stephen terry

About time John McClane came and sorted this guy out. The sheer arrogance of brutally assaulting his g/f at a police station is staggering.

I may be "slightly" naive, but I can't believe that just 3 teenagers just attacked the German and his friends out of just nothing; there must be more to this story.

The reason of "like to copy the Koh Thao murder" is utter BS; a bright example of Thais coming up with some reason to let them stand out better for the media; they should have told the real reason, but that would make them loose face big time.

Utter nonsense, I met Michael and he is a very calm and reasonable guy. He also told me what happened and even taken with a big grain of salt, there would be nothing left "more to this story". I have met a lot of trouble makers and rough people in my life (as my nick might indicate) and I can assure you that your comment goes into the very wrong direction completely.

Just to add, if this happened to me and then I had to read your comment on top, I would start to doubt in mankind seriously.

Would you be willing to post a summary of Michael's account of what happened to provide us with a better understanding, and perhaps a reassurance that this was an isolated attack - or not? I would be interested in the exchanges that occurred at the beginning (warts and all), before the three Thai lads left for fifteen minutes. It might also stop spurious posts from second-guessing why it happened.

Well ... can somebody please show me PROOF that smoking actually causes cancer or that anybody dies from "smoking" !

And by this I mean SCIENTIFIC PROOF !

For all I know [after quite some research] it is still just an assumption and by no means proven fact !

No hearsay please or general government propaganda !

Proven facts only !

I think there are other places for this kind of comment regarding the negative impact smoking has on health. You clearly have issues. Good luck in your quest.

Yes, you must be brain dead not to think that inhaling SMOKE into your lungs is healthy. Completely natural, huh?

Many of these attacks are similar ; happen very late at night, involve alcohol and are in an isolated place. I have seen too many Thais going crazy after a few drinks. Add the other factors and it is trouble in the waiting....

I also know of some farang who can not handle their alcohol and are a$sholes but they have not killed anyone yet .... As far as I am aware.

My advise is to avoid situations that involve drunk Thais and avoid dark isolated places after dark. If you smell trouble get out of there quickly and avoid conflict. We farang have our pride but it is better to walk away and live another day.

Thailand is so disappointing now a days ....

I'm an <deleted> under you statement, but I would never get involved in a confrontation with a Thai. I'll leave that to my wife.

For sake there's alcohol and drugs readily available - what a pathetic attempt. How is anyone going to enforce this? I'm convinced the Thais have no understanding that the prevention of murder is the number one priority. Incarcerate the island perps and things might improve.

"I find this type of daylight random attack to be genuinely terrifying. I am very glad I have left. If it means one can't walk around because as a farang you are a target, what is the point in Thailand. Plenty of places with sunshine that are safer than that".

I think it about time a few folk stated just using the names of the towns where these things are happening. To lump all of Thailand into this problem and to tar it with the same brush is both wrong and stupid. If things get out of hand in any of the better known tourist hot spots then leave. I for one will be staying put right here in my little bit of Isaan backwoods paradise where the crime rate is NIL.

The headline reads " Attacked in Udon Thani " Which if you are not sure where that is It is in the heart of Isaan where obviously the crime rate is not nil.

And my little bit of paradise is probably what the young German was thinking as he waited for the sun to rise on yet another crime-free day.

There are so many farang in Udon Thani I can understand why the local youth don't like them. most are beer-guzzling elderlies with young country women. These 'wairoon' have no chance to find a decent girlfriend.

What a load of BS. I suppose an unprovoked attack with a hoe and with the intent to murder is because local youth don't like farang and want a decent g/f? Particularly as the young German was sitting with two Thai male friends.

Read the full report before making comments like these. The motivation is quite clear. Copy the Koh Tao murders. A drunken dare. Source: http://www.khaosoden...wsid=1416208877

When you have been living in Isarn for 28 years like myself I might care what you say about the attitudes of locals to farang.

How long have you lived here that you are such an expert?.

I understand where you're coming from, but not liking farangs is a long, long way from this brutal and unprovoked attack. If you can't see that, then your 28 years there counts for nothing. As to the G/F, do you think any decent girl would hook up with a local thug?

Thai authorities really have a problem now, they proberly just let killers go free, now we have same crime, these kids, and their friends are going to expect just a little smack on the back of their hands, and told not to do that again. A sign of how things will go, will be what the PM has to say about this crime, he is going to have to pick his words very carefully, not like last time. I for one am waiting to see it in english. There will be stay or go for a lot of people hanging on what he says.

This is totally wrong and shows you have no knowledge of these two cases and/or how Thai criminal cases go forward or stall.

The attackers in Udon are teenage hoodlums without connections. They will have the book thrown at them and be locked up for a long time.

The attackers in Koh Tao (allegedly) were connected to, working for, or members of local political families worth millions of dollars and with connections to top levels of police, army and politics.

I wouldn't bank on it, Briggsy. Thai on Thai, yes, but not when the victim is a farang and the perps are Thai. I'd bet the under 18 will be set free, and the others walk after spending 84 days in the slammer - or if it goes to court, then a non-sentence.

I would only be too grateful to hear of just one case where a Thai has been convicted of murdering a non-Thai.

The Thai justice system can be unpredictable, but bearing in mind, this group has been in trouble with the police previously and bearing in mind they have been paraded in front of the press already, I would expect heavy sentences.

For the under 18, though, he may receive a much lighter sentence.

If it were a fairer court system, then their individual roles in the attack would be considered along with many other factors, but here it will just be age and family connections, if there are any, and if the German Embassy apply pressure, then that will affect the sentence as foreign governments carry some weight in the Thai view of importance.

I'm on your side, but unless there is a whole sea change in the whole judicial system's attitude towards punishing Thais for crimes against non-Thais, I doubt we will see any justice happening. I hope I'm wrong, I really do.

There are so many farang in Udon Thani I can understand why the local youth don't like them. most are beer-guzzling elderlies with young country women. These 'wairoon' have no chance to find a decent girlfriend.

What a load of BS. I suppose an unprovoked attack with a hoe and with the intent to murder is because local youth don't like farang and want a decent g/f? Particularly as the young German was sitting with two Thai male friends.

Read the full report before making comments like these. The motivation is quite clear. Copy the Koh Tao murders. A drunken dare. Source: http://www.khaosoden...wsid=1416208877

Thai authorities really have a problem now, they proberly just let killers go free, now we have same crime, these kids, and their friends are going to expect just a little smack on the back of their hands, and told not to do that again. A sign of how things will go, will be what the PM has to say about this crime, he is going to have to pick his words very carefully, not like last time. I for one am waiting to see it in english. There will be stay or go for a lot of people hanging on what he says.

This is totally wrong and shows you have no knowledge of these two cases and/or how Thai criminal cases go forward or stall.

The attackers in Udon are teenage hoodlums without connections. They will have the book thrown at them and be locked up for a long time.

The attackers in Koh Tao (allegedly) were connected to, working for, or members of local political families worth millions of dollars and with connections to top levels of police, army and politics.

I wouldn't bank on it, Briggsy. Thai on Thai, yes, but not when the victim is a farang and the perps are Thai. I'd bet the under 18 will be set free, and the others walk after spending 84 days in the slammer - or if it goes to court, then a non-sentence.

I would only be too grateful to hear of just one case where a Thai has been convicted of murdering a non-Thai.

Is there someone living in Udon who would be willing to go to the hospital and check up on this poor fellow? Just wondering if he is getting the support he needs by any friends/family? Have they been notified? Seems to me, being unconscious, he could really use some kind in an advocate.

Seems that there're plenty of TVF members living in Udon. Does the guy's family know what happened? According to another source he had been a teacher.

Any update would be greatly appreciated, as I'm a member of DHV/Bangkok, which is an organisation that helps German people in Thailand.

Will send them an email now.

Thanks for pointing this out. I am going there on Sunday, but there must be somebody in the area right now. Also German consulate/embassy should give a call, and raise hell. Seems 5 other Thai men were just released from Koh Samui Jail...awaiting charges for murdering a German. Whats up? A little pressure might do good

A tiny ray of hope that justice would be served has got extinguished. The case against these thugs was conclusive, (witnesses, murder weapon) including a confession. Same prosecutor who is hell-bound on indicting the B2 on a conspiracy to murder charge with less evidence.

I'm still wondering if any Thai person has ever been convicted of murdering a non-Thai? If the answer is negative, then what hope has his German guy's relatives got (if he doesn't live) or if he hopefully does and recovers, attempted murder charge?

The little rascals have way too much free time to set around drinking and planning assults on fellow man. Use them as fish bait and target practice while towed behind a speed boat over the coral reefs.

Don't you realise that you are assuming guilt of these guys after all that happened with the investigation on Koh Tao? Why couldn't they be innocent, possibly like the other two? You have fallen into a deep trap with your comments.

Have you read the full report? Here is the link. Source: http://www.khaosoden...wsid=1416208877

Having read the article in question it is yet another example of poor journalism accentuated by a 'shock' headline. Obviously the journalist in question spent little time actually investigating but relied heavily on hearsay, and second and third hand reports. How much time was spent in Isaan for example - none I guess!

I don't agree.The report contains the essence of the necessary information as to what happened, plus the link to the definitive article. As to the shock headline, the perps admitted it was a copy-cat dare of the Koh Tao murders with a hoe. Where it happened, is of lesser importance and doesn't need a Google map to pin-point the location.

The entire report is based on the premise that THAILAND should be avoided by westerners seeking a trouble free holiday. The journalist in question made no mention of the south with its unique problems, no mention of the north with its undercurrents of political dissent and certainly no mention of Isaan with its ethnically diverse population. However, these localised problems should pale into insignificance when one makes a judgement as to whether or not to come to Thailand. Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and Ko Samui, for example, are not representative of Thailand (thank god) and the Thai people. The article in question is solely designed to sell copy, is highly selective and certainly does not represent the Thailand that I know.

As for the alleged criminals and the RTP story - that, like every other story of its ilk will be a daily drawn out saga of lies, half-truths and utter rubish.

If you read my 222 post, you will realise my views on Thailand as being a relatively safe country to live. What is patently clear is that in UT a copy-cat attack was carried out - and my take on the report is that to raise awareness of the dangers to tourists even in 'peaceful' areas is reasonable.

Having read the article in question it is yet another example of poor journalism accentuated by a 'shock' headline. Obviously the journalist in question spent little time actually investigating but relied heavily on hearsay, and second and third hand reports. How much time was spent in Isaan for example - none I guess!

I don't agree.The report contains the essence of the necessary information as to what happened, plus the link to the definitive article. As to the shock headline, the perps admitted it was a copy-cat dare of the Koh Tao murders with a hoe. Where it happened, is of lesser importance and doesn't need a Google map to pin-point the location.

I'm beginning to see the sense of the RTP in avoiding sensationalising murders (except of course the Koh Tao media feeding frenzy) because they are well aware of what drunken young Thai men are capable of in showing off to their peer group how tough they are. At a fairground in Pattaya the officials and police ignore the gang fights, just wait until morning and drag off the bodies to the hospital.

There could be more such incidents...a big worry.

I spotted an interesting article in Thai Rath over the week end, the gist of which I summarize below for the benefit of those who cannot read Thai.

"After the Koh Tao murders a crazy conspiracy developed with a view to making Thai people bitterly hate Thai police. They have repeatedly incited their friends to believe that Thai police looked for Burmese scapegoats to get forced confessions. After the dust had settled and the social media idiots all returned to America, it turned out after 3 DNA tests that the police were right.

Scotland Yard and the British Ambassador, who spent a long time engrossed in the case, asked to see all the details of the DNA tests of 300 people on Koh Tao and the taking of samples. All the Scotland Yard aunties and the British ambassador were so impressed that they asked the Thai police to come to the UK to train their own police. Even more important than the praise heaped on Thai police by the Brits was their admission that the Thai police used more advanced equipment and techniques in the investigation than their own.

Once the imaginative fantasies are over, hopefully people will stop criticizing Thai police."

Words fail me....................my fear is that if this is what the authorities are influencing the Thai Rath to report then its obvious that they have no intention to change course in this and the B2 are destined to pay no matter what

Yes, that quite right because I assume no Thai person would be indicted/sentenced for killing a non-thai. See the case of the murdered German on Samui, where the Thai suspects are waiting out their 84 days before they're freed. It's not as if there's no evidence, there's plenty enough plus a confession, but it ain't going to happen. To give me a ray of hope that justice will be served, has there ever been a Thai incarcerated for killing a non-Thai?

The Thai Rath article comes from an alternative universe, one of which posters on here will never visit.

Koh Tao is starting a new tourist promotion with the slogan - "Koh Tao, people are just dying to visit."

Put Koh Tao on your bucket list.

I think that island is fast becoming a no go place

Nothing like stating the obvious. Sorry, couldn't resist that...

'Allegations of corruption' was one agenda item on the Brit police's visit list.

The prosecutor said (from one news report stating he needed more time) that confessions are not taken into consideration until the judge decides that the charges are proven beyond reasonable doubt. Then it's a matter of determining a sentence. If the guilty have made a confession the sentence will be lightened. In a death sentence charge, the sentence would be commuted to life imprisonment.

Nevertheless, it's my understanding that reliable DNA evidence plus a confession plus the re-enactment would be regarded as proven beyond reasonable doubt - but don't quote me on that because I could be mistaken.

In the case of the B2 they are materially charged with 'conspiring to commit murder' and 'robbery'. The RTP have stated they have a DNA match that places them at the scene, a found phone near their lodgings, but NO eye-witnesses. Hence the prosecutor asking for more 'evidence'.

Because it's human nature to want to know what the Brits found - off the record and without any diplo-speak. If you think Somyot would miss that opportunity, you're either very naive or gullible, or both. I have every confidence that the Brit would have been briefed by the UK embassy to reveal what my above posts indicate - the bigger picture. Bad for tourism, availability of drugs, no-one doing anything about it, etc. etc.

And naturally, the Thai response to the media would be diplomatic. And I'm now discontinuing this dialogue because you're arguing for argument's sake.

I avoid conspiracy theories.

Why don't you take a look at this link

http://www.cib.police.go.th/homeeng.php

Then explain how the CIB duties are in any way involved in the investigation on Koh Tao.

I'm still waiting for a plausible scenario that would explain the timing of the immediate transfers of the two guys at the head of the CIB. Yes,

I have read their spiel, and it's entirely within their remit to protect tourists.

Whatever, my opinion is that the two events (Koh Tao debrief and immediate transfer of these guys) are linked by my above reasonings, which you avoid yourself, but engage others by deriding theirs. Prove I'm wrong.