American chip shop owner commits suicide in Phuket

CHALONG, PHUKET: Friends and family are this week morning the loss of Thomas and Parnpan Quigly, otherwise known as ‘Uncle Tom’ and ‘Auntie Porn’, who ran the island’s first fish and chip shop on the road to Chalong Pier.

Mr Quigly, a 61-year-old American, was found dead of a .22 caliber gunshot wound to the head inside the couple’s home on Tuesday morning.

Police are treating Mr Quigly’s death as suicide, Chalong Police Col Chana Sudtimas told the Gazette.

A week earlier, his wife Parnpan Quigly, 59, had died unexpectedly of a stroke.

In the days following his wife’s death, Mr Quigly was preparing his repatriation to be with the couple’s only son Patrick, a 29 year-old student in the US.

Neighbors said that the night before Mr Quigly’s death they had all had dinner together with Patrick, who had recently flown in to attend his mother’s funeral.

“We talked about the old days and Tom seemed okay, but I know he was sad to leave Thailand and didn’t want his son to worry about him,” said Mrs Yao, a close friend of the family.

“They will be sorely missed, they were two sweet souls and everyone loved them,” said Mrs Yao.

— Kitima Pornmongkhonwat & Fraser Morton