Breaking News And Thai Visa Members

[Claymore]

An interesting point arose over a topic in the Koh Samui section over the discovery of an Irish women floating off the island last week. That was that local police appear to have created a news blackout over the incident. The story actually broke in Ireland from the parents who have had to rely totally on what an Irish consular official has been told by the police. There were several inconsistencies in the police report.

This news blackouts are getting more and more common in Thailand where the deaths of foreigners are concerned. Statistically now, for the first year running, Thailand is (per capita tourist arrivals/ deaths) the most dangerous place in the world for British tourists. Of course a lot of this may be self inflicted.

But exactly where were all these deaths. The British Foreign Office for instance never gives details, and only in an annual report actually produces the figures.

The latest statistics on murders include several which had absolutely no publicity.

When an incident occurs which we know about, but have not read in the local press, it might be useful submitting a member's 'breaking news' post in the forum if the member has personal knowledge.

Bear in mind the local newspapers in Pattaya, Phuket, Koh Samui etc almost certainly are never going to contradict local police if they value their livelihood.

This may be one for the administrators to consider, and then drop. But might be worth a thought or two.

[sbk]

moved to forum support for admin review

[undercover]

Statistically now, for the first year running, Thailand is (per capita tourist arrivals/ deaths) the most dangerous place in the world for British tourists.

..............................

Can you post the link to this fact ?

[Totster]

"Breaking News" should come from an official/respected source. Anything that cannot be verified against these sources must be treated as hearsay/rumour.

totster

[meadish_sweetball]

Statistically now, for the first year running, Thailand is (per capita tourist arrivals/ deaths) the most dangerous place in the world for British tourists.

..............................

Can you post the link to this fact ?

On the face of it, holidaying in Thailand may seem less dangerous than, say, Iraq or Afghanistan. But according to new Foreign Office figures released this week, Thailand is the place where British tourists are most likely to get into the sort of trouble that requires consular assistance. For a start, more British tourists die there than anywhere else. Some 224 Britons died in Thailand between April 2005 and March last year - a toll five times higher than in the second deadliest tourist destination, India. "Most of those deaths are of long-term elderly British residents," says a Foreign Office spokesman. But not all of them. Among those 224 Britons was student Katherine Horton, 21, who was raped and murdered by two fishermen in January last year on Koh Samui.

Holidays from hel_l

Even though the points they raise about safety, poverty and cultural tolerance are valid, it is quite disingenuous to use absolute numbers of deaths without regard to the number of arrivals.

If the same number of Brits went to Afghanistan as do to Thailand, well, I don't think Thailand would top the list anymore.

[bendix]

It's also ridiculous to quote comments about more tourists dieing here than in any other country, and then illustrate that with a quote saying that most of them are elderly resident retirees?

So who is exactly dieing in droves? Robust young backpackers or retirees who came here to . . . . ummmm. . . die?

[cdnvic]

Using the same logic, more Brits die per capita in the UK, so anywhere is safer than home.