NZ teacher dies in Bangkok stabbing

The girlfriend of a New Zealand teacher stabbed to death in Bangkok has told police he was attacked as he tried to stop her being dragged out of his apartment by another man.

Leonard Timothy Healey, 32, was stabbed in his apartment yesterday morning after watching England's soccer loss to Portugal at the World Cup, a Thai media report said.

Mr Healey, who taught English at two schools in Bang Khen district in the Thai capital, died after he was attacked in his 10th floor home in the PA Tower Apartment block, Thai police said.

Police Captain Thanaphat Sookmee said Mr Healey was attacked by Winai Saisudjai, 29, a friend of Mr Healey's 19-year-old girlfriend, Jitladda Dejyosdee.

The police officer said all three had been drinking when Mr Healey became angry after Mr Saisudjai asked to sleep with his girlfriend.

A Thai police transcript obtained by NZPA of Ms Dejyosdee's account of the incident claimed that Mr Healey was stabbed as he was trying to protect his girlfriend.

"Leonard told Aek (Mr Saisudjai) to leave," Ms Dejyosdee said. "Aek was very upset.

"He grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the room. Aek tried to call the lift then Leonard came to help.

"They had a fight and Aek used his knife to stab Leonard before running out of the fire exit."

Ms Dejyosdee told police she carried her injured boyfriend back into the apartment after Mr Saisudjai fled the scene.

Mr Healey later died of his injuries in hospital.

The transcript reported that Bangkok police expected to make an arrest shortly.

Bang Khen police superintendent Colonel Sarapong Poonsombat said police were in the process of reconstructing the scene of the crime.

"We will be gathering more evidence and will issue an arrest warrant. Police already know the suspect. We expect to make an arrest very soon," he said.

In Thailand, all crime scenes are reconstructed in the hope it triggers new information from witnesses or in the hope further witnesses come forward.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) could not confirm the New Zealander's death last night, but said the New Zealand embassy in Thailand was looking into the incident.

PA Tower Apartment in Bang Khen, a densely populated area in the city of close to 14 million people, is about 25km outside the Bangkok city centre, near a campus for Thammasat University.

A New Zealander living in Bangkok last night said the area was not popular with Bangkok's mainstream English language teaching crowd, who tended to prefer to remain in the city centre, close to tourist areas and the trappings of ex-pat life.

But he said Bang Khen was home to a few teachers, keen to disassociate themselves from the western leanings of Bangkok city centre.

The concierge at the PA Tower Apartment said Mr Healey was the only ex-pat living in the building, his girlfriend was nowhere to be seen, and staff had been told not to speak to anyone until the morning (Monday afternoon NZT).

Every year thousands of Westerners travel to Bangkok to take up posts as English language teachers at the country's many English language institutions, the New Zealander said.

They earned between Bht20,000 ($750) and Bht60,000 a month for teaching English at local state schools or at private English language institutions.

Many lived in less-favoured areas such Bang Khen to teach at a recognised educational faculty, immerse themselves in local culture, learn to speak Thai and make local friends.

- NZPA