Reports Of Violence On Kpg

[girlx]

in the past week, just as i was planning to come back there, i have heard 3 reports of serious problems on KPG... the mother of a friend (in her 50s) was just badly beaten and robbed in her bungalow, a divemaster girl i now helped rescue another girl who was wandering half naked and bleeding down the road and was found to have been dragged off into the jungle and raped for 8 hours before she scratched the guys eyes out and got away, and someone posted a warning on the lonely planet message board recently about several rapes there. what is going on? i know this kind of thing happens a lot and isn't reported, but it sounds like it might be on the increase? it wouldn't surprise me if the airport closing and the economy downturn is starting to have an effect.

[malcolmswaine]

Whatever was good about KPG before has long since gone. I avoid the place like the plague.

[mattias33]

a divemaster girl i now helped rescue another girl who was wandering half naked and bleeding down the road and was found to have been dragged off into the jungle and raped for 8 hours before she scratched the guys eyes out and got away

A story like this sould be hard to "cover up" on an island like Kpg. First of all the girl would need a hospital, not to mention the boy with scratched out eyes.

Is it really true? .

( I dont mean to call you a lier, just asking if the source is reliable).

But, yeah, i agree that the Thais do everything they can to cover up happenings like this since it hurts tourism.

[girlx]

i have to say, this is why i left the island and is why i am reluctant to go back... i have just known too many people with problems and had enough threats myself- and you have no protection at all there.

[girlx]

yes mattias, the source is reliable, the girl who found her took her to the hospital, and they caught the guy... it was a few weeks ago now, but not reported of course.

[mattias33]

i have to say, this is why i left the island and is why i am reluctant to go back... i have just known too many people with problems and had enough threats myself- and you have no protection at all there.

Understandable. If oyu live in Bkk i dont see why you would bother going to Kpg. Except for meeting up with old friends maybe. Otherwise i would choose koh samet as a holiday island. In your case. I dont reccomend Koh pagnan to anybody over 20 years (and thats only for the party). The island just has nothing going for it imo.

[angiud]

i have to say, this is why i left the island and is why i am reluctant to go back... i have just known too many people with problems and had enough threats myself- and you have no protection at all there.

You always write about your bad experience about KPG: how bad, violent, full of junkies, old hippies, etc etc etc. So simply, don't come back. Easy.Nothing personal, just maybe not a good karma for the island.

In my 10 years life here, never had a problem, and most of my friends living here too. But bad people and bad luck everywhere, not just here. Not enough to badtalking everytime you can about KPG

[angiud]

i have to say, this is why i left the island and is why i am reluctant to go back... i have just known too many people with problems and had enough threats myself- and you have no protection at all there.

Understandable. If oyu live in Bkk i dont see why you would bother going to Kpg. Except for meeting up with old friends maybe. Otherwise i would choose koh samet as a holiday island. In your case. I dont reccomend Koh pagnan to anybody over 20 years (and thats only for the party). The island just has nothing going for it imo.

Yes, just IYO.

Do you miss your twenties??

[HamSabai]

i have to say, this is why i left the island and is why i am reluctant to go back... i have just known too many people with problems and had enough threats myself- and you have no protection at all there.

You always write about your bad experience about KPG: how bad, violent, full of junkies, old hippies, etc etc etc.

Well what she says is true...

It is violent, it is full of junkies, locals have complete impunity no matter what they do, the police is INCREDIBLY corrupted even to thai standards, rip-offs are common practice especially during low season.

[girlx]

You always write about your bad experience about KPG: how bad, violent, full of junkies, old hippies, etc etc etc. So simply, don't come back. Easy.Nothing personal, just maybe not a good karma for the island.

exactly, you might not like to hear it, but these are true things. they aren't even my experiences... the lady who was beaten and robbed was from one of the nicest families i have ever met, and she is quite old- not your typical troublemaker. girls who are beaten and raped are not troublemakers either, but victims. 75% of my time on KPG was lovely, but i was there long enough to see that there is a serious dark side to the island, and i don't see the point of keeping quiet about that. it might help someone in the future, whereas people like you would most likely write off their stories as hyped up b.s., and perpetuate the problem(s). wake up, look at reality.

[mattias33]

i have to say, this is why i left the island and is why i am reluctant to go back... i have just known too many people with problems and had enough threats myself- and you have no protection at all there.

You always write about your bad experience about KPG: how bad, violent, full of junkies, old hippies, etc etc etc. So simply, don't come back. Easy.Nothing personal, just maybe not a good karma for the island.

In my 10 years life here, never had a problem, and most of my friends living here too. But bad people and bad luck everywhere, not just here. Not enough to badtalking everytime you can about KPG

She´s only asking a fair question before she go back to visit:

what is going on? i know this kind of thing happens a lot and isn't reported, but it sounds like it might be on the increase? it wouldn't surprise me if the airport closing and the economy downturn is starting to have an effect.

No reason to jump her for that. If posting true happenings is "bad talking" it´s says something about the place dosen´t it?

I agree that bad people and happenings are everywhere, but it seems that for the size and amount of people on Kpg it´s a quite high percentage? I think it is fair to ask people about safety issues before going there.

[angiud]

I don't want anybody misunderstand me. I fell very sorry for the old woman and the young girl. The problem is not to be troublemaker or shanti, in any case I never justify the violence, rape, robbery, etc. I would like a better koh Phangan, but in my opinion KPG is just a mirror of the violence spreading everywhere in Thailand. Not less, no more. The cops are corrupted and inept here like in the rest of the country, I don't feel to say KPG is more violent of BKK, Samui or Samet, shit happens everywhere.

But I don't like people painting KPG like a sort of third world hel_l, no law, no safety, living here at your own risk. Is a safe place, i guess safer than many other countries tourist spots.

[sbk]

Crime and violence has increased substantially in the years I 've been here. But that is to be expected when the population has increased by 300% or more. Is it worse than pattaya or samui? Doubt it. Are the police worse? doubt it. They are bad everywhere imo.

Hyping up stories as if only Koh Phangan has rapes, robberies, crime and junkies is naive. But also suggesting that these don't happen is also naive.

Truth is, people get murdered here, raped here, robbed here. Same as everywhere. Add in a huge itinerant population that is only on the island to make money, add in the the scammers and the rip off artists that are attracted to any place with money coming in, and there you go.

Doesn't mean I don't have any sympathy for the victims. These crimes are a terrible thing. Just like I felt sorry for the local lady who was murdered in Koh Samui a few months back, killed for her money and her gold jewelry. Doesn't mean I think Samui is a hel_l hole, just means that shit happens. And sometimes, its bad.

[OriginalPoster]

I don't want anybody misunderstand me. I fell very sorry for the old woman and the young girl. The problem is not to be troublemaker or shanti, in any case I never justify the violence, rape, robbery, etc. I would like a better koh Phangan, but in my opinion KPG is just a mirror of the violence spreading everywhere in Thailand. Not less, no more. The cops are corrupted and inept here like in the rest of the country, I don't feel to say KPG is more violent of BKK, Samui or Samet, shit happens everywhere.

Somehow it's not very reassuring to think that the rapes, robberies, and beatings in KPG are just a reflection of society.

[sbk]

I don't want anybody misunderstand me. I fell very sorry for the old woman and the young girl. The problem is not to be troublemaker or shanti, in any case I never justify the violence, rape, robbery, etc. I would like a better koh Phangan, but in my opinion KPG is just a mirror of the violence spreading everywhere in Thailand. Not less, no more. The cops are corrupted and inept here like in the rest of the country, I don't feel to say KPG is more violent of BKK, Samui or Samet, shit happens everywhere.

Somehow it's not very reassuring to think that the rapes, robberies, and beatings in KPG are just a reflection of society.

Guess you don't read the Thai newspapers then.

[serpentine]

Come on. You don't want your paradise slandered. The stories of extreme violence that come out of that place over the last few years are outrageous. We know the bad stories are hushed up. Same on all the islands. Saving face. In the end the locals need to weed out the bad element. I never had a problem either, but I know of too many innocent people who have.

[Pilchard]

Just out of interest GirlX, how long did you live on Phangan ?

I only ask because i remember my first couple of years on Samui I was blissfully ignorant about all and any violence except the odd bar brawl.

The longer I've stayed of course my view has been changed somewhat .

[mattias33]

Crime and violence has increased substantially in the years I 've been here. But that is to be expected when the population has increased by 300% or more. Is it worse than pattaya or samui? Doubt it. Are the police worse? doubt it. They are bad everywhere imo.

Hyping up stories as if only Koh Phangan has rapes, robberies, crime and junkies is naive. But also suggesting that these don't happen is also naive.

Truth is, people get murdered here, raped here, robbed here. Same as everywhere. Add in a huge itinerant population that is only on the island to make money, add in the the scammers and the rip off artists that are attracted to any place with money coming in, and there you go.

Doesn't mean I don't have any sympathy for the victims. These crimes are a terrible thing. Just like I felt sorry for the local lady who was murdered in Koh Samui a few months back, killed for her money and her gold jewelry. Doesn't mean I think Samui is a hel_l hole, just means that shit happens. And sometimes, its bad.

Allthough i do agree with what you say sbk, you have to realize yourself that the percentage sounds a bit strange. Here we are talking about 3 different horrible happenings in rescent time, in a very small place. That you can bring up one thing in Samui wich is much bigger and have much more people, and the happening you have is one happening in a few months, speaks for itself. Sure, you are right, these things are everywhere, but in pagnan it seems to be little more (percentagewise). Stuff happens in Bkk everyday, but thats a big city. (10 mil population?). In a small place like pgnan it is not acceptable that 3 of these horrible cases appear in a short period of time.

Also, the police on these islands is much more corrupt than for instans Bangkok. Sure, they takes bribe there aswell, but in here they dont do anything accept playing lottery and collect bribes almost. Can´t really speak about kpg police, i dont know that much about how they work, but to me it looks like a bit outlaw society when these things goes by pretty much un-noticed.

And by the way:

"Hyping up stories as if only Koh Phangan has rapes, robberies, crime and junkies is naive."

Who did that?

She´s just posting a few rescent cases. Thats not "hyping up stories as they are only on koh phangan" is it? Imo this is just overdefence of the island that you like to do. Quite ridicolous actually.

[girlx]

well we've done this topic before, but i do think koh phangan is more dangerous than most places here because of the high amount of drugs floating around and the utter lack of law enforcement/protection.

but i just wonder if the economic downturn is going to make people more desperate and thus violent, not just in koh phangan but everywhere! i was wondering if that might be the case with my friend's mom being robbed, as apparently the island has been really dead since the airport fiasco (say my friends there) and the economy woes aren't helping either. there will be a lot of people without jobs/money these days.

Edited December 21, 2008 by girlx

[sbk]

And by the way:

"Hyping up stories as if only Koh Phangan has rapes, robberies, crime and junkies is naive."

Who did that?

She´s just posting a few rescent cases. Thats not "hyping up stories as they are only on koh phangan" is it? Imo this is just overdefence of the island that you like to do. Quite ridicolous actually.

I do like your selective reading of my post, mattias. Very well done.

I suspect that the bulk of these crimes occurred around the full moon party, which would make sense as every con artist, grifter, scammer, thief and lowlife in Thailand seems to show up to the party for the pickings.

[OriginalPoster]

Crime and violence has increased substantially in the years I 've been here. But that is to be expected when the population has increased by 300% or more. Is it worse than pattaya or samui? Doubt it. Are the police worse? doubt it. They are bad everywhere imo.

Hyping up stories as if only Koh Phangan has rapes, robberies, crime and junkies is naive. But also suggesting that these don't happen is also naive.

Truth is, people get murdered here, raped here, robbed here. Same as everywhere. Add in a huge itinerant population that is only on the island to make money, add in the the scammers and the rip off artists that are attracted to any place with money coming in, and there you go.

Doesn't mean I don't have any sympathy for the victims. These crimes are a terrible thing. Just like I felt sorry for the local lady who was murdered in Koh Samui a few months back, killed for her money and her gold jewelry. Doesn't mean I think Samui is a hel_l hole, just means that shit happens. And sometimes, its bad.

That's an incerdibily cavalier attitude toward rapes and murders. Claiming that "people get murdered here, raped here, robbed here. Same as everywhere." is the height of absrudity. There are still plenty of places in the world where these things are not common occurrences.

[sbk]

I was waiting for something along those lines, OriginalPoster, thanks for not disappointing. Selective reading wins once again.

In fact, I was talking about Thailand and while there may be places where these things don't happen they are few and far between in this neck of the woods (ie Thailand, for those who take things too literally)

[pothai]

Its only a few days ago the OP asked about Xmas dinner on the Island as is going there....I assume that trip is now cancelled....Samui shootings, Kanchanaburi shootings....crime on KPG......great to think that any prospective tourists will read this and not bother...I maintain...Thailand and especially the islands are very safe places to be....one crime every six months amounts to people getting paranoid...please....please...please write about the good things on KPG and Samui...infastructure is non exisitent but crimewise they are very very very safe places to live....

[pothai]

"That's an incerdibily cavalier attitude toward rapes and murders. Claiming that "people get murdered here, raped here, robbed here. Same as everywhere." is the height of absrudity. There are still plenty of places in the world where these things are not common occurrences"

Thailand being one of them....

[pothai]

I overheard a guy today in a restaurant talking about Samui...he was there in the 1980s and was going by what he had read....including ThaiVisa..."its full of mafia"...."only a few rich familys run the place"....wouldnt go there if you paid me....well....thats the kind of impression someone has because of postings like this...they as a lot of people talk through hearsay and not experience...calm it down...lets talk about the beaches

[angiud]

the island has been really dead since the airport fiasco (say my friends there) and the economy woes aren't helping either. there will be a lot of people without jobs/money these days.

Airport in KPG? Nobody ever believe or count on a KPG airport.

but i do think koh phangan is more dangerous than most places here because of the high amount of drugs floating around and the utter lack of law enforcement/protection.

I don't think KPG is the only place where "high amount of drug floating". Instead most of people here just smoke sh_t and chill outside the bungalow. Many thai use Yabaa, much more dangerous, but this happen same or much more in the rest of the Thailand. The problem is only that is easy to stamp KPG like a bad place when something happen. I repeat, sh_t happen in the rest of Thailand too, much more and more violent, but is not cool talk about killing and rape in Kanchanaburi, Pai, Korat etc. KPG is common sense a bad, infamous, junk place so easy to talk about it.

Just for curiosity, have a look on Pattayaone site and try to understand that what you read is only the tip of the iceberg. The rest is still underwater. But KPG is bad...

Edited December 21, 2008 by angiud

[pothai]

I feel safe out alone...BKK ....Samui....Hua Hin and other places...when I in London, never go anywhere because too scared....one important factor most people have come to live in Thailand is because it is peaceful and safe. We can talk hours about mafia etc....in reality it is a very safe place to live and for family tourists to enjoy a relaxing holiday.

[mattias33]

Kpg people are a little special i have to say. So here´s girlx telling us about 3 serious happenings in short time. And the hippies answer with "it happens everywhere". I mean, c´mon guys. Nobody is saying it dont happen everywhere. She just pointed out something that did happen there. Don´t you see how serious this is? It´s you´re home, you are the ones that should be mostly bothered about it, but i guess confessing would bring less people to the place and some of you might live on tourists? Is that why you guys are so defensive?

[girlx]

Its only a few days ago the OP asked about Xmas dinner on the Island as is going there....I assume that trip is now cancelled....Samui shootings, Kanchanaburi shootings....crime on KPG......great to think that any prospective tourists will read this and not bother...I maintain...Thailand and especially the islands are very safe places to be....one crime every six months amounts to people getting paranoid...please....please...please write about the good things on KPG and Samui...infastructure is non exisitent but crimewise they are very very very safe places to live.... wink.gif

pothai i am not a tourist, i lived there for 4+ years, and i do think KPG can be very dangerous. it is certainly not "one crime in every 6 months". and i do think that certain of the expat population are blind to it because they don't get out much.

[LaoPo]

I overheard a guy today in a restaurant talking about Samui...he was there in the 1980s and was going by what he had read....including ThaiVisa..."its full of mafia"...."only a few rich familys run the place"....wouldnt go there if you paid me....well....thats the kind of impression someone has because of postings like this...they as a lot of people talk through hearsay and not experience...calm it down...lets talk about the beaches

..... If he was on Samui in the 1980's he must have come by ferry; the airport opened in 1989. By reading your post I'm not sure WHAT the guy said or what he heard or read...

LaoPo