Self-harming Brit in Pattaya hotel drama identified as missing Scot
Family say 64 year old expat vanished in April before hotel incident
A Scottish expat who vanished months ago has been found in a bloody hotel drama in Pattaya, shocking family back home in Fife and prompting a police probe into his disappearance.
On August 23, emergency services and Pattaya City Police responded to a report of a 59 year old British man who was seriously harming himself on Second Road. Rescue teams from the Sawang Boriboon Foundation found the man in a pool of blood with deep cuts to his neck and wrists.
Staff at the hotel where the incident occurred provided immediate first aid before paramedics arrived. The man was stabilised at the scene and taken to Memorial Hospital for urgent treatment.
Witnesses reported that he had previously checked out of the hotel but returned for a drink, allegedly using jagged shards from a smashed beer bottle to inflict the injuries. Police confirmed the wounds were self-inflicted and are investigating the man’s motives.
The man has now been identified as 64 year old James Murphy from Kirkcaldy, Fife. He had moved to Southeast Asia in October last year but dropped out of contact with family in April. Loved ones raised the alarm with the British Embassy in Bangkok, though officials were unable to trace him.
On August 23, Murphy, known as “Jimmy” to friends, was discovered bleeding heavily with wounds to his neck and wrists inside the Avani Pattaya Hotel dining room at around 9pm. He had checked out of the hotel earlier that day but reportedly returned for a drink.
Paramedics rushed to the scene after reports of a foreign man harming himself. They administered first aid before transferring him to Pattaya Memorial Hospital, where he was later discharged. Police documented the incident and confirmed an investigation is ongoing.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Saijai Kamjulla said, “We have not been contacted by the family. There are no charges against the tourist; he will stay in the hospital, and we will visit him to understand his situation.”
Murphy’s niece, Becky, said relatives had been desperate for news.
“We were told that a local had spotted him in June, but he had been moving around since he moved to Thailand last year. We believe he doesn’t have a passport at the moment.”
Becky added that her uncle had struggled with mental health problems, according to Daily Record UK.
Thai police have reportedly checked his bank records to trace his movements, the last updates coming in May.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) confirmed its involvement.
“We are supporting a British man who was hospitalised in Thailand and are in contact with the local police.”
The Scottish Police declined to comment.
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