Female Japanese Tourist Robbed And Murdered In Sukhothai

[ladyboythai]

Ive posted several times how Japanese women are targets in this country. My own girlfriend has been vicimised many times and her friends have been raped and or robbed. One left for dead on the side of the road, guess she should be thankful her throat wasn't slashed and she could recover after a 2 month hospital stay.

Damian

I want to share that in a news article recently. A Japanese woman was robbed while in bed and raped while her husband was back to Japan on a business visit. The servant from her own household was the accomplice who took her boyfriend to rob. She watched outside during the robbery. The man came out and let her know that he was going inside to rape the Japanese woman.

The news made a mention that rapist often feel Japanese are easy victim. They are submissive and don't fight. Western women were more vocal and would fight. No statistics were given - just a statement in passing.

I wish the Japenese Consulate and media can help publicize this fact to Japanese woman in Japan. Make sure Japanese woman don't travel alone. When need to, they should fight. Even if the first few who fight may lose, at least they will start to reverse a trend and perception. Hopefully they will later be perceived the same way as western women - thus spare some from being raped.

You know, I still don't get it. Why on earth would Thai men want to rape Japanese women, when Thai women are so easily available? I mean I see Australian and British backpackers finding Thai women within days of arriving in Thailand all over. If anyone is going to starve from not getting any affection, I think it is western women who don't want asian men at any cost. Also, with the Buddhist practices, and with men having become monks in the past, why would they engage in this activity? As you may know in Thailand, unlike in China where there is a shortage of women, there are more women than men, so rape is absolutely unnessary in Thailand.

There are more Thai men who commit to a lifetime of monasticism than farang men take home Thai women.

I know a majority do give up their monkhood, enough of them stay to make women outnumber the men. Thus, every man should be able to thus get a lady, even if none of us farang ladies would touch a thai man with a ten foot pole.

[kat]

Rhymes with Grassy Knoll.

[mrtoad]

You know, I still don't get it. Why on earth would Thai men want to rape Japanese women, when Thai women are so easily available? I mean I see Australian and British backpackers finding Thai women within days of arriving in Thailand all over. If anyone is going to starve from not getting any affection, I think it is western women who don't want asian men at any cost. Also, with the Buddhist practices, and with men having become monks in the past, why would they engage in this activity? As you may know in Thailand, unlike in China where there is a shortage of women, there are more women than men, so rape is absolutely unnessary in Thailand.

There are more Thai men who commit to a lifetime of monasticism than farang men take home Thai women.

I know a majority do give up their monkhood, enough of them stay to make women outnumber the men. Thus, every man should be able to thus get a lady, even if none of us farang ladies would touch a thai man with a ten foot pole.

If only it was that simple.

[sibeymai]

seems this could remain unsolved if the police haven't found a Thai to pin it on yet and they're looking for a Japanese tourist. They'll find the Japanese if he's still in Thailand, even if it's at the airport on departure. I wonder if a Thai hasn't been arrested yet because the police think there's a reasonable chance he's the culprit. A Japanese girl travelling alone is more likely to have a drink with a fellow countryman than a stranger, is she not ? We may never know if he's out of Thailand already.

[ladyboythai]

I agree with you pointofview but on a much less insulting level. Peoples perspectives and opinions are based on their personal experiences, I just wish people that say things like "absolute rubbish" would recognise and accept that their feeling of safety is because of who THEY are, thousands of other women that come here fall into a "victim" profile and ARE targetted, regardless of how safe it is for other women that dont fit the profile. This country is an extremely dangerous place for the woman I love, and it makes me sad and makes life here for us very stressful. I truly wish this place was as nice and safe as some people think it is, I would like nothing more. To those about to say the usual assinine "if you don't like it than leave!".... we stay because we both have very promosing careers here, although when something bad happens to her we have considered leaving.... but it would be such a huge lost chance.

This country HAS gotten more and more dangerous over the last 10 years, I blame the media and western influence. My friends that have been here between 8 and 10 years all say they would have trusted a Thai person with their life when they first got here, but now things are getting worse and worse and they don't trust anyone. They could leave their wallet on the table of a restaurant and people would run out after them with it... that is a thing of the past I fear.

Ok, everybody, I do apologize for my comments. I was pissed, and they were out of line. I'm sorry.

*well, truly sorry, please forgive me.

I just thought you were out of line a bit, didn't think you were the DEVIL or anything heh.

Damian

I think clearly posting scheduled sits for vipassana meditation retreats would improve the situation around here. Things here are not clearly advertised, and it would be smart if it were. They are so gung ho with tuk tuk drivers showing the tourists where all the thai ladies are, but the people are slow to bring everyone to vipassana meditation and get people practicing serious dharma. Anyone interested in putting up signs for meditation retreats that are going on around chang mai around the city?

[ladyboythai]

seems this could remain unsolved if the police haven't found a Thai to pin it on yet and they're looking for a Japanese tourist. They'll find the Japanese if he's still in Thailand, even if it's at the airport on departure. I wonder if a Thai hasn't been arrested yet because the police think there's a reasonable chance he's the culprit. A Japanese girl travelling alone is more likely to have a drink with a fellow countryman than a stranger, is she not ? We may never know if he's out of Thailand already.

Well if that truly is the case, then, they should be dealing with the case in Japan proper when he goes back. I think with foreigners, if both parties come from the same country, they should be tried and sentenced back home as if the crime happened in Japan, as the person killed was not a Thai, but a fellow Japanese.

This should also go for two farangs who are lets say both British, Aussies, etc. Their emabassies should be taking them home.

[Nordlys]

Tomoko Kawashita and her blog from Japanese TV news clip.

http://www.fnn-news.com/windowsmedia/ch2007112601_300.asx

and pics from her theater company website...

Edited December 1, 2007 by Nordlys

[justvisiting]

I'm a young American woman traveling alone and just arrived in Sukhothai yesterday, with no idea that the Japanese woman was recently murdered here. I saw a newspaper the day before on the train with a photo of a casket and mention of murdered Japanese tourist, but no details, so I had no idea it was here.

This morning, when I asked about visiting the ruins, the woman at the guesthouse told me not to go to the ruins to the West alone (Wat Saphan Hin, where the murder was), that it was not safe for "one lady alone, but okay if you go with friend." I was surprised, since in my very limited experience of Thailand, I've felt very safe, and this seemed like a sleepy rural area. But she did not say anything about the murder, no doubt very bad for business.

At the bike rental place, the woman told me that the ruins to the West were closed. When I asked why she just said "it's not safe." When I pushed her on it, she said, "after what happened to the Japanese girl." No elaboration, but then I remembered the photo and asked "she was murdered here??" The bike rental lady nodded, not very happy, making throat slitting gesture. I asked what happened and all she said was, "no money was taken, only passport. And she rent bike from me!!"

At the entry gate where you buy tickets, I asked if the Wat Saphan Hin was open and the woman said yes. But her English was pretty limited, so maybe she didnt' understand me, but basically she gave me no info. I haven't talked to many travelers here, but my bet is that very few know about the murder, and somehow this seems wrong, that this kind of information is not more freely available, or that warnings are not posted. I may have easily gone to Wat Sapham Hin if not for the warnings -- which I only received b/c I happened to ask -- often I don't ask questions and just rely on my guidebook.

I was a little shaken by the news (and the fact I was so ignorant since I have not seen a newspaper all week) and I biked around the central part of the ruins today, thinking of the murdered Japanese woman, wondering what the real story was, what her last day on earth was like, whether I should be worrying about traveling alone in Thailand. I started to go towards a remote ruin on the north side, but changed my mind when I saw how isolated it is. I love traveling alone and hate to have to be paranoid and feel vulnerable all the time, to think that these things can happen, that it is only a matter of luck, timing, being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'd like to think that there is some other story, that maybe she inadvertently pissed someone off, anything but think that it was an act of violence that could happen to me, to any woman who is alone and in the wrong place at the wrong time. I am pretty aware and street smart, but I also feel very safe here, as opposed to Central America, where constant street harassment of single women, esp. foreigners, made me feel threatened and vulnerable.

I came to the internet cafe because I had to find out more about the case, and I found this forum. Thanks for all the info, I really appreciate it. My deepest condolences to Tomoko's family. I will be more careful now.

[kat]

JV:

Thanks for your very insightful post. It is true that many travelers are not up on current events, because they are traveling from place to place. I'm sorry that your sense of security and safety have been shattered, but it's better to not take anything for granted, even the seemingly "sleepiness" of a town or place that you don't know. Now you are more in line with reality.

As a traveler, you know that there are comparative degrees of safety and harassment, but that can be especially deceptive in Asia because most things are not on the surface as in other places. You will often get important information indirectly, without the main premise, as in the warnings you received at first. If you don't know enough or how to ask for more, you will never know the whole story, and that is almost always the case here.

Enjoy your trip. Stay aware. Thailand is a lovely place to visit, and you will find that even in the toughest places, there are wonderful people that will just overshadow the bad, as I did in Indonesia. In comparison to a lot of places, Thailand is relatively safe for single women. But, there are unspoken rules which we need to observe to stay safe. Please read the safety tips for women in the Ladies Forum section of this site.

Have a great trip, JV.

[DamianMavis]

Ive posted several times how Japanese women are targets in this country. My own girlfriend has been vicimised many times and her friends have been raped and or robbed. One left for dead on the side of the road, guess she should be thankful her throat wasn't slashed and she could recover after a 2 month hospital stay.

Damian

I want to share that in a news article recently. A Japanese woman was robbed while in bed and raped while her husband was back to Japan on a business visit. The servant from her own household was the accomplice who took her boyfriend to rob. She watched outside during the robbery. The man came out and let her know that he was going inside to rape the Japanese woman.

The news made a mention that rapist often feel Japanese are easy victim. They are submissive and don't fight. Western women were more vocal and would fight. No statistics were given - just a statement in passing.

I wish the Japenese Consulate and media can help publicize this fact to Japanese woman in Japan. Make sure Japanese woman don't travel alone. When need to, they should fight. Even if the first few who fight may lose, at least they will start to reverse a trend and perception. Hopefully they will later be perceived the same way as western women - thus spare some from being raped.

ugh... I want to throw up..... my girlfriend was "SOLD" to thai men by pretty young thai women at a disco so the men could rape her and give the money they found on her to the women, luckily my girlfriend understood exactly what they were saying (she never let on her Thai was fluent) so didnt drink her drugged drink and escaped. NOTHING makes me see red more than women that are accessories to rape. I expect men to do evil acts, somehow it just seems 10 times worse when women are involved... like they should be looking out for eachother at the facking least...

Damian

[Chloe82]

Such a shame that this thread has been dragged way off topic, now you have to look through mounds of posts about non related things just to find out there is no new news.

[DamianMavis]

Just to clarify, my girlfriend is Japanese, so it has a little to do with a Japanese woman murdered in Thailand since she has almost been murdered herself here. But if all you wanted was news updates than ya... I agree there is alot of unwanted posts in this thread. Sorry for contributing the non update stuff.

Damian

[kat]

Well, as far as the custom seems to be around here, all threads including news threads are discussion threads, unless explicitly stated. We are not at all off topic, and I personally come here for discussion. If I want straight news then I'm perfectly capable of Googling NEWS sites, of which this one is not.

Don't come to a discussion forum for news.

[Nordlys]

JV, most of the temple ruins in the west zone outside central walled area were pretty deserted that we were completely alone when I and my wife visited three of the temples in that area last year (not sure if it's the same zone as Wat Saphan Hin where the murder took place, which I believe is in northwest of central zone). It was about ten minutes drive from the western gate of the walled area, maybe 20 min. by bike. Perhaps best to keep off and stay in central and eastern zone unless you find a companion to tour the historical park with.

Edited December 1, 2007 by Nordlys

[Chloe82]

Well, as far as the custom seems to be around here, all threads including news threads are discussion threads, unless explicitly stated. We are not at all off topic, and I personally come here for discussion. If I want straight news then I'm perfectly capable of Googling NEWS sites, of which this one is not.

Don't come to a discussion forum for news.

Kat-

No, i guess you are correct, as from your past posts it appears you are incapable of being anything else but.

I just wonder though, could point me in the right direction? I can't seem to figure out how the British who migrated to Australia, Europeons being hypocritical and colonization are not at all off topic.

Thanks also for telling me where i can't come to read news.

Chloe.

[seonai]

Chloe it seems very much like it is YOU who is off topic and trying to stir it up! And as for the 'British who migrated to Australia, Europeons being hypocritical and colonization' comment - I dealt with that when it came up as it's my job

Seonai (The Moderation Team)

[kat]

Well, as far as the custom seems to be around here, all threads including news threads are discussion threads, unless explicitly stated. We are not at all off topic, and I personally come here for discussion. If I want straight news then I'm perfectly capable of Googling NEWS sites, of which this one is not.

Don't come to a discussion forum for news.

Kat-

No, i guess you are correct, as from your past posts it appears you are incapable of being anything else but.

I just wonder though, could point me in the right direction? I can't seem to figure out how the British who migrated to Australia, Europeons being hypocritical and colonization are not at all off topic.

Thanks also for telling me where i can't come to read news.

Chloe.

Thanks very much, Seonai, and yes, you did deal with that off comment as it came up and are moderating this thread just perfectly.

Chloe:

If you think that I am a know-it-all, then obviously you haven't read enough of my posts. However, I do try to maintain the discipline of not speaking authoritatively on issues I know nothing about. I really don't feel like getting into a hostile stance over so little, but I do appreciate the discussion on this forum that these threads generate, and have learned a lot from other's comments. Unfortunately, like all other public domains, we have to contend with, well, the public. I think the mods try hard to not turn it into a free-for-all. There is a fine line that they have to walk, between control and open discussion.

If you flip just one page back, you will see the update links. If you are sincere about figuring out where to find good, reliable information, I will be happy to oblige, but I think folks on this thread are doing a great job so far.

*spelling

Edited December 1, 2007 by kat

[seonai]

Thanks Kat. Agreed.

I feel so sorry for all the Japanese women mentioned, Damian's girfriend has been in some really dangerous situations. And it is interesting to read JV's recent post about the current situation in Sukothai - very relevant for other women travelling there.

[PumpuiJomtien]

Japanese tourist slain at ancient capital

SUKHOTHAI: -- A Japanese tourist was slain and robbed over the weekend while visiting Thailand's ancient capital of Sukhothai during Loy Krathong, or the Water Candle festival, police said Monday.

The body of the tourist, identified only by her first name Nomoko, was found with her throat slashed and her possessions stolen Sunday in the grass at the side of the road leading to one of the more remote ruins of the Sukhothai cultural heritage site.

Police said the woman rented a bicycle on Saturday to visit a temple on the outskirts of the main Sukhothai complex, a UNESCO Heritage Site.

Sukhothai Police Chief Major General Thirrin Padungchiwit ordered a manhunt for the perpetrators of the murder. "This is a priority case because it has damaged the reputation of Sukhothai and the entire country," said Thirrin.

The ancient ruins of Sukhothai, which was Thailand's main kingdom between 1250 to 1376, is a major tourist draw during the Loy Krathong festival, observed in Thailand on the night of the full moon in November by floating small vessels with candles and decorations in lakes, ponds and rivers to carry away one's sins.

-- DPA 2007-11-26

It is a tragedy of course; and deserves a lot of attention such as this forum is giving it, but...

I note many of the early posts chastise the authorities for focusing on this case for the "wrong" reasons, i.e., that it will reflect badly on Sukhothai and on Thailand in general. This, per the posters, displays a selfish concern about "face" and money (tourist money in this case). This is then extrapolated to an indictment of Thai society's fixation on face and money. The point was also made a few times that were the victim Thai, the authorities would have given the case much less attention.

May I gently point out that the paper (Bangkok Post) is full of stories of Thais being killed, but nary a mention in this forum. However when a foreign tourist is killed, an entire section, with hundreds of contributions is generated. Is it possible that we, the foreign community, are guilty of the same selfishness of which we accuse the authorities? And that we add to it a large dollop of hypocrisy?

There has been an ongoing case in the paper about a plastic surgeon who botches jobs, then has his patients bumped off when they try to seek redress. I haven't seen any mention of this situation in this forum (forgive me if I've missed it--if it's there, it's pretty buried). Could it be because the victims are Thai? I'm trying imagine the outrage and furor in this forum if a plastic surgeon started bumping off foreign tourists who complained about his work.

As anyone who has read newspapers and followed news around the world for years can attest, a single woman traveling alone to remote places is at some risk. It is an unfortunate testament to the world we live in, but very true, and not at all unique to Thailand. The files are filled with examples. One that springs to mind happened in Washington DC some years ago. A young woman disappeared and a Congressman (California's Gary Condit, with whom she was allegedly having an affair) was under a cloud for a long time. Turned out she simply went jogging alone in a remote part of a park and was killed randomly.

I vacationed in a beautiful old town in Yunnan, China and walked around a stunning lake--this is the foothills of Tibet (foothill is 3000M). The signs on the trails leading up the hill admonish visitors to travel in parties of at least four (yes four) persons. People with local knowledge tell me that drug addicts and bandits will attack hikers. Yes, worldwide. Travel. Enjoy. Be aware and careful.

[Tony Clifton]

I've received email from a cousin a few days ago, asking for advice for one of her friends a young woman who wants to travel alone here for 6 weeks, her first time in Asia.

I approached the question as I would were she my own daughter.

My advice?

No.

Not alone.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

Arriving alone is ok, but making friends and contacts is a must. Travelling isn't just about moving.

It's just sad that she had to meet such an extreme character on her journey.

[kat]

Japanese tourist slain at ancient capital

SUKHOTHAI: -- A Japanese tourist was slain and robbed over the weekend while visiting Thailand's ancient capital of Sukhothai during Loy Krathong, or the Water Candle festival, police said Monday.

The body of the tourist, identified only by her first name Nomoko, was found with her throat slashed and her possessions stolen Sunday in the grass at the side of the road leading to one of the more remote ruins of the Sukhothai cultural heritage site.

Police said the woman rented a bicycle on Saturday to visit a temple on the outskirts of the main Sukhothai complex, a UNESCO Heritage Site.

Sukhothai Police Chief Major General Thirrin Padungchiwit ordered a manhunt for the perpetrators of the murder. "This is a priority case because it has damaged the reputation of Sukhothai and the entire country," said Thirrin.

The ancient ruins of Sukhothai, which was Thailand's main kingdom between 1250 to 1376, is a major tourist draw during the Loy Krathong festival, observed in Thailand on the night of the full moon in November by floating small vessels with candles and decorations in lakes, ponds and rivers to carry away one's sins.

-- DPA 2007-11-26

It is a tragedy of course; and deserves a lot of attention such as this forum is giving it, but...

I note many of the early posts chastise the authorities for focusing on this case for the "wrong" reasons, i.e., that it will reflect badly on Sukhothai and on Thailand in general. This, per the posters, displays a selfish concern about "face" and money (tourist money in this case). This is then extrapolated to an indictment of Thai society's fixation on face and money. The point was also made a few times that were the victim Thai, the authorities would have given the case much less attention.

May I gently point out that the paper (Bangkok Post) is full of stories of Thais being killed, but nary a mention in this forum. However when a foreign tourist is killed, an entire section, with hundreds of contributions is generated. Is it possible that we, the foreign community, are guilty of the same selfishness of which we accuse the authorities? And that we add to it a large dollop of hypocrisy?

There has been an ongoing case in the paper about a plastic surgeon who botches jobs, then has his patients bumped off when they try to seek redress. I haven't seen any mention of this situation in this forum (forgive me if I've missed it--if it's there, it's pretty buried). Could it be because the victims are Thai? I'm trying imagine the outrage and furor in this forum if a plastic surgeon started bumping off foreign tourists who complained about his work.

As anyone who has read newspapers and followed news around the world for years can attest, a single woman traveling alone to remote places is at some risk. It is an unfortunate testament to the world we live in, but very true, and not at all unique to Thailand. The files are filled with examples. One that springs to mind happened in Washington DC some years ago. A young woman disappeared and a Congressman (California's Gary Condit, with whom she was allegedly having an affair) was under a cloud for a long time. Turned out she simply went jogging alone in a remote part of a park and was killed randomly.

I vacationed in a beautiful old town in Yunnan, China and walked around a stunning lake--this is the foothills of Tibet (foothill is 3000M). The signs on the trails leading up the hill admonish visitors to travel in parties of at least four (yes four) persons. People with local knowledge tell me that drug addicts and bandits will attack hikers. Yes, worldwide. Travel. Enjoy. Be aware and careful.

Yes, I can definitely sympathize with your complaints about a seemingly higher value on dangerous or noteworthy events for foreigners rather than locals; I have always seen the two as connected. Focusing on both also gives you much more information about the cultural context. However, I think the primary focus on this forum has always been foreigners, because the very name and origin of the site is about visas, and the overwhelming majority of visitors and posters are foreigners. So, it is not really an oversight but just common sense that the primary focus would be foreigners in Thailand. If you visit any other site for foreigners in another country, I guarantee you the focus will be the same.

As for the danger of lone women everywhere, as I've said before, that is pretty much a truism. We all know of the vulnerabilities of women everywhere, but the real information and question is how are they different? Is it truly the same everywhere? I live in Washington, DC and I have lived in Thailand among other places, and I can tell you that it is much different. If we are not able to understand the variations and the scope and degree of different situations, then we really don't understand anything about individual places. I think these forums are helpful in letting us pool various undocumented experiences that enable us to get a much more detailed and up-close view, than the "sameness" that all people and places can have from a distance (whether that distance is because of location or thinking).

[Rumpole]

It's not confined to the LOS. While I was in Pnom Penh last week a French girl was dragged off a bike during a purse snatching and got hit and killed by a mini-bus.

Murders of foreigners are, thankfully, still comparatively rare in Cambodia. There have only been a handful in the last few years. Admittedly, there are fewer expats and foreign tourists than in Thailand, but proportionately, violence against non-locals is considerably lower. The French girl in the incident above did not have her throat slashed. The perpetrators (who target both local and foreign women) were attempting to rob her, not intentionally commit murder. I am not in any way defending the actions of these criminals - they are, without doubt, both morally and legally responsible for the French girl's tragic and senseless death. However the intent, if not the actually consequence, of the crime, is somewhat different to the cold-blooded slaughter of the Japanese girl in Thailand.

[sriracha john]

JAPANESE WOMAN'S MURDER

Call for more guards at Sukhothai park

Local villagers have urged the Fine Arts Department to provide more security guards at Sukhothai Historical Park following the murder of a female Japanese tourist during the Loy Krathong festival. Tomoko Kawashita was riding a rented bicycle alone when she was murdered near the entrance to Wat Saphan Hin in the compound of Sukhothai Historical Park. Her death has tainted the image of the country and the province, said Banchong Thadnum, the chairman of Muang Khao tambon administration organisation (TAO). The TAO will raise the security issue with the Sukhothai Fine Arts Office Region 6, which oversees the historical park. Anan Chuchote, head of the Fine Arts Office Region 6, admitted that only a few guards were stationed at the park, which covers a vast area and is popular with both local and foreign tourists. The provincial governor will hold a meeting today with relevant agencies to work out safety measures, said Anan, adding he would propose that more security guards be hired to work at the site. The entrance to the temple where the body of the murdered Japanese tourist was found has been declared off-limits by police. Pol Col Prasert Pattanadee said some teenagers had been summonsed for interrogation. A source said police were looking for two teenagers who had

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/03Dec2007_news08.php

[justvisiting]

HI, I'm the American woman visiting Sukhothai who posted earlier. I just wanted to add that the place is crawling with police. I saw many when I visited the ruins, very subtle, but very present. Depending on who you talk to, there are 300, or 1,000 police in the area investigating the case. Reportedly they went around to all the guesthouses with photos of the girl, asking questions. I've talked to a lot of people - guesthouse owners and travelers who were here at the time -- and everyone, everyone gives me a different version or theory. My guesthouse owner says that the Japanese man who they are looking for (reportedly seen on security cameras with her at the border crossing) is her boyfriend, that he arrived in Thailand after her, and that no one can find him now. He thinks that if it were a Thai person, they would have found him by now since people talk. People also talk about how she had a lot of alcohol in her system. Many theories going around, and even more misinformation, from the time of death to what she did the night before. People say that she couldn't get a room, b/c it was Loy Krathong, so perhaps that explains why she came and got her stuff at 2 am -- maybe she had just left her bags at the GH but didn't actually have a room here and her new friends offered her a place to stay...and maybe something went wrong at that point, which is why she headed off so early for the ruins.

Anyway, I can't help being curious about this case while I am in town...Thais seem very cautious about talking about it with me, but will if asked.

[sbk]

Posts have been deleted.

Lets keep this thread on topic and informative instead of descending to petty bickering about spelling.

Thank you for the update, justvisiting, its always good to hear news from people on the ground, as it were.

[Nordlys]

You are right about the Japanese guidebooks; I traveled with a Japanese woman on one of those guidebooks through Malaysia and Indonesia. They were very good, but we still got severely harassed the whole way through Indonesia: I was robbed by a gang, she was bashing men in the head with soda cans who would touch her bare arms, we were almost gassed to death by a faulty heater, and the best advice we got came from a taxi driver, who told us not to take taxis. So, while I agree that the Japanese tour books go very much into depth about safety, there are limitations to all guide books.

Globe Trotter's Guide (Chikyu no Arukikata, Japan's best selling backpacker's guidebook) which Tomoko most likely carried with her actually advises not to tour outside the gated area of the historical park alone, specifically warning western zone (where Wat Saphan Hin is located). It recommends you go there in a group and only in daylight hours.

Here's the stone paved approach leading to Wat Saphan Hin on the hilltop. She has reportedly walked past the gate of this footpath at 7 in the morning.

Edited December 3, 2007 by Nordlys

[LaoPo]

You are right about the Japanese guidebooks; I traveled with a Japanese woman on one of those guidebooks through Malaysia and Indonesia. They were very good, but we still got severely harassed the whole way through Indonesia: I was robbed by a gang, she was bashing men in the head with soda cans who would touch her bare arms, we were almost gassed to death by a faulty heater, and the best advice we got came from a taxi driver, who told us not to take taxis. So, while I agree that the Japanese tour books go very much into depth about safety, there are limitations to all guide books.

Globe Trotter's Guide (Chikyu no Arukikata, Japan's best selling backpacker's guidebook) which Tomoko most likely carried with her actually advises not to tour outside the gated area of the historical park alone, specifically warning western zone (where Wat Saphan Hin is located). It recommends you go there in a group and only in daylight hours.

Here's the stone paved approach leading to Wat Saphan Hin on the hilltop. She has reportedly walked past the gate of this footpath at 7 in the morning.

I reported about this location earlier, here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...t&p=1672388

To point the remote location, I post some more pictures to show how far off Sukhotai national park (the walled ones) she was found:

Wat Saphan Hin is to the far left on a hill (small circle indicates a photo on Google Earth)

the hill is quite steep, leading to the Buddha statue: Wat Saphan Hin.

the steep path leading to the Wat.

Note: look at the person at the foot of the Buddha to see how large the statue is...12,5 Meter high

LaoPo

[sriracha john]

Police seek Japanese man

Police are asking their Japanese counterparts to question a Japanese man who was seen in Sukhothai Historical Park at almost the same time as Tomoko Kawashita, 23, who was found murdered on Nov 25. Detectives want to reach Masao Ito as witnesses have said he entered Wat Saphan Hin temple in the park about five minutes after Tomoko arrived there on Nov 24. Both used rented bicycles. A taxi driver in Sukhothai province said that unlike other foreign visitors, Masao arrived at Sukhothai airport without any luggage when he returned to Bangkok on Nov 26. He spent a night at a hotel on Sathon road and left for Japan at

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/04Dec2007_news30.php

[aussiemuminneed]

Dreadful dreadful news. She rents a bicycle, goes to a holy temple full of the joys of life...only to be brutally murdered with her throat slashed. The cruelty and horror of it all. These despicable acts are not uncommon now in the LOS, and due in all probabability to Ya Ba...cheap and nasty drug. To lose your life for such a few Baht is unthinkable and must be the work of a madman. Deepest sympathies to her family.

Her activities prior to her slaying have nothing to do with the crime save for any part they may play in the sequence of events. Putting into that context is just a lot of sentimental crapola.

Sukhothai Police Chief Major General Thirrin Padungchiwit ordered a manhunt for the perpetrators of the murder. "This is a priority case because it has damaged the reputation of Sukhothai and the entire country," said Thirrin.

Lost cause, old boy. When it comes to personal security, civil rights and due process of law, Thailand is one of the biggest jokes on the planet.

I also agree that Thailands process of law is appalling, what do you expect of a country that allows and harbours criminals of all walks of life, especially from foreign countries. I know of a few men that have skipped out on Australia wanted by our police and cannot do shi_t to bring justice for their wrong doing simply because they chose to flee to Thailand. Who knows who killed that poor girl, could be a foreigner for all that country knows.