Tourist Found Dead On Koh Phangan

[sriracha john]

Man held over 'full moon party' murder

Thai police said today they had arrested a Thai man for the murder of a female German tourist at the weekend during a 'full moon party' on the southern island of Koh Phangnan.

Police said the suspect, whose name was withheld, had confessed to killing 46-year-old Munich resident Astrid Al-Assaad-Schachner on Saturday night because she had been stalking him.

Ms Al-Assaad-Schachner was a regular visitor to Thailand last year, sometimes staying for several weeks to join in the monthly parties to celebrate the arrival of the full moon.

Each month the 24-hour beach parties, known for their wild mixture of drink and drugs, attract as many as 10,000 revellers and are nearly always followed by reports of criminal activity, ranging from theft and drug abuse to rape and murder.

- Reuters / 2009-01-12

===============================================

[sbk]

Tourist dead on Thai beach

BANGKOK - A GERMAN woman holidaying in Thailand was found dead on a beach in a southern resort island over the weekend and may have been murdered, police said on Monday.

The 46-year-old woman was discovered on Sunday morning on Pha Ngan island, famous among tourists for its raucous full moon parties, said Lieutenant Colonel Somsak Nhurod of the local police station.

'There were some bruises on her left cheek and right hands, but those marks are not likely the cause of death. There was also no sign of rape,' Col Somsak said.

'We suspect she might have been murdered somewhere else because her top half was naked but there were no signs of fighting at the spot her body was found or of her clothes,' he added.

The woman's body was being sent to Bangkok for forensic tests, he said. Her identity was not immediately confirmed.

The woman had come to Pha Ngan last month to take a course in tattoo art, Col Somsak said, adding that she was last seen at a party on Saturday night.

The German embassy in Bangkok was not available to comment.

Despite its reputation as a holiday paradise, Thailand has seen a series of tourist murders in recent years, including the shooting deaths of two Russian women whose bodies were found slumped on deck chairs in Pattaya in 2007. -- AFP

Source: Straits Times

[Boater]

why are the police with holding the name??? ... first time i have seen this

[alex_aka_P]

the suspect, whose name was withheld, had confessed to killing 46-year-old Munich resident Astrid Al-Assaad-Schachner on Saturday night because she had been stalking him.

The reason is big enough to become a KILLER, indeed...... he better kill his paranoidal thoughts when "being high" after some pills...

Stupid. Hope he'll get a death sentence. Flying high, baby boy...

[sriracha john]

German tourist found dead on Thai beach: police

A German woman holidaying in Thailand was found dead on a beach in a southern resort island over the weekend and may have been murdered, police said on Monday.

The 46-year-old woman was discovered on Sunday morning on Pha Ngan island, famous among tourists for its raucous full moon parties, said Lieutenant Colonel Somsak Nhurod of the local police station.

"There were some bruises on her left cheek and right hands, but those marks are not likely the cause of death. There was also no sign of rape," Somsak said.

"We suspect she might have been murdered somewhere else because her top half was naked but there were no signs of fighting at the spot her body was found or of her clothes," he added.

The woman's body was being sent to Bangkok for forensic tests, he said. Her identity was not immediately confirmed.

The woman had come to Pha Ngan last month to take a course in tattoo art, Somsak said, adding that she was last seen at a party on Saturday night.

The German Embassy in Bangkok was not available to comment.

Despite its reputation as a holiday paradise, Thailand has seen a series of tourist murders in recent years, including the shooting deaths of two Russian women whose bodies were found slumped on deck chairs in Pattaya in 2007.

Agence France-Presse / January 12, 2009

[Samuian]

why are the police with holding the name??? ... first time i have seen this

..told to... VIP treatment?

[BigC]

Colonel Charoon U-chuparp, superintendent of Ko Pha-ngan Police Station, said local and tourist police were now trying to find the murderer. "We will bring the culprit to justice," he said.

Sad news,for her family, the island,and the full moon party's.

Trying too find the culprit out of 10,000 visitors,must be like trying too find a needle in a haystack.

i hope the police get the right person rarther than some inoccent person just to put a spin to keep toursime ripe. not accusing any one of anything. i just hope that that would not happen

[sbk]

Indeed, no local person I know has any faith in the local Police or their detection capabilities and I find it odd that someone would so conveniently come forth and confess so quickly.

But, not knowing any details it could be there were witnesses...

[photojourn]

Seems like Thais just can't help but try to destroy all of its tourism prospects.

(1) Close airports and disrupt hundreds of thousands of tourists and business travelers

(2) Burn club goers to death on New Years

(3) Murder tourists (and possibly rape) attending the FMP.

Ummmmm, Is it possible some people confused the words brains for rain?

[sbk]

There is no evidence that she attended the FMP. It doesn't appear to have anything to do with the party as she was seen drinking at a bar in Thong Sala (the party is in Hadrin) the night before she was discovered, according to the Thai Rath article.

[sbk]

Komchadleuk has an article in their online paper which suggests that the police have 3 suspects.

[redscouse]

he is named here

The Nation

A tattoo artist Monday confessed that he strangled a female foreign tourist on Ko Phangan.

Tiwat Kasemchoke, 29, was now in police detention.

His victim, 45yearold Anstril An Anssad Chavaner, was found dead on Sunday with bruises around her neck and her body topless.

"She had humiliated me. She often told other foreigners that I fell for her and tried to rape her several times, which is not true," Tiwat claimed, "It's she who wanted to be in a relationship".

Police summoned Tiwat for questioning since Sunday's night because the German tourist was last seen alive in his company.

"I'd planned to kill her. So, I invited her to a party at a shop where I've been working," Tiwat said, "Then, I suggested that we walked to a beach together. That's where I punched and strangled her".

The Nation

[Boo]

cold blooded murder if his confession is accurate. nasty peice of work.

RIP to this woman.

[baht&sold]

Charoon also expressed concern that the case would hurt Ko Pha-ngan's image and tourism industry.

The best way to assist Koh Phangan's image and tourism industry is for the police to show they're conducting a thorough and transparent investigation. This Thai officialdom mindset of "quick, get a scape-goat or sweep it under the rug and maybe it'll go away" is a perrenial cause of lack of confidence in the authorities.

Hopefully they've got the right man here.

The murdered lady sounds like she had an affinity for Koh Phangan, with many visits and extended stays and one sincerely hopes she may rest in peace. Condolences to her family and loved ones.

Edited January 12, 2009 by baht&sold

[sbk]

The body of Astrid al Assaad Schachner, 46, was discovered on Pha Ngan island on Sunday morning.

"The police have arrested a 29-year-old man, who confessed to murdering the 46-year-old German woman," Lieutenant Colonel Somsak Nhurod said.

He named the suspect as Tiwat Kasempoch and said he worked at a tattoo parlour where the victim was last seen on Saturday night.

"Tiwat said he was drunk and angry at her," Lt Col Somsak added.

"He found her alone outside a 7-Eleven convenience store so he invited her to join him on a motorcycle ride," he revealed.

"They went together to the beach... he then strangled her with his hands."

Source: Sky News UK

[jtp]

he is named here

The Nation

A tattoo artist Monday confessed that he strangled a female foreign tourist on Ko Phangan.

Tiwat Kasemchoke, 29, was now in police detention.

His victim, 45yearold Anstril An Anssad Chavaner, was found dead on Sunday with bruises around her neck and her body topless.

several s, which is not true," Tiwat claimed, "It's she who wanted to be in a relationship".

"She had humiliated me. timeShe often told other foreigners that I fell for her and tried to rape her

Police summoned Tiwat for questioning since Sunday's night because the German tourist was last seen alive in his company.

"I'd planned to kill her. So, I invited her to a party at a shop where I've been working," Tiwat said, "Then, I suggested that we walked to a beach together. That's where I punched and strangled her".

The Nation

So he killed her to show he wasn't a bad person??Sounds like he is seriously messed up in the head.Poor woman.

[Samuian]

So he killed her to show he wasn't a bad person??Sounds like he is seriously messed up in the head.Poor woman.

Would be deranged, out of his mind, f_ckhead a proper term?

I still have the gut feeling that there is more to the story...

Sorry for this lady...and her relatives....!

Edited January 12, 2009 by Samuian

[girlx]

anyone know which tattoo shop the guy is from?

[bruceboy]

So sad. RIP.

[sbk]

Here is the report on thai Rath along with the picture of the man that has been arrested.

[girlx]

hmm. no one i know- phew!

"She had humiliated me. She often told other foreigners that I fell for her and tried to rape her several times, which is not true," Tiwat claimed, "It's she who wanted to be in a relationship".

..."I'd planned to kill her. So, I invited her to a party at a shop where I've been working," Tiwat said, "Then, I suggested that we walked to a beach together. That's where I punched and strangled her".

i know other KPG expats tend to disagree, but this mentality among a lot of the Thais there is nothing new.

[angiud]

i know other KPG expats tend to disagree, but this mentality among a lot of the Thais there is nothing new.

That is not a KPG-related mentality, but a Thai, or more global widespread menthality.

KPG is not so different from the rest of the Kingdom, and the Kingdom is not so different from the rest of the South-East Asia, etc.

That criminal mentality appear less or more everywhere in some kind of male animals.

May she rest in peace.

And may he lasts in jail forever

[mssabai]

OH MY GOD. I know him. Met him loads of times. Works in the Tattoo Club. Always seemed to be a pretty nice guy to be honest. I am in absolute shock. Poor poor woman. And stupid sick guy. I feel a bit ill actually. I always thought my judgements were pretty good...

[Jimjim]

He obviously lacks some sort of moral compass to have killed for humiliation. However, this has lead people to kill before, in Thailand for sure and other places as well. Murderers often want power over the victim, and feel they somehow "right" the world balance by killing someone who they feel had the power over them. Truly disturbing.

[sriracha john]

Discovery site of the murdered German tourist after the full moon party on the Thai island Ko Phangan.

The Thai tattooist Tiwat Kasempote is main suspect in the murder case Astrid Al-Assaad Schachmer.

The German tourist Astrid A. (45) was found dead after a full moon party in Thailand at the beach.

In January 2004 several visitors of the full moon party before Ko Phangan had drowned.

Victim of the boat misfortune of 24.1.2004.

Salvage of the misfortune boat between Ko Samui and Ko Phangan (photo of 25.1.2004).

Photos: DPA

German murdered after full moon party in Thailand

A German tourist was murdered in Thailand after a full moon party at the beach. The police arrested a native tattooist. The 29-year old confessed, said a police spokesman on the island Phangan, approximately 430 kilometers south of Bangkok.

The corpse of the 45-year old victim had been discovered on Sunday morning in shallow water. The corpse of the woman was only dressed in jeans.

It was brought for autopsy to Bangkok. According to her passport, she spent four months last year in Thailand. The police assumed she visited the island several times.

Phangan, west the vacation island Samui, is famous and notorious for its full moon parties with much alcohol and drugs and attracts each month of thousands foreign tourists. On Saturday evening more than 10,000 humans at the beach were there according to data of the police.

- Südkurier (Baden-Württemberg, Germany) / 2009-01-12

[brahmburgers]

So he killed her to show he wasn't a bad person??Sounds like he is seriously messed up in the head.Poor woman.

In the Thai psyche, there is a thin line between appearing normal and going beserk.

"Saving face" here can take precedence over everything else. If you get in close and mix with Thai folk, you'll find that threats of murder are not a rarity. A significant segment of Thais can sling death threats for things that might appear almost trivial to westerners - especially things that can be construed as demeaning.

One of my neighbors had an inspector come to the front gate of his house - looking for a thief. Right away, the both men realized it was mistaken identity. The inspector turned to leave, but the neighbor shouted death threats at him for the next five minutes.

Another neighbor couldn't figure out how to put soiled pampers in a trash can with a lid - to keep dogs out. His farang neighbor (me) mentioned it a few times (new sets of soiled pampers were found strewn all across my lawn every morning for a week). The neighbor shouted death threats at me.

.......such is a part of the real underbelly of Thai folks.

[jtp]

So he killed her to show he wasn't a bad person??Sounds like he is seriously messed up in the head.Poor woman.

In the Thai psyche, there is a thin line between appearing normal and going beserk.

"Saving face" here can take precedence over everything else. If you get in close and mix with Thai folk, you'll find that threats of murder are not a rarity. A significant segment of Thais can sling death threats for things that might appear almost trivial to westerners - especially things that can be construed as demeaning.

One of my neighbors had an inspector come to the front gate of his house - looking for a thief. Right away, the both men realized it was mistaken identity. The inspector turned to leave, but the neighbor shouted death threats at him for the next five minutes.

Another neighbor couldn't figure out how to put soiled pampers in a trash can with a lid - to keep dogs out. His farang neighbor (me) mentioned it a few times (new sets of soiled pampers were found strewn all across my lawn every morning for a week). The neighbor shouted death threats at me.

.......such is a part of the real underbelly of Thai folks.

Wow,sounds like your neighbour has a few screws loose....Some people cannot be reasoned with.Luckily,these people tend to make enemies everywhere,just a shame the perpetrator in the case of this German lady didn't get his comeupence before he decided to kill some one...

[Samuian]

........

One of my neighbors had an inspector come to the front gate of his house - looking for a thief. Right away, the both men realized it was mistaken identity. The inspector turned to leave, but the neighbor shouted death threats at him for the next five minutes.

Another neighbor couldn't figure out how to put soiled pampers in a trash can with a lid - to keep dogs out. His farang neighbor (me) mentioned it a few times (new sets of soiled pampers were found strewn all across my lawn every morning for a week). The neighbor shouted death threats at me.

.......such is a part of the real underbelly of Thai folks.

Yep, it's NEVER them, it's always "someone else", as this guy who killed might still believe that he did nothing wrong!

Sad, but it's their mindset!

I still think that there is more to the story.....!

[Smithson]

Several months ago some customers in my shop were quite concerned about what they'd seen in a tattoo parlor in KPG. I t As they were walking past the noticed an unconscious woman with Thai men around her. The approached the place to see what was going on, but two of them men rushed out and aggressively told them to go away.

This was also the night of the full moon party.

[girlx]

i know other KPG expats tend to disagree, but this mentality among a lot of the Thais there is nothing new.

In the Thai psyche, there is a thin line between appearing normal and going beserk.

"Saving face" here can take precedence over everything else. If you get in close and mix with Thai folk, you'll find that threats of murder are not a rarity.

i agree with your point, as seen above... i do think it is more of a problem in koh phangan though as the police are sparse and the ones that are there are useless. i still don't understand why KPG has no tourist police when it is one of the biggest tourist destinations in thailand. there is zero retribution for the most part for serious crimes there. only if something happens to get into the spotlight before they can cover it up is there an appearance of something being done. i agree with SBK that this tattoo guy could have been forced to confess, since they found him so quickly.... but no way to tell.