cause of his daughter's death. The family is arranging for her body to be brought back home, he added.

Her mother, Srisudarat Karnjanarak, said she was shocked after she learned of the tragedy and initially thought that her daughter had been killed in an accident.

However, the Thai Consulate in Los Angeles later confirmed the police report that the former pop singer had been found hanged inside her garage in Riverside, near Los Angeles.

Mrs Srisudarat said that Patchara, nicknamed "Ae", was the one financially supporting the family and they normally talked on the phone twice a week.

"She was the main pillar of the family," she said.

Patchara, who worked in the United States as a helper to elderly people, a teacher and a part-time singer, was about to finish nursing school in December, according to her mother.

Patchara, 48, found dead inside her home in Riverside near Los Angeles on Wednesday. Earlier reports said she had died in a road accident but it was later confirmed that it was a suicide.

Prasittiporn Wetprasit, deputy director-general of the Consular Affairs Department said the consulate would ask the Los Angeles Police Department for the autopsy report in order to clarify the cause of death.

Patchara was with The Ovation since its debut album, "Love and Miss You" in 1982 and left the band after its fifth album "Endless Love" in 1986. She later pursued her career as a solo artist before leaving for the United States.

Padung Wangwan, the singer's older brother, said his sister had lived in the US for more than 10 years and rarely returned to Thailand.

"She was the pillar of our family and sent about 20,000 baht to her family every single month," he said.

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Discussion 1 : 14/10/2012 at 03:29 PM: I used to see the sadness in Thai wifes eyes when her mother called from Thailand (overseas) only when she needed money. Not once did mom tell daughter "I miss you", "How are you", "how is life in USA". I can understand cultural differences between son in law and mother in law, but how can contacting your own daughter be limited to requesting money ???
Discussion 2 : 14/10/2012 at 07:52 AM: Dis#10 - that might be the way Thai police operate, but in other countries the police actually do their job and investigate instead of saying 'no evidence'. You know that as well as anyone else. And how do you know they are not investigating the background?
Discussion 3 : 14/10/2012 at 03:29 AM: Buddhism, anyone?
Discussion 4 : 14/10/2012 at 03:01 AM: 48 years old, single, living in LA, and sending home $600 a month to support a retired MP now living in the provinces.....what's up with that.....I understand filial piety concept and all that, but please don't use that as an excuse to take advantage of your children's love and hard work. I know about those phone calls from relatives that come in the middle of the night with no consideration for international time zones, asking when the next welfare check is coming so they can go get drunk or gamble or some other completely useless waste of time money and talent. I cut them off cold turkey two years ago sold the farm, sold the house, sold it all and then split everything evenly 5 ways.....today there's not a penny left they spent it all in two weeks with nothing to show.
Discussion 5 : 14/10/2012 at 02:39 AM: Let's not speculate. Leave the family in peace. May her soul rest in peace.
Discussion 6 : 14/10/2012 at 12:00 AM: Sad to read many negative posts here. It is just a piece of news. All the brother said was that she was the pillar of the family. He didn't go to say how they are going to live their lives now, did he? In Thailand, it is an honor toward someone to say he/she is a pillar to the family, providing support parents when they are old ... something that perhaps many foreigners don't understand.
Discussion 7 : 13/10/2012 at 11:04 PM: Being a foreigner in USA and doesn't have family to push the case,LAPD will wrap up the case that easier for them so it dosn't have to spend time to investigate. LAPD could have investigated,interviewed atleast the person she used to care for. 10 years in LA you will meet many Thai people there , interview those people whom she had contacted, she studied nursing, she couldn't study alone, her classmate could have given some clue unless her live in LA wasn't the way she wanted her family to know. so there was no way out. Thai cultures are not so verbal in saying love even between husband and wife . I never heard my parents say they love me, itis not done, the acts is more important than words,so please be fair to the family before you say they were after her money and didn't care about loving her. May her rest in peace.
Discussion 8 : 13/10/2012 at 09:56 PM: The whole looks as if the women couldn't stand the continuous request for money by her family anymore. What kind of people it tells is when they tried to bend the whole on the Thai side onto a road accident although the women hanged herself. Even now they try to bend the case, I believe the LA police and not the family who obviously used the women as money source, such people are disgusting.
Discussion 9 : 13/10/2012 at 09:28 PM: D3, would you talk about all the money your sister had when she dies? That's what D2 is saying. Why is she a great sister? Because she sent money home every month? Disgusting, if a family in mourning has to mention this, then for me the case is closed, it's about what she sent home every month. Not about how much they loved her.... Sad and I really feel sorry for her, but sure not for her brother who said this...
Discussion 10 : 13/10/2012 at 09:01 PM: Gee, now a couple of Thais know how it feels when an unsatisfactory death report is issued. Perhaps the Thais will realize what how they make hundreds of family members of foreigners who die in Thailand. Tit-for-tat.
Discussion 11 : 13/10/2012 at 08:26 PM: What a sad story. Not just the loss of a talented Thai lady but the reaction from the family. Nothing about love and loss. Only that she supported the whole family working 3 jobs and going to school. At 48 years old, maybe being the financial pillar for the whole family since stardom days in 1982 finally took its toll. It’s a very common story.
Discussion 12 : 13/10/2012 at 08:18 PM: "The former Roi Et MP" needs 20,000 baht a month? strange indeed.
Discussion 13 : 13/10/2012 at 07:09 PM: Dis#2 - I often wonder at the inability of people to support themselves in Thailand. It appears to be the custom that people have kids primarily for them to support them in later life. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just that there's a different way of thinking here than in the west. Some do need the help, and some take advantage by sitting on their backsides doing nothing to help themselves.
Discussion 14 : 13/10/2012 at 06:13 PM: Disc 2. ? Would you be willing to offer such inconsiderate information ?. Most people would be overcome with emotion at a time like this.
Discussion 15 : 13/10/2012 at 05:28 PM: It would be helpful if the family would clarify whether they are upset because they loved her, or because she won't be sending any more money. Really, I don't understand why the support sent is even a part of the article.
Discussion 16 : 13/10/2012 at 04:33 PM: She was a wonderful person. Can we leave it at that ?

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