Police on Koh Tao have arrested a 40-year-old man accused of fatally stabbing his former tattoo shop business partner after an argument at a rice-and-curry restaurant on the island.

The victim, 63-year-old Koh Tao resident Sorchai, later died in hospital from multiple knife wounds. The attack was witnessed by local people and foreign tourists, police said.

Koh Tao police superintendent Pol Col Sarayut Buriwachira disclosed details of the case on 4 September. The incident happened outside a restaurant on the road between Boon Sri Pier and Lomprayah Pier in Moo 2, Koh Tao subdistrict, Koh Pha-ngan district, Surat Thani.

Argument linked to tattoo business

Police and an investigation team led by Pol Maj Suttichai Phraephetthong arrived after receiving reports of a fight involving a knife.

They found blood across the area outside the restaurant and Sorchai lying in a pool of blood. He had suffered stab wounds to his neck, shoulder and right chest.

Officers rushed him to Koh Tao Hospital, but he later died from his injuries.

Police identified the suspect as 40-year-old Koh Tao resident Jirasak, known as Golf. He had fled the scene before officers arrived.

Initial inquiries found that the two men had once been close friends and partners in a tattoo shop business. Police said their relationship had deteriorated over an unresolved dispute about business interests.

The pair reportedly met by chance at the restaurant and began arguing intensely about the tattoo shop. Jirasak is alleged to have taken a kitchen knife from inside the restaurant and stabbed Sorchai repeatedly until he collapsed on the road.

Arrested while trying to leave the island

After the attack, Jirasak allegedly ran towards a pier in an attempt to board a boat to Chumphon province.

Koh Tao police tracked him down and arrested him at the pier before he could leave the island. He was handed to investigators and faces a charge of murder.

The road where the killing occurred links two of Koh Tao's main ferry piers, an area regularly used by visitors travelling to and from the island. Foreign tourists were among those present during the attack, according to police.

Pictures courtesy of Naewna

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6 September 2026

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They don't call it Death Island for nothing....

6 hours ago, redwood1 said:

They don't call it Death Island for nothing....

Actually, they do. It's just the Thai-bashers and those with a book to sell who call it that and most of them appear to have never been there. 99.9% of the millions of visitors to the island over the years survive without any issues whatsoever, never mind any brushes with death.

Edited Sunday at 09:37 AM3 days by Liverpool Lou

2 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Actually, they do. It's just the Thai bashers who call it that and most of them appear to have never been there. 99.9% of the millions of visitors to the island over the years survive without any issues whatsoever, never mind any brushes with death.

But there's still murderers living on the island with impunity , they can kill without facing prosecution .

They are free to kill whom they like

20 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

But there's still murderers living on the island with impunity , they can kill without facing prosecution .

They are free to kill whom they like

Yes, I wondered right away if this guy had a connection to the notorious family who many believe is responsible for rapes and murders there but never seem to be charged, much less convicted of anything.

RIP Joe. Always a friendly cheerful guy. We eat at his place a few times a week. Disgusting how the media try calling him a mafia guy. He worked hard at his restaurant, always seemed to wear a falling apart tshirt and drove a 20yr old scooter. Certainly not one of the typical brand new pickup truck driving, big amulet, black tshirt and shoulder bag to hold a shootah type that lurk around tourist areas.

Apart from victim blaming, also a disgrace how they try calling the murderer as just a mentally ill guy that forgot to take his meds. I suspect he will get away with a slap on the wrist.

Just so sad.

One of the worst and most disgusting places in TH

Only total noobs and people who are clueless would want to visit that island

17 hours ago, PhilipHabib said:

One of the worst and most disgusting places in TH

Only total noobs and people who are clueless would want to visit that island

Nonsense.... plenty of tourists going there, particularly for the diving. It is a very beautiful place and more agreeable than Samui.