British diving instructor found dead on Thailand’s Koh Tao under ‘mysterious’ circumstances

[ubonr1971]

6 hours ago, dkg224 said:

ok ya buddy i'm sure you know this haha 

I lived in koh Tao on and off for 10 years with 2 businesses there.  First i'll tell you never have I or anyone I know been approached by the so called "Mafia" or police asking for money or any other type of extortion.  Never any problems with safety for me and my family.

Now its sad that he died, i know him in passing but not personally.  So the "paramedics" that showed up would be koh tao rescue.  The head medic is a women from England.  There is also another western medic who works with them.  The head medic was friends with Neil, so even if she wasn't on the call to respond she would know exactly what was found and investigated at the scene.  No way no how would any of these people be "in on the coverup".  And yes his body was sent for an Autospy.

 

And another topic i see here is about dive instructors being very fit.  Let me tell you, many instructors drink and party daily, then go diving in the morning.  Many i would classify as alcoholics, start drinking beers as soon as they are back from the afternoon dives and continue on into the night at the beach bars.  Neil, i don't know how he lived his life so i cant comment to that.  

In the interest of full disclosure can you tell us if you have a diving business on the island or any link to one?

[Neeranam]

I am amazed at the foreign guys working here that learn nothing about Thai culture and get pictures taken with their arms around Thai women. 

 

 

[Neeranam]

9 hours ago, robblok said:

Hell im a divemaster. I dive a lot seems you got a different idea bout dive instructors then i do. Especially the ones working on the holliday islands. Do you actually dive and hang out with these people ? Because I do and there is nothing special about their fitness. 

Most divers I know have alcohol problems.

[Mr Meeseeks]

 

9 hours ago, MRToMRT said:

It would also put you in a group that has a higher incidence of aneurisms though.

Depends how deep ya go but yeh. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

8 hours ago, smedly said:

I do not trust local authorities on this island - they can say whatever they want without question - not one word do I believe 

I extend that to the whole country, sorry to have to say that.

[Hummin]

Just now, Neeranam said:

Most divers I know have alcohol problems.

Maybe says more about you and your friends ????

 

I guess Pattaya and Patong divers fits the majority you describe, but still quite harsh statement.

 

 

[Mac Mickmanus]

4 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Most divers I know have alcohol problems.

How many divers do you know ?

[Neeranam]

11 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

How many divers do you know ?

I worked in the oil industry in Aberdeen so actually quite a lot. They also could never drink a lot, something to do with the decompression. 

 

[soi3eddie]

5 hours ago, 2BOB said:

What no putting the blame on the burmese ????

 

Since 1st February 2021 blaming the Burmese not so frequent. Now Burmese cannot get new passports (since 17th January 2023). 

 

[IslandLover]

7 hours ago, terryofcrete said:

You have said that a good few times... give us a clue will you , so that i may know what  country not to die suddenly in that's not up to accepted normal medical procedure. 

I'll hazzard a guess - "the Low Countries".  Euthanasia is legal there too.  They have a rather cavalier attitude to death.  I should know.  I live there.

[DavisH]

9 hours ago, PJ71 said:

He was a diving instructor, you'd need to have a above average level of fitness to do that.

 

Did you miss that bit in the article or do you think that's 'speculation' too?

Undiagnosed heart disease can take lives of sports men and women. So it can't be ruled out, unless he has regular heart checks. 

[Ginner]

10 hours ago, robblok said:

British tabloids, i mean all the other deaths have nothing to do with this but are mentioned for the story. People die in their sleep its not strange thing. I don't expect an autopsy if i die in my sleep and there is no sign of violence.

 

This sounds a lot like a storm a teacup.  

What at the tell tale signs of someone who dies in their sleep? Police and Para medics can not ascertain the cause of death. 

[maxcorrigan]

8 minutes ago, IslandLover said:

I'll hazzard a guess - "the Low Countries".  Euthanasia is legal there too.  They have a rather cavalier attitude to death.  I should know.  I live there.

Correct he's from Holland!

[Mr Meeseeks]

9 hours ago, robblok said:

Paramedics said so. So unless the paramedics are in on it too then its a fact. But if you dont even believe this then not read the newspaper because you dont trust anything.

Paramedics? You mean volunteer rescuers like Por Teck Tung or Soriwong Boriboon? ????

 

9 hours ago, robblok said:

As far as I know (but I dont know everything) Padi and almost everyone is Padi in Thailand does not ask that of its dive instructors. 

A diver medical is a requirement to work anywhere in the World as a diver. Maybe not here but this is the muppet show.

[soi3eddie]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

the police said straight away there was nothing to investigate.

This tells everything. Surprised nobody mentioned this. 

 

True, divers do like a drink or six but they have a total responsibility for their fellow divers. All divemaster and instructors I ever dived with were very conciencious. 

An autopsy MUST be carried out as the death is unexpected and unexplained.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

40 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I worked in the oil industry in Aberdeen so actually quite a lot. They also could never drink a lot, something to do with the decompression. 

 

Comparing Sat Divers to rec dive trainers on holiday islands is apples to oranges.

 

I know several sat divers still working offshore including North Sea and not one of them has what I would consider to be a 'drink problem'.

[Aussieroaming]

RIP fella, not everyone gets to work a job they love on a tropical island, as you did. 

 

 

 

[Mac Mickmanus]

1 minute ago, Aussieroaming said:

RIP fella, not everyone gets to work a job they love on a tropical island, as you did. 

 

 

 

What is there stopping anyone from doing that ?

[Aussieroaming]

5 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

What is there stopping anyone from doing that ?

Not enough tropical islands to go round. 

[soi3eddie]

9 minutes ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

What is there stopping anyone from doing that ?

@Mac Mickmanus being provocative as usual.

 

[Mac Mickmanus]

2 minutes ago, Aussieroaming said:

Not enough tropical islands to go round. 

There seems to be a position available now on Koh Tao ?

[Mac Mickmanus]

14 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

@Mac Mickmanus being provocative as usual.

 

It is a genuine question .

What is there to stop anyone learning how to be a dive instructor and living and working on a tropical beach ?

  (Actually going a bit off topic, so better not to reply)

[Qman]

11 hours ago, BritManToo said:

It's common for an autopsy to be done on all victims of unexpected deaths.

A foreigner friend died while playing golf in Thailand and although there were a number of witnesses the doctor at the receiving hospital said an autopsy was required as he was dead on arrival and he could not sign off as to the cause with certainty.  Absent passing in a hospital or other certain circumstances an autopsy is mandated along with a police report.  Both are necessary prior to the body being released to relatives.   

[IslandLover]

1 hour ago, maxcorrigan said:

Correct he's from Holland!

It's more correct to say the Netherlands.  Holland is just a province of the Netherlands, divided into north and south Holland. ????

 

[IslandLover]

9 hours ago, findlay13 said:

Not on Koh Tao it's not.

And one wonders why not? ????

[IslandLover]

9 hours ago, alex8912 said:

He looks waaay over 48 to me or he's done drinking and drugs before in his life. Those wrinkles look like he's 64/65 at least. Surprised no one else mentioned this. 

Being constantly immersed in salt water is not good for the skin ????.  Also, I read that he smoked.

[spidermike007]

10 hours ago, terryofcrete said:

That's why an autopsy is performed ... apart from establishing  the cause of death it adds data to the medical knowledge base. Common sense to do one. 

An autopsy barely matters when you have a serial killer who is protected at the highest levels. 

[tjo o tjim]

10 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Arrest the serial killer. Many know who the guilty family is.

That family left the island several years ago; the one brother or cousin with a resort named after him is still around, but he was never the problem.  They sold their resorts and left at lest 4 years ago.  While the particular individual is probably gone too (can't remember his name), he might be living in the hills still in an isolated life of repentence.  Pretty sure he is out of the picture though... either way, his protection is gone.

 

Koh Tao has its issues, but the wild west cowboy days are gone.  Much of what happens is specifically because of its isolation... but there is a lot of drug and alcohol abuse, especially among long-time residents. Having someone die in their sleep happens... and things that if you could just call an ambulance you would be fine can easily lead to death there.  Still one of my favorite places on earth.

[spidermike007]

It is a well established fact that most police here are compromised and highly partial to events and perpetrators, depending on their wealth and status. That is put to the extreme on a filthy, spectacularly corrupt place like Dark Tao. Five families run the place and have gained massive fortunes largely from illegal land sales. They are untouchable. The local cops cater to them, the regional authorities won't touch them, and even the army won't get involved. So, they are fully and totally protected, and don't have the good sense to banish family members who are committing major crimes. 

[Mac Mickmanus]

16 minutes ago, tjo o tjim said:

That family left the island several years ago; the one brother or cousin with a resort named after him is still around, but he was never the problem.  

What about the two original suspects in the Miller murders , the two brothers , one who was in Bangkok at the time and the other one had nothing to do with it , the two suspects before the real killers were found, the two Burmese boys .

   Are the two Thai suspects still on the island ?