McQwaid

I really feel something is very wrong with the case.

BUT ... if the kid did do something, and fled the island, think of all the potential whistle blowers. Someone posted earlier the list of all the people that would be involved in such a cover up. It's a lot. One would have to continually keep paying off these people for their silence as the case grows bigger ... not just once. I just can't see the possibility of nobody "flipping".

But someone else is very likely involved in this horrendous crime that has not been accounted for. I don't know who?

I hope Thailand some day realizes how strongly we are affected by this unfortunate event. The brutality of the crime is equivalent with a beheading, and it pains everyone to see justice being fumbled around with so recklessly with the thought of the true culprit escaping the consequences.

I was quite satisfied living in Thailand up until this event. But, I'm deeply disturbed by the whole thing. I'm finishing my contract and getting out of this country.

All due respect to the family members of the deceased, but I often wonder what they are thinking about all this?

They don't make any media statements calling for energies towards solving the "mysteries" in response to all of the quite valid social media speculation.

We've seen parents before at the forefront of a public outcry for justice, but I haven't seen it here? Hmm?

Also consider this with the silence on behalf of the UK and Hannah's friends who were on the island with her? Hmm?

Could it be that they all know something we social media posters don't?

I have a feeling this is very much the case here.

My imagination ( that's all I have at this point ) hopes that the UK has their own DNA results, or something else, and will play this card at exactly the right time unbeknownst to the RTP. I like to imagine the families and friends involved have been shared this strategy and are playing their own strategic role by being patient and silent.

Just tinkin ...

All due respect to the family members of the deceased, but I often wonder what they are thinking about all this?

They don't make any media statements calling for energies towards solving the "mysteries" in response to all of the quite valid social media speculation.

We've seen parents before at the forefront of a public outcry for justice, but I haven't seen it here? Hmm?

Also consider this with the silence on behalf of the UK and Hannah's friends who were on the island with her? Hmm?

Could it be that they all know something we social media posters don't?

I have a feeling this is very much the case here?

My imagination ( that's all I have at this point ) hopes that the UK has their own DNA results, or something else, and will play this card at exactly the right time unbeknownst to the RTP. I like to imagine the families and friends involved have been shared this strategy and are playing their own strategic role by being patient and silent.

Just tinkin ...

hows things in the AC bar these days?

troll alert

HI EVERYONE I'M JUST A NEW MEMBER HERE BUT I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS TRAGIC AND HORRIFIC CASE SINCE IT HAPPENED

I ALSO FEEL VERY CONCERNED AS A TRAVEL AGENT I HAVE SENT TOURISTS TO THAILAND AND ALSO TO THE ISLANDS .

I have also visited Koh Tao

So far fortunately those travellers apart from two small robberies were unharmed , however this case and i beleive previous others that were never reported ( date rape / robberies ) need to re considered more carefully and much more seriously .

WITH DEEPEST RESPECT FOR THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND TO ALL THE THAI AUTHORITIES I WOULD LIKE TO HUMBLY SAY

I have my own view that the two local boatmen are suspects in this current case , they fled the island at a very odd hour ( before dawn ) and one hid out in a cave !.

Also Police confirm both were so heavily affected by substance they couldn't respond to questioning ?

If involved they showed no signs of assault because they swam to their boats ( no blood trail ) a point made here by some more avid readers .

They usually hang out drink / and sleep on that beach.

They know their way around those areas and can avoid detection as they frequently taxi tourists

I BELIEVE THE TWO MEN WHO ACCOSTED SEAN MCANNA DID SO SO AS THEY HEARD HE RECEIVED A CUT WOULD THAT NIGHT AND WAS ASSISTED BY SOMEONE TO CLEAN UP

THEY KNEW HIM WELL

They approached him as they indeed believed him to be involved and they obtained one of his phones ( confiscated it as he was taking pictures of them with another ) and this phone was recovered and then later the police obtained it.

I DON'T THINK THEY THREATENED HIM WITH THE ACTUAL WORDS HE CLAIMED HOWEVER I DO BELIEVE THEY ACCUSED HIM OF HAVING INVOLVEMENT ( blood on his hands ) and insisted he did know who was responsible.

Apparently they had an earlier altercation with him at another bar on that fateful night

I SINCERELY BELIEVE THAT SEAN MCANNA IS INVOLVED IN THE CASE OF DAVID AND HANNAH

I THINK HE CAN IDENTIFY THE REAL CULPRITS WHOM I BELIEVE ARE DO INCLUDE THE TWO BOATMEN WHOM FLED AND HID

I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE MORE CULPRITS INVOLVED

I believe that the local headsman's family WERE NOT involved in this particular crime and as some people suspect .

I feel the Thai authorities know something about this too , however one can imagine the damage to the island tourism if two local taxi boatmen were convicted of raping and butchering tourists especially with a much needed high season approaching and due to the decline of tourists this year affected by the protests in bangkok and then the coup.

I think the two boatmen and others were so off the planet when they found David , Hannah and Sean and perhaps with some other local bar staff and kicked in they went off the rails in a drug / alcohol frenzy and Sean escaped with minor wounding.

I also believe that due to Seans possible previous involvement with unsuspecting tourists whom may of been robbed or assaulted he was known to these assailants and therefore cannot provide testament as to the possibility of implicating himself.

I think Mcanna has an addiction to substance ( self induced) that required financial injection which he couldn't maintain on his bartending , busking employment alone thus he was forced to deal / sell similar substances to acquire these , also in trade form ( cash / substance goods )

As a beachside barman , selling theses substances , it is also too easy to add whatever is requested by someone to a customers beverages with or without their knowledge !

I know of a case in Bali where an expatriate working as a barman in a local club spiked tourists drinks for cash / substances allowing local predators ( serial date rapists ) easier access to their prey, one of the main offenders actually owned that bar .

I think Sean had plan to hook up that night with David and Hannah but when they met up , they were accosted and assaulted by the culprits

I do not think in this case that he had intended to set them up but was there when it happened , the real fear for him and his reason to flee is not from any locals threatening him , its his fear of being implicated or identified in previous situations that were never reported or investigated

I received some advice that he was also providing substances to underage local females and in some case for sexual favours or possibly committing those with or without their consent

Considering his attraction and desire for underage female companionship i would seem to have this view

Looking at his photos it is quite apparent he does not take good care of himself and displays a demure of self neglect / destruction and extreme hard partying / living brought on by substance abuse / addiction ( alcohol or what ever )

He was known to drink heavily and pass out and known at most bars on that island

I believe he has knowledge which can identify the culprits who committed this hideous and awful crime of lust and frenzied feeding on two innocent and fine young people

I also think without his statement he will probably continue to protect his own self and with a long term guilty conscience will need more of his addiction to self destructing substances until he self expires , I feel somewhat humbly qualified to pen this comment as I am a bachelor of psychology with a masters degree and would profile him as such study.

I write this comments with all respect to all concerned and with the utmost respect for Thai citizens and their authorities and urge them to investigate this matter more thoroughly as without enough confidence in their legal and protective enforcement I simply am now ( as other travel agents i know ) reluctant to send more tourists to their island destinations until satisfied that more and more acute and random attacks are being aimed at vulnerable tourists some of these are now mortal

Thanks for anyone reading my humble posts and I once again state I have no direct intention to Insult , defame or upset any particular person or party or authority or organization , love and peace to all , especially to the families of David and Dannah and the families of previous victims

Excellent analysis! Quite possible. Sean was on that small island for quite some time and he "Hung/Survived" with a KT Thai Local group. It's very likely he became the guy associated with "bringing the girls around". Maybe not to be knowingly harmed though, but he might of went to bed early on a few occasions, leaving his guests in the unsafe company of the Local KT Thais that followed them down to the after hours guitar singing beach scene.

Perhaps this is what happened to the latest victims and Sean didn't head to bed as early as he usually did and got caught up in the aftermaths that so frequently followed on previous occasions that he was absent for?

The 1st public notice he made he was immediately exposed about some underage sexual crimes. Must have scared the bjesus out him. Wouldn't take much to realize that to continue being a useful informant would very likely expose that he perhaps was a guy who fixed tourists up with drugs and Thai KT locals with late night girl company on the beach, with a few songs and a guitar. Or other things? His symbiotic relationship with this crime, without being directly involved in rapes and murders, is still enough to scare him into silence.

Most important though is that he very likely knows the beach gang that preys on late night tourists.

Sean, come forward when you are ready. State what you know. After the initial character assassinations - Coming forward and saving innocent people from unfair justice will be your legacy in this. Not your hedonistic past.

What?!!

We have 2 Canadian girls that say they were date drugged/raped by Sean and his Thai mates? !!!

Please, can someone chime in on this and elaborate?

It's extremely unlikely the Burmese used condoms. Firstly they would be too expensive. Secondly they would be dumber than dumb regarding DNA and other evidence.

Someone killed the guy raped the girl using a condom and then killed her but why go to the trouble of using a condom and then discard it near the crime scene it just doesn't make sense.

The canadian girls who suspect they were date drugged/raped by Sean and his thai mates. Said one condom was left behind also. Some people have a conflict when committing this type of crime. They feel guilty and part of them want to be caught. Or some like to tease officials, by leaving a little bit of catch me if you can evidence. Such as a used condom with no sperm and writing encrypted messages that show neither guilt nor innocence. SEAN.

Fair comments throughout, apart from one thing. They seemed to be able to communicate perfectly well when they accidentally compromised themselves.

They seemed to be berating the police for accusing them of having found their DNA on the outside of the condom by saying that it couldn't be so as they didn't use condoms when they raped her (violated is the word that thy used to be specific). How could this get lost in translation??

The police have cocked up throughout but that doesn't mean that they didn't rape her (even if they made everything up and lied about the whole thing). They raped her and there is no getting away from that fact - as to whether they committed the murders that is still up for discussion but they must be the prime suspects for that.

Are you making that up or do you have a source ?

I've been reading all the stuff, and i can't remember that detailed confession.

My thoughts are the same. I haven't read anything about the 2 Burma guys saying that they raped her but not with a condom. Sichonsteve's comments are the first I heard of this? Anyone else wanna chime in on this?

I don't feel safe here anymore. The police and mafia system is worse than I thought. I'm gonna finish my contract and leave I think.

With some notable exceptions, Thai police are generally poorly educated and not very bright but their careers start with paying bribes to pass the police entrance exams. Those who get promoted to regional commands continue this trend but must also be aggressive and hungry with proven track records of passing enough money up the pyramids. They have to pay for plum jobs, followed by monthly fixed retainers. Jobs in tourist resorts are especially lucrative and command a premium. It is said that the Pattaya police chief job is worth B20 million a month in gross income before payment of the fixed retainer, so you can imagine how much the upfront premium might be for that job. Koh Tao and Koh Phangnan, which supervises Koh Tao, are not in the league of Pattaya, Phuket and Samui but they must also be lucrative posts. In addition to the daily crime busting work seen by the public police have responsibility to supervise a number of important businesses in partnership with local mafias, including protection rackets, illegal aliens, taxi scams smuggling of licquor, tobacco and oil, drug distribution, illegal lotteries and other forms of gambling, forest reserve encroachment, distribution of illegal cut wood etc etc.

Can you wonder that they are cosy with local mafias and resent being forced to do regular police work along with the intrusion of social media in their perfect little world?

It must be quite stressful paying all that money up front and passing bribes up the pyramid in the hope of getting into profit one day. They can't all end up at the top of the dung pile either, so spare a thought for those poor police recruits with their futures ahead of them!

I think the police "system" is a key part into looking deeply into Thailand's corruption problem and unsolved crime.

I great international media article could be helpful.

Expose the "system". Ask head people if they ever paid for a promotion or a post. Ask the head guy if he ever did.

Imagine working deep in this system as a cop/lawyer/politician and being confronted with a murder case like Khoa Tao. Concealing your past promotional maneuvers will rise to the forefront of your efforts. Human nature says so!

Genuine effort towards solving the case is in direct contrast to the system they work within. Their position has been bought and is not based on merit! Truly Solving the Khao Toa murder case(es) would expose themselves in many regards! Sincere efforts towards the case is like working against yourself. They all work within a delicate house of cards that requires loyalty to their promotional corrupt system. Nobody wants to Rat themselves out and work towards an effort that exposes them no matter how cool it would be to be the cop that solved the case.

Western cops/lawyers/officials have this motivation. They are in a (mostly) merit based system .... thank God.

"PROMOTIONS ARE BOUGHT AND ITS EFFECTS ON JUSTICE" - c'mon big time international media. Tie this headliner into the mysterious tropical island unsolved murder cases

Why would a killer rapist wear a condom?

Has this made the Thai press yet?

That's what I'm thinking?

I've been reading that the Burma suspects have taken back their confession for a couple days now but other recent news reports suggest that this hasn't happened?

One press release from Aung San Suu Kyi requesting due process would be a life(s) saver!

Please someone - protect these two "Suspects" from harm before the trial

Am I really going to sit back and watch and read that two people will be dead soon?

I thought up a post organizing a meet up on Khao San with posters ... then I realized that I could have just ended my time here in Thailand if I posted it.

I also realized that ... I'm a Coward in some sense. Helping these guys will take some testicular fortitude with risks.

One press release from Aung San Suu Kyi requesting due process would be a life saver!

Please someone - protect these two "Suspects" from harm before the trial

I have lived in Thailand for a few years now. I will not visit Kho Tao until they solve the murder. Not out of fear but out of principle. I don't do Pattaya, Phuket, or Krabi either because of the assaults and murders that have gone unsolved or misrepresented due to the power influence of the perps and/or the concern of the effects on Thai tourism money and/or the nation's image.

If everyone did this, we might finally see a change. The money involved in such a boycott could be enormous. BUT NO ... the masses keep blindly pouring in, UNKNOWINGLY, by the millions. All continues with no change. And more loss as a result.

It is incidents like this, unfortunately, that get international attention, that can inform the world that more than the odd unfortunate circumstances happen to Non-Thais in the LOS than people realize. Enough people and we can finally get Thailand to CLEAN UP THERE ACT. BUT NO ... the masses keep comin in by the millions. There is simply no motivation.

Western journalists should do more coverage on the death statistics of non-thais in thailand. The stats would reveal a very interesting story. Ex. Balcony suicides! I mean c'mon. Something is not right here.

Also, think about some of the Thai statements concerning this matter that have already been made. Three Non-Thai media exposed investigations and one huge media statement about "No Thai Could Do This". AND how the weapon, a hoe, is getting little attention and as well as following up on "The Bar Incident" involving an angry Thai local.

This story is big ... it's being aired right next to Scotland's Elections on international news. It is very likely "they" know how devastating this could be to Thailand in so many ways if a local turns up the killer. Unfortunately, cost benefit analysis may very well overcome justice in this instance .... UNLESS a very unique form of international pressure takes place.

Hence : Big famous news reporters do a huge investigative piece on Non-Thai victimization in the LOS. Especially while the Junta is still in place ( a little better chance at change than before ). Just my 2 baht ....

There is a free detox place in Saraburi ( just south of Lopburi ) called Thamkrabok.

It is a Buddhist monastery. They have a foreigner situation. You can stay for a month.

It works!

Google it for more details.

Chokdee na

I know a bit about spiders. I've owned a few. One of my favorites was the "Thai Black" (Haplopelma longipes). After a fresh malt it is pure silky black in color. Just before a malt though it can be a brownish color. Perhaps this was the spider. My understanding of the literature suggests old world tarantulas (Asian) can have a bad effect on some people if bitten. Their poison is different than new world larger species and can cause all kinds of strange things to the body. Ex. Random painful calf muscle contractions months after the bite.

In this region there is also the Cambodian Black Tarantula

And the beautiful "Cobalt Blue" Tarantula

I would not want to be bitten by any of these ... even mosquito bites swell up unusually large on me.

Anyone have the picture of the alleged spider?