Tourist killed at “full moon” party

KOH PHANGAN: -- A gang of Thai teenagers - including the son of a local politician - are the chief suspects in the brutal murder of an Israeli tourist over the weekend who had come to enjoy the "full moon" on Phangan Island, police said Monday.

Police found the body of David Kakilashvili, 32, dead with eight knife wounds to the chest, arm, face and back and four head wounds at 2 a.m. Sunday at the Drop In bar in Phangan, an island situated 430 kilometres south of Bangkok in the Gulf of Thailand.

Witnesses said the Israeli and his friends were drinking at the bar when a fight broke out with five teenagers from the island who stabbed and beat Kakilashvili to death before fleeing the scene.

"We know who the culprits are and will ask the court to issue a warrants for their arrest today," said Phangan Police Sub-Lieutenant Likhit Chumchuay.

"The suspects include the son of a local politician, who has a bad reputation for bothering foreigners," said Likhit in a telephone interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

He added that a swift conclusion of the case was important for the island, which is highly dependent of tourism.

Phangan, just off the coast of Samui Island, is famed for its full moon parties, all night bacchanals of drugs, booze and dancing that are popular among young Western tourists.

--DPA 2007-04-02

once again , it will be interesting to see how this case pans out.

will the police chief be persuaded to drop the charges or reduce the charges against the politicians son , will arrest warrants actually be granted , and what role will the israeli consulate play in all this , bearing in mind that they really do take good care of their people . i cant see them just allowing the murderers to get away with it.

the dream ticket would be for the israelis to see to it that if thai justice fails them then they will take steps to see that justice is served by whatever means is necessary. something they are extremely good at.

hopefully those with knowledge about phangan , the progress of this case and the people involved will keep us all informed.

r.i.p. to the deceased , and condolences to the family of yet another murdered tourist in thailand.

The deceased, according to a friend of mine who was there, started the fight by spitting his drink in the Thai guy's face. He and his group then started fighting with the group of Thai guys, one of which then stabbed the Israeli.

Just FYI tax, Israelis are well known in Hadrin for travelling in groups and picking fights with people. This time, they picked the wrong guys. Frankly, everyone who knows anything about Hadrin, knew it was only a matter of time before an Israeli got himself killed.

Of course, the death is senseless and unnecessary but certainly not unprovoked nor unexpected.

Not sure who the "local politician's son" could be since the only local politician who actually lives in Hadrin has an 8 year old son.

edit: just wanted to add that the FMP is tonight, not last night so he wasn't killed "at the party". And the murder happened the night before last, not last night

i am also aware of the nature of some israeli groups here , but murder is murder , and i hope that justice will be done.

Frankly, everyone who knows anything about Hadrin, knew it was only a matter of time before an Israeli got himself killed.

it sounds like there is a sense of schadenfreude on hadrin about this , as if it WAS a deserved thing , that at last , an ill mannered tourist has got his come uppance and let it be a warning to others.

Edited April 2, 200719 yr by taxexile

Just FYI tax, Israelis are well known in Hadrin for travelling in groups and picking fights with people. This time, they picked the wrong guys. Frankly, everyone who knows anything about Hadrin, knew it was only a matter of time before an Israeli got himself killed.

Definitely agree with these sentiments.

Excuse me while I run over to the store and get a box of microwave popcorn, Made in America. This has all the makings of a major drama, dead Israeli, Politicians son, drunk night in a Thai bar? The second post already suggesting the Israelis will or should take the law into their own hands. This scenario has gone down many times in Thailand but this will be the first time I know of a Israeli being murdered here. For many of us its our worst nightmare, to bleed out in the back of some truck or on the floor of some filthy bar.

The sad fact is people are murdered here every day, some justifiable, such as cases of self defense and other times it is just predatory violent murder. This is just anther day in the life but reality dictates otherwise, some people do believe the life of one human has more value than the life of another, I expect we will be hearing from them.

Drugs, alcohol and young men; deadly combination...

In my much younger days, I was in drunken bar fights too. BUT, eight knife wounds and four head wounds is WAY beyond a barroom brawl.

Sounds like stimulant abuse was involved. Meth-amphetamine, Ectasy, LSD, MDMA and the like are common to Haad Rin.

I remember about 9 years ago on Haad Rin an Israeli on drugs circling around at dawn like a mad caged animal, muttering, making about a 5 meter circle in the sand for hours on end. Quite a pathetic sight. To see a human being do this to himself is very sad.

The deceased, according to a friend of mine who was there, started the fight by spitting his drink in the Thai guy's face. He and his group then started fighting with the group of Thai guys, one of which then stabbed the Israeli.

Just FYI tax, Israelis are well known in Hadrin for travelling in groups and picking fights with people. This time, they picked the wrong guys. Frankly, everyone who knows anything about Hadrin, knew it was only a matter of time before an Israeli got himself killed.

Of course, the death is senseless and unnecessary but certainly not unprovoked nor unexpected.

Not sure who the "local politician's son" could be since the only local politician who actually lives in Hadrin has an 8 year old son.

edit: just wanted to add that the FMP is tonight, not last night so he wasn't killed "at the party". And the murder happened the night before last, not last night

I do agree that Israeli's have got themselves a bad name and do seem to behave at times in a partularly arrogant manner and anyone who has spent anytime in Thailand at all knows it is not a good idea to spit your drink in a Thai mans face (if this is true).

May I also add that Thai's are also getting a very bad name not just here but all over the world.

What were Thai teenagers doing in a bar in the first place?

Why was the teenager carrying a knife in a public place?

Also when are the police going to start doing their jobs i.e. to protect and serve?

There are far too many instances of Thai's walking round with guns and knives unchallenged by police and when mixed with alcohol the results at times are only too predicatable.

I fear the situation will only improve when severe penalties are imposed for either carrying a weapon or using it and the police cannot be bought off, don't hold your breath.

R.I.P.

i am also aware of the nature of some israeli groups here , but murder is murder , and i hope that justice will be done.

Frankly, everyone who knows anything about Hadrin, knew it was only a matter of time before an Israeli got himself killed.

it sounds like there is a sense of schadenfreude on hadrin about this , as if it WAS a deserved thing , that at last , an ill mannered tourist has got his come uppance and let it be a warning to others.

Really Taxexile? I thought my comment about it being senseless and unnecessary conveyed my opinion more correctly than your subjective editing of my post. All I said was it was a matter of time, just because you can see a train wreck coming doesn't mean you approve. The regular local people are appalled and most feel, as Southwest has posted, that this kind of violence is completely unnecessary. Another word I used in my post that you managed to overlook, tax.

Southwest, the Thai guys involved in the brawl worked at the bar, the killer was a friend. Remember, the term "teenagers" is also being subjectively used here.

nothing that someone does in a bar should warrant their getting beat to death by a mob.

eveyone that has spent a fair amount of time in thailand..( ive been around 19 years)..knows that to get in any sort of arguement on any sort of level...it can end up costing you your life....as a previos post mentioned....a fight in your own country might end up with a few bruises or a broken nose at the most...in thailand/phillipins and other areas....you are gambling with your life as an insult to a local is a big loss of face and they do not way up the consequences...and do not fight in ones...chances are they will get away with it as well.

thailand wants places like phuket to become world class tourist destinations..like monte carlo...san tropez.

but you cannot have tourists being beaten up / stabbed / raped / murdered over things.....like a disagreement over a tuk tuk fare.

the thai authorities really need to get a grip...as one day the tourists may decide enough is enough.

as when incidents like this do occur ( far to often) ...the first response from anyone in authority is there concern for the tourist industryand loss of revenue.

The deceased, according to a friend of mine who was there, started the fight by spitting his drink in the Thai guy's face. He and his group then started fighting with the group of Thai guys, one of which then stabbed the Israeli.

Just FYI tax, Israelis are well known in Hadrin for travelling in groups and picking fights with people. This time, they picked the wrong guys. Frankly, everyone who knows anything about Hadrin, knew it was only a matter of time before an Israeli got himself killed.

Of course, the death is senseless and unnecessary but certainly not unprovoked nor unexpected.

Not sure who the "local politician's son" could be since the only local politician who actually lives in Hadrin has an 8 year old son.

edit: just wanted to add that the FMP is tonight, not last night so he wasn't killed "at the party". And the murder happened the night before last, not last night

nothing can justify a murder...........however since the Israelis invasion of Hadrin around 1992 I always wondered when such a thing would happend............before you alway could hear a Thai complaining about the Germans, now and then........but after, everybody complained about the Israelis no respect,stingy and selfish........specially those who worked in restaurants,hotels where they occupy everything and make "others" feel unwelcome.

Funny thing is.....you can hear the same story around Kao San Rd......

So Sbk you are absolutely right..........

I still feel for his family.........wonder what happend to his friends.......??

Southwest, the Thai guys involved in the brawl worked at the bar, the killer was a friend. Remember, the term "teenagers" is also being subjectively used here.

Yes, makes sense - the guys who work at Drop Inn Bar have always had a reputation for being a nasty bunch, I'd often hear about them being involved in fights and other unpleasant incidents.

Update: Israeli killed at full moon party

Police found the body of David Kakilashvili, 32, dead with eight knife wounds to the chest, arm, face and back and four head wounds at 2 a.m. Sunday at the Drop In bar in Phangan, an island situated 430 kilometres south of Bangkok in the Gulf of Thailand.

Witnesses said the Israeli and his friends were drinking at the bar when a fight broke out with five teenagers from the island who stabbed and beat Kakilashvili to death before fleeing the scene.

The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 2006

senseless ....................

Sounds like stimulant abuse was involved. Meth-amphetamine, Ectasy, LSD, MDMA and the like are common to Haad Rin.

I remember about 9 years ago on Haad Rin an Israeli on drugs circling around at dawn like a mad caged animal, muttering, making about a 5 meter circle in the sand for hours on end. Quite a pathetic sight. To see a human being do this to himself is very sad

I was there 14 years ago and saw simlar sites(and involved in a few)

The locals back then didn't like the tourists. I can't imagine the hatred now.

The Israeliis were not liked more than the other tourists, due to their stinginess(so a Thai told me).

Someone will be charged to keep the International press happy then they'll be released in a few weeks.

nothing that someone does in a bar should warrant their getting beat to death by a mob.

Agreed, being stingy or stupid, or a pain in the butt never warrants getting beaten (or stabbed in this case) to death by a mob.

But, a person doesn't start a fight in a bar without expecting something to happen. Unfortunately for this man, he underestimated his opponents and his ignorance of the behavior of young Thai men cost him his life.

Update: Israeli killed at full moon party

Police found the body of David Kakilashvili, 32, dead with eight knife wounds to the chest, arm, face and back and four head wounds at 2 a.m. Sunday at the Drop In bar in Phangan, an island situated 430 kilometres south of Bangkok in the Gulf of Thailand.

Witnesses said the Israeli and his friends were drinking at the bar when a fight broke out with five teenagers from the island who stabbed and beat Kakilashvili to death before fleeing the scene.

The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. 2006

senseless ....................

And just to clarify, from the information I received, the Israeli guy was not alone in the fight. It was a barroom brawl and he got stabbed.

just to add.. a good friend of mine was in phuket on boxing day......this guy is an x australian internaional soccer player...47 caps.

he would drink at the safari bar most days and go across the road to give the mahouts 20 baht to feed the elephants...on this day he only had a 1000 baht so gave tham that ...while he waited for his change he got distracted by a thai girl ona moped...got chatting to her and she gave him a lift down to patong to collect his own bike.

he then realized he still hadnt got his change and went back to the mahouts....they claimed he hadnt given them 1000 and refused to give him his change...deciding to stand up for himself he got into an arguement and used the 4 letter word that seems to trigger the thai anger...they then proceeded to beat the shit out of him....it was only the fact the thai girl was still with him ..she got them to stop.

she got him to hospital...4 days in intensive care....with afractured skull and brain haemorage...had to be airlifted back to sydney.

saw him in feb back in bkk.....basically still a mess..cant play footy anymore...struggles to sleep etc.

trouble is hes a really nice guy that loves thais and thailand.....so i dont think he deserved that....and i know the mahouts have got away with it.

Southwest, the Thai guys involved in the brawl worked at the bar, the killer was a friend. Remember, the term "teenagers" is also being subjectively used here.

Judging by the number of wounds the deceased received and knowing fighting 'Thai Style' I think their maybe more then one killer. I guess their wont be many people popping in the Drop In tonight at the FMP to sample their customer service.

Really Taxexile? I thought my comment about it being senseless and unnecessary conveyed my opinion more correctly than your subjective editing of my post. All I said was it was a matter of time, just because you can see a train wreck coming doesn't mean you approve. The regular local people are appalled and most feel, as Southwest has posted, that this kind of violence is completely unnecessary. Another word I used in my post that you managed to overlook, tax.

i wasnt accusing you of having that ( schadenfreud) attitude sbk.

but there is a certain stereotyping attitude noticeable on this board that israelis ( possibly because of the politics of the middle east region) deserve what they get and that they are all tight with their money.

similar to the stereotyping attitude that all muslims are terrorists and treat women as slaves.

most young people travelling are tight with money and seek the best deal , thailand has a deserved reputation for overcharging foriegn guests , haad rin especially , and their care over expenditure could be seen as a result of that reputation.

young thais are equally careful with their money when travelling , as are most people.

this was a horrible murder , and nothing less.

Edited April 2, 200719 yr by taxexile

Tax, the attitude comes from people in the tourist business who have dealt with Israelis. While they can be a lot of fun sometimes, they are by far some of the rudest, most ill-mannered bunch that inhabit the backpacker circuit. Nobody is saying he deserved it, but few are surprised that it happened.

Really Taxexile? I thought my comment about it being senseless and unnecessary conveyed my opinion more correctly than your subjective editing of my post. All I said was it was a matter of time, just because you can see a train wreck coming doesn't mean you approve. The regular local people are appalled and most feel, as Southwest has posted, that this kind of violence is completely unnecessary. Another word I used in my post that you managed to overlook, tax.

i wasnt accusing you of having that ( schadenfreud) attitude sbk.

but there is a certain stereotyping attitude noticeable on this board that israelis ( possibly because of the politics of the middle east region) deserve what they get and that they are all tight with their money.

similar to the stereotyping attitude that all muslims are terrorists and treat women as slaves.

most young people travelling are tight with money and seek the best deal , thailand has a deserved reputation for overcharging foriegn guests , haad rin especially , and their care over expenditure could be seen as a result of that reputation.

young thais are equally careful with their money when travelling , as are most people.

this was a horrible murder , and nothing less.

Perhaps on this board you may see it, but amongst the Thai people I know they could care less about the politics of the Middle East and judge a person or his nationality more from their behavior and their attitude.

Thailand draws the worst of most economies for good reason.

It is not exotic, peaceful or enjoyable much of the time.

Really Taxexile? I thought my comment about it being senseless and unnecessary conveyed my opinion more correctly than your subjective editing of my post. All I said was it was a matter of time, just because you can see a train wreck coming doesn't mean you approve. The regular local people are appalled and most feel, as Southwest has posted, that this kind of violence is completely unnecessary. Another word I used in my post that you managed to overlook, tax.

i wasnt accusing you of having that ( schadenfreud) attitude sbk.

but there is a certain stereotyping attitude noticeable on this board that israelis ( possibly because of the politics of the middle east region) deserve what they get and that they are all tight with their money.

similar to the stereotyping attitude that all muslims are terrorists and treat women as slaves.

most young people travelling are tight with money and seek the best deal , thailand has a deserved reputation for overcharging foriegn guests , haad rin especially , and their care over expenditure could be seen as a result of that reputation.

young thais are equally careful with their money when travelling , as are most people.

this was a horrible murder , and nothing less.

Perhaps on this board you may see it, but amongst the Thai people I know they could care less about the politics of the Middle East and judge a person or his nationality more from their behavior and their attitude.

I second that I do not know one Thai person who gives a stuff about the politics of the middle east they tend to take people as they find them and some Israeli's have given all of Israel a bad name.

Given all the bars, booze, and testosterone running amok around most of Thailand's tourist areas, it sometimes surprises me that there aren't more of these incidents.

A lot of tourists sometimes think they are "bulletproof" in the way they discard common sense with their clothes around the beach areas, its a tragedy but it won't be the last of this type of episode.

Wow did I just stumble on the Aryan Nation or what... What's with all this anti-semitism being rattled off? Sad really on all parts. I mean a young man was senselessly killed. I really don't care where he's from or judge a situation by stereotyping of a group of people. I'm just going by what I read and not by the whole I heard it from a friend bit (we know how reliable a lot of those can be). I don't care how you spin it (guy was cheap, guy spit in someone's face, talked to someone's girl, etc.), there is no justification in this instance for pulling out knives and killing someone. I mean he was said to have 8 knife wounds to the chest, arm, face and back as well as 4 head wounds. As I said, I don't know exactly what happend, but obviously reading the story, the polititians son had major problems with tourists. I hope these guys get what they deserve (Life in Prison), but I doubt very much that is going to happen without a lot of pressure put on by Israel.

Thailand draws the worst of most economies for good reason.

It is not exotic, peaceful or enjoyable much of the time.

Really!!! I find it quite peaceful and enjoyable MOST OF THE TIME and found it can be quite exotic on some of the islands if you go outside of the major tourist areas . Anyway, I'm not trying to be mean in any way, so please don't take offense. Just curious, if that's how you feel (not peaceful or enjoyable much of the time) why are you here?

This is nothing about anti-semitism, it's about behaviour of some tourists. You should be able to criticize an Israeli without being stuck with the anti-semite label. Unfortunately the PC brigade is always waiting to pounce.