“Troublemaker’ found drowned

PATONG : The body of a drowning victim discovered 70 meters off Patong Beach on Sunday morning has been identified by police as that of 42-year-old German national Jürgen Schweiker. Mr Schweiker’s body was discovered by a local jet-ski operator, still clutching one of a string of floats used to demarcate the swimming area along the beach. Pol Lt Col Boriboon Yoosukesomboon of the Kathu Police told the Gazette that police believe the victim drowned accidentally, probably after drinking too much alcohol. Patong Hospital Director Dr Taweesak Netwong confirmed drowning as the cause of death. “We can confirm he drowned because we found water in his lungs.” But, he added, “We were unable to determine his blood-alcohol level because he had been dead for too long before the examination. “We believe he died about six hours before his body was sent to the hospital,” said Dr Taweesak. Col Boriboon told the Gazette that the deceased was a long-time Phuket resident known to both Kathu and Chalong police for his aggressive, antisocial behavior. He had been involved in a number of bar fights in the Patong area, where, Col Boriboon said, he liked to go “looking for trouble”. Mr Schweiker was also identified as the key player in a bizarre incident on November 19. Pol Maj Sanae Panmee of the Chalong Police Station told the Gazette that he had received several reports on that day that an “insane” foreign man on a motorcycle with sidecar had been terrorizing people along roads in both Karon and Kathu, apparently trying to run down pedestrians. He said that because police didn’t know the foreigner’s name they were unable to file a report at the time. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Maj Gen Veerayuth Sittimalic said that investigators were still gathering information in the case, but could confirm that the victim was the man who had tried to run down pedestrians. They said that Mr Schweiker had been misidentified in a local newspaper report as Rudolph Tiefnig. They now belief Mr Tiefnig may have been a friend of the deceased. Investigators are trying to locate the real Mr Tiefnig.