British Yachting Couple Attacked In Satun

[FarangCravings]

If your going to go sailing your fancy rich yacht around dangerous seas close to the province of people starving with no money or possessions don't be surprised if your attacked!

Its like walking through a ghetto wearing a Rolex! what do you expect?

Really, soft rich white folk having 'an adventure' really should do more research and take more precautions.

Of course its all very sad and my commiserations go out to the family etc etc etc...but really!...stick to a boating lake in Surrey loves.

pathetic post

[bangkokrick]

AOL UK news report.

Pirates killed a British man and threw his body overboard before forcing his terrified wife to steer their yacht to shore, police in Thailand have said.

Malcolm Robertson, 64, was killed on Monday while sailing with his wife Linda, 57, near Koh Dong, an island off southern Thailand.

Rest of the story

Cheers, Rick

[jonclark]

I notice that it's Burmese immigrants - I wonder if and when the government will use this incident as justification for any future heavy handed deportations of illegals, as we saw recently with the Rhyoniga, all in the name of keeping Thailand safe for tourists.

But, anyway a terrible incident, condolences and thoughts with the family.

[hansnl]

If your going to go sailing your fancy rich yacht around dangerous seas close to the province of people starving with no money or possessions don't be surprised if your attacked!

Its like walking through a ghetto wearing a Rolex! what do you expect?

Really, soft rich white folk having 'an adventure' really should do more research and take more precautions.

Of course its all very sad and my commiserations go out to the family etc etc etc...but really!...stick to a boating lake in Surrey loves.

In Dutch we have a saying: HE IS TALKING OUT OF HIS NECK.

Fits you!

[LadyHeather]

Saddest of all is not just that this was the final leg of a 10 year round the world sailing trip but that some posters could be so petty as to 1. blame the victims and 2.try to make it out as if the wife were somehow what? letting her husband be murdered? complicit? Some of the astounding theories that get put forward on this forum really seem to be the result of twisted and bitter minds.

[LongThaimer]

For a broader picture it is perhaps about time something serious is done about Burma (not myanmar for me) as their citizens looking for survival are more desperate than ever and threaten the whole south-east asian countries

BS !!!!!!!

murders are daily occurance in other south-east asian countries as well.........and mainly amogst their own citizens.....frequency-wise, number-wise.......

this particular one took place in a third country where foreign tourists were involved and migrant workers happens to be prime suspects..... straightforward criminal case nevertheless ..... why nationalities of suspects such an issue to you?

how about thais killing foreigners.......shall something serious be done before thailand becomes a threat to the rest of the world?

It is not bullshit. Take the time to read what the poster is saying.

The peoples of poor countries will resort to these criminal/terrorist activities. This is basic economics. History confirms. If Burma were more democratic and not so poor these activities would be fewer. That is what the poster is saying. This is not bullshit. Please post constructively if you post at all. Cliches went out with the plague (sic) !!

Absolute BS !!!!!!

you don't have to speak for OP, i understood what i undrestood......threaten the whole south-east asian countries. no need to get racist. period.

like i said, this is a straight forward criminal case which took place on thai soil and offenders be punished to the fullest according to thai law UNBIASED regardless of where they are from......that's all....

as for you........you got some hatred towards migrant workers...that's your problem.....crimes will always be part of human existence............

now tell me what about that welsh girl raped and killed by 2 THAI fisherman in thailand? about those 2 russian girls murdered in cold blood on pattaya beach by THAI assasin? have you not read about THAI wives murdering foreign husbands out of greed.....???? so by your logic none of those people wouldn't have been murdered had they not come to thailand in the first place like there would be no boat murder if no fisherman ...yes????...... what a load of twisted logic you have there man........

baisc economics...eh??? have you not hear of transnational criminal gangs based in rich countries, much richer than thailand ???? of course not, in your little world criminals only comes from that poor country next door to you ...... look at the local newspapers ......thais are killing thais on thais daily basis for ...... lust, power, jealousy, whatever you name it ........it's 21st century........ get out of your cave and see what's happening outside for once ........

[Oberkommando]

Makes one wonder how safe is it to holiday in the Kingdom these days. SAD SAD, RIP

Made me think of this article from The Independent.

With so many Britons murdered in Thailand, why does our Government not warn of the dangers faced there?

[wasabi]

I notice that it's Burmese immigrants - I wonder if and when the government will use this incident as justification for any future heavy handed deportations of illegals, as we saw recently with the Rhyoniga, all in the name of keeping Thailand safe for tourists.

But, anyway a terrible incident, condolences and thoughts with the family.

This incident and others like it occurring from illegal immigrants quite justly can be used for the deportation method used by the Thais'. Hopefully Thailand continues to keep their borders secure by any means needed for all of our safety.

Edited March 25, 2009 by wasabi

[LongThaimer]

I notice that it's Burmese immigrants - I wonder if and when the government will use this incident as justification for any future heavy handed deportations of illegals, as we saw recently with the Rhyoniga, all in the name of keeping Thailand safe for tourists.

But, anyway a terrible incident, condolences and thoughts with the family.

This incident and others like it occurring from illegal immigrants quite justly can be used for the deportation method used by the Thais'. Hopefully Thailand continues to keep their borders secure by any means needed for all of our safety.

yes...by all means

keep the CHEAP illegal workers out of thailand ......and watch the labour intensive industries including fishing disappear from thailand in no time.......

[Jimjim]

Sickening.

[balo]

RIP

Its also in the news over here in Scandinavia and will not help the tourism to Thailand.

When will it stop ?

[OxfordWill]

Sir Peter Blake, skipper of New Zealand of America's Cup victories in the 90s, was killed on the Amazon when his research vessel was attacked. He was below at the time, came on deck with the ship's rifle, and was killed.

I had a friend on board at the time. He was fairly traumatised (of course). Even with arms it is not a guaranteed safety.

[lizardofoz]

Quote from lizard of oz.

You might be interested to know that most of the pirates in that book were mostly British prisoners of war. One group of prisoners against the other in the end. They were running out of food. The book is based around a true story from World War two.

I bet you are the same person that tells people the ending of films to !!

I didnt give away the plot. It isnt a very well written book. I bought it years ago.

I try not to tell people the ending of films.

Cheers

[qualtrough]

For a broader picture it is perhaps about time something serious is done about Burma (not myanmar for me) as their citizens looking for survival are more desperate than ever and threaten the whole south-east asian countries

BS !!!!!!!

murders are daily occurance in other south-east asian countries as well.........and mainly amogst their own citizens.....frequency-wise, number-wise.......

this particular one took place in a third country where foreign tourists were involved and migrant workers happens to be prime suspects..... straightforward criminal case nevertheless ..... why nationalities of suspects such an issue to you?

how about thais killing foreigners.......shall something serious be done before thailand becomes a threat to the rest of the world?

It is not bullshit. Take the time to read what the poster is saying.

The peoples of poor countries will resort to these criminal/terrorist activities. This is basic economics. History confirms. If Burma were more democratic and not so poor these activities would be fewer. That is what the poster is saying. This is not bullshit. Please post constructively if you post at all. Cliches went out with the plague (sic) !!

Absolute BS !!!!!!

you don't have to speak for OP, i understood what i undrestood......threaten the whole south-east asian countries. no need to get racist. period.

like i said, this is a straight forward criminal case which took place on thai soil and offenders be punished to the fullest according to thai law UNBIASED regardless of where they are from......that's all....

as for you........you got some hatred towards migrant workers...that's your problem.....crimes will always be part of human existence............

now tell me what about that welsh girl raped and killed by 2 THAI fisherman in thailand? about those 2 russian girls murdered in cold blood on pattaya beach by THAI assasin? have you not read about THAI wives murdering foreign husbands out of greed.....???? so by your logic none of those people wouldn't have been murdered had they not come to thailand in the first place like there would be no boat murder if no fisherman ...yes????...... what a load of twisted logic you have there man........

baisc economics...eh??? have you not hear of transnational criminal gangs based in rich countries, much richer than thailand ???? of course not, in your little world criminals only comes from that poor country next door to you ...... look at the local newspapers ......thais are killing thais on thais daily basis for ...... lust, power, jealousy, whatever you name it ........it's 21st century........ get out of your cave and see what's happening outside for once ........

You have completely missed the point LongThaimer. I am sure that most others here understood what the writer was trying to say, and it has nothing to do with hatred of migrants. The fact that a country's descent into economic and political chaos can have repercussions on neighboring countries is not even debatable. Those poor Rohingyas that arrived here would not be doing that if they were not being persecuted back home. On the other hand, you clearly have some kind of bone to pick with Thais!

[Nampeung]

Anyone got an update on the circumstances around this case ?

[cosa]

At the end of the video clip it looks like some Thai man tried to punch one of the perpetrators while the police were transferring him on land.

I wonder why, they don't like the Burmese nationals? Affects the tourism trade maybe... Would they do it to a fellow Thai if it was he who committed the crime?

Yes they would I watched a you tube video of a car crash here in thailand where a car rammed into the back of a pick up truck while rescue workers were loading a motorbike on the back of it a horrific crash he just ploughed into the pick up trucj apparently the guy hit lost his legs

Anyway while the cops cuffed the driver the friends of the injured one kept trying to attack the guy and got in a few good punches before the cops gained control

But in this case i highly doubt the Thai man was a friend of the deceased, i just never seen the Thais lash out before at another Thai for committing a crime against a farang.

[hagler]

sailing the high seas used to be an adventure,today it looks like a a dangerous one.

know how to buy and shoot an AK47 might help.

An AK is of no use on a small craft. No room to use it inside. ( 95% of attacks on small craft take place after stealth boarding, usually at night)

Best weapon to have on hand is a grenade. Small and portable, can be hidden easily so you dont have to declare it to customs at every new port you arrive in and the attackers know that everyone in that cabin is going to die so they tend to back off real fast.

Worked for me anyway in 50000 sea miles....

[caf]

For a broader picture it is perhaps about time something serious is done about Burma (not myanmar for me) as their citizens looking for survival are more desperate than ever and threaten the whole south-east asian countries

BS !!!!!!!

murders are daily occurance in other south-east asian countries as well.........and mainly amogst their own citizens.....frequency-wise, number-wise.......

this particular one took place in a third country where foreign tourists were involved and migrant workers happens to be prime suspects..... straightforward criminal case nevertheless ..... why nationalities of suspects such an issue to you?

how about thais killing foreigners.......shall something serious be done before thailand becomes a threat to the rest of the world?

It is not bullshit. Take the time to read what the poster is saying.

The peoples of poor countries will resort to these criminal/terrorist activities. This is basic economics. History confirms. If Burma were more democratic and not so poor these activities would be fewer. That is what the poster is saying. This is not bullshit. Please post constructively if you post at all. Cliches went out with the plague (sic) !!

Absolute BS !!!!!!

you don't have to speak for OP, i understood what i undrestood......threaten the whole south-east asian countries. no need to get racist. period.

like i said, this is a straight forward criminal case which took place on thai soil and offenders be punished to the fullest according to thai law UNBIASED regardless of where they are from......that's all....

as for you........you got some hatred towards migrant workers...that's your problem.....crimes will always be part of human existence............

now tell me what about that welsh girl raped and killed by 2 THAI fisherman in thailand? about those 2 russian girls murdered in cold blood on pattaya beach by THAI assasin? have you not read about THAI wives murdering foreign husbands out of greed.....???? so by your logic none of those people wouldn't have been murdered had they not come to thailand in the first place like there would be no boat murder if no fisherman ...yes????...... what a load of twisted logic you have there man........

baisc economics...eh??? have you not hear of transnational criminal gangs based in rich countries, much richer than thailand ???? of course not, in your little world criminals only comes from that poor country next door to you ...... look at the local newspapers ......thais are killing thais on thais daily basis for ...... lust, power, jealousy, whatever you name it ........it's 21st century........ get out of your cave and see what's happening outside for once ........

sounds as if you're drunk. i made no racist remarks, have no problem with migrant workers. i did not say none of these people would have been murdered. your post is quite garbled. you just don't think about what posters are writing.

[cloudhopper]

News starting to make the rounds in the yachting world-

http://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/lectro...5&dayid=249

Not the first time Burmese slaves (oops sorry I meant migrant workers) from a Thai fishing trawler have gone violent but the only other piracy attack I can remember around here was off Patong, perpetrated by a German expat who was killed in the attempt.

[brahmburgers]

.....looks like some Thai man tried to punch one of the perpetrators while the police were transferring him on land. ....would they do it to a fellow Thai if it was he who committed the crime?

Common practice to punch and kick suspects - particularly lower caste. Happened in my house, when cops came and apprehended a thief that my maintenance guy had caught (the thief dove out a bathroom window with his takings). About 5 cops stood around the thief, taking turns hitting and kicking him. they offered me a shot, but I declined. The perpetrator was a hill tribe guy, but I'm sure similar scenarios happen with others caught in the act.

OK, the BBC report makes more sense. Sailed for hours with the lady then the Burmese left and the lady sailed over to a fishing boat and fishermen called for hep. Police came out and spotted the Burmese in the dingy escaping with the credit cards. Therefore, the Burmese must have been heading towards Thailand while the police where heading out to the fishing boat and yacht. The yacht must have been intercepted some distance away from Thailand and the criminals wanted to come here.

However, how did the Burmese get to the boat in the first place? Why would they just leave their own dingy. If they were poor they would've wanted to keep it. Killing isn't enough of a reason to take a credit card and leave behind a boat.

Why didn't they just leave on the same boat they came on or take the big boat and kill the lady, too? Why only take credit cards when they can be canceled so easily, and Burmese could never get away with using credit cards with a foreign name on it whilst there wouldn't be enough time to sell them on before they were canceled.

If they only wanted credit cards why not take them from the husband without killing him? There's no mention if they took anything from the lady....Is it about ego? Would the husband have not accepted to drive the yacht further in land to let them escape whilst the wife would?

If some kids are out looking to rip off, they're not going to think things through - before or during their heist. They're dirt poor, they're winging it, they may also be dazed from sniffing glue/gas, - they're not titans of deductive articulate thinking.

[Pakeha]

Common practice to punch and kick suspects - particularly lower caste. Happened in my house, when cops came and apprehended a thief that my maintenance guy had caught (the thief dove out a bathroom window with his takings). About 5 cops stood around the thief, taking turns hitting and kicking him. they offered me a shot, but I declined. The perpetrator was a hill tribe guy, but I'm sure similar scenarios happen with others caught in the act.

You should see what they do to them in Burma. I was on a trip (late at night in the middle of bluddy nowhere) in the back of a songthaew in northern Burma with a bunch of locals. One of them was blind drunk and causing a real raucous. The other Burmese were really angry with him. I think they were embarressed with the way he was acting in front of this strange farang. They were kicking him over and over and wouldn't let him get off the floor of the songthaew. They were kicking him in the head so hard it was smashing against the floor too. Needless to say I wasn't feeling too comfortable. They were all watching me to see my reaction and see if I'd join in. In the end we rolled up to a police station and they pretty much threw him out the back onto the roadside and gave a toot to the police to come and scrape him off the road. I always wondered if the silly fool survived or simply got run over by the next passing vehicle.

[lizardofoz]

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A British man sailing with his wife off the coast of southern Thailand was allegedly beaten to death and thrown overboard by men trying to steal their dinghy, Thai police said Tuesday.

Police arrested three migrant workers from neighbouring Myanmar whom they accused of attacking Malcolm Robertson and his wife, Linda, Monday on their yacht anchored off the coast of Satun, a southern province bordering Malaysia.

"They tried to steal the dinghy and beat Mr. Robertson with their fists and hammers until he died," Police Colonel Virat Ohn-song, chief of the La-ngoo district police station, told Reuters.

He said police were searching for the body.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/domesticNews...E52N36R20090324

Lana,

This is from close friends on another yacht stationed in Phuket. Names lef tout to protect their privacy

It is in a state of grief and disbelief we write this account of the recent tragic event which culminated in Malc's murder, to inform mutual cruising friends as well as others sailing these waters. Some of you may have read media reports but this is a succinct version of Lindie's own story :-

On Tues 24th March Mr Bean was lying to a buoy off the SE side of Koh Adang in the Butang Group (20nm NW of Telaga, Langkawi). At around 00.30 three teenage, illegal immigrants from Myanmar swam out and climbed aboard, where they attacked Malc in the bow incapacitating him, then Lindie in the aft cabin. She was trussed with rope. Malc subsequently came round and challenged them, telling them to get off the boat. Lindie heard a scream then nothing more.

They eventually came to get her to assist in starting the engine. As she went through the saloon she realised that the sticky substance beneath her feet was a large quantity of thick blood. She was returned to the forepeak. They stormed off at full throttle for around six hours probably heading east around the north of Koh Tarutoa before anchoring in a bay on a small island about 1nm off the Thai mainland near Langu. There they trashed the boat before leaving at around 10am in the dinghy with an unreliable 2HP engine. Lindie managed to escape, start the engine and get up the anchor before they could paddle back to Mr Bean.

She went to a nearby fishing fleet to get help and when the Taratoa Park Rangers and police arrived they took-off and quickly arrested the attackers. Lindie was detained in hospital, very distraught and bruised by hammer blows and bindings. We think Malc's body was thrown overboard within an hour of the boat setting off and it has not as yet been found. The hammer an knife used in the attack were both from Mr Bean.

This we believe may be a one-off in special circumstances where the three Myanmar culprits escaped from a Thai fishing boat where they were been treated as slaves. How what they claimed was a raid to get food went so terribly wrong we will never know. They were all in their teens, the youngest being 15. Perhaps a return to the Caribbean tactic of locking yourself in at night when in remote anchorages should be considered.

Words cannot discribe the exceptional support that Lindie has received from the British Embassy, Royal Thai Police, Hospital and Tourist Authority. There have been countless expressions of kindness from every quarter.

We were involved when, along with the family, Lindie told the embassy staff of Dave & Di on Amoenitas in Phuket. The local Honourary Consul traced us to the hardstand at the Royal Phuket where the teak decks are being replaced. We took-off in a car on a seven hour drive to be with her for the day before their four children arrive.

This is a very brief description of a long and harrowing experience during which Lindie spent the whole night pleading for her life. There is much, much more to tell but not in this format.

[Nampeung]

The story has just been on main news in UK. Wife spoke of ordeal and how the youths played with her mobile phone, ate food and laughed and joked around.

And, true to the home of good reporting, the reporter did not once mention the word 'Burmese' only saying that the incident happened in Thailand and that all we can do is wait to see what the Thai police come up with next ...

[Freddie_fly]

sailing the high seas used to be an adventure,today it looks like a a dangerous one.

know how to buy and shoot an AK47 might help.

Sir Peter Blake, skipper of New Zealand of America's Cup victories in the 90s, was killed on the Amazon when his research vessel was attacked. He was below at the time, came on deck with the ship's rifle, and was killed.

Ships going around Somalia are encouraged to have a couple of snipers on deck at all times, to pick off the pirates in fast inflatables. On a big ship, it's easy to hit your target; from an inflatable at speed, bloody near impossible.

My thoughts are with the deceased's family...and may the perps find a special place in hel_l.

Piracy is definately on the rise and this is a tragic case.

however as a mariner for 29 years now,I know of no company that is encouraging the use of 'Snipers' on deck unless they are military. The truth is it is relatively easy to hit a medium to large merchant vessel with RPG's or assault rifles and believe me the superstructure on most merchant vessels is a very easy target. High powered modern weapons will go right through the sides of most commercial vessels.The somali pirates favour small V-hulled rigid craft not inflatables making them a more stable weapons platform. Would you want to be on a 250,000 tonne tanker and have someone firing explosive ordnance at you?. I was crew on a vessel boarded by pirates between Borneo and singapore and although they didnt carry firearms and fled when the alarm was raised it was still a sobering experience. Most companies advise captains to try to repel boarders with firehoses etc but to give up when pirates ahve boarded in the hope of preventing any fatalities.

regards

Freddie

[sriracha john]

Yachtsman's Body Found in Andaman Sea

THE body of murdered British yachtsman Malcolm Robertson has been found in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Thailand.

Three Burmese migrants have been accused of slitting his throat and throwing the 64-year-old's body into the sea when they raided his yacht.

He had been sailing with wife Linda on their treasured yacht 'Mr Bean.'

MORE to follow.

The Sun (UK) / 2 minutes ago

[sriracha john]

Breaking News

Murdered British Yachtsman's Body Found

The body of murdered British yachtsman Malcolm Robertson has been found in the Andaman Sea off Thailand's coast.

Three Burmese migrants have been accused of slitting the 64-year-old's throat and throwing his body overboard when they raided his yacht as he sailed in the region with his wife Linda.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed a body had been found but said it had yet to be identified.

"We have got news from our post in Thailand that a body has been found," she said.

"We still don't have any indication of the identity. Our colleagues in Bangkok are working on the case."

Mrs Robertson, 57, had feared for her life as the men kept her tied up in the cabin of their 44ft yacht Mr Bean for around 10 hours.

But they eventually fled the vessel.

Police Captain Suparak Pongkarnjana said the pirates fled on a raft when they saw Thai national park employees passing by in a boat.

He said after they were arrested, the men confessed to killing Mr Robertson, whose body has not been found.

- Sky News / 5 minutes ago

[sriracha john]

Breakingnews » Breakingnews

Body of murdered Briton found in sea

Police on Friday found the body of a UK tourist who was murdered by Burmese workers three days ago off an island in the Andaman Sea during a yacht burglary.

The remains of Malcom Robertson, 64, whose throat was cut and body was thrown into the sea, were found near Rawee island, Pol Col Wirat Saeng-orn, superintendent of the Yala provincial police said.

His wife Linda, who was tied up when her husband was killed, testified in the provincial court Friday because she has to leave Thailand.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/13...on-found-in-sea

[NaiGreg]

The story has just been on main news in UK. Wife spoke of ordeal and how the youths played with her mobile phone, ate food and laughed and joked around.

And, true to the home of good reporting, the reporter did not once mention the word 'Burmese' only saying that the incident happened in Thailand and that all we can do is wait to see what the Thai police come up with next ...

So it is good reporting to omit facts? Or instead of 'Burmese' (s)he could have mentioned 'Peruvian snake charmers' so the readers could really be misled about the perpetrators.

[linglop]

Breakingnews » Breakingnews

Body of murdered Briton found in sea

Police on Friday found the body of a UK tourist who was murdered by Burmese workers three days ago off an island in the Andaman Sea during a yacht burglary.

The remains of Malcom Robertson, 64, whose throat was cut and body was thrown into the sea, were found near Rawee island, Pol Col Wirat Saeng-orn, superintendent of the Yala provincial police said.

His wife Linda, who was tied up when her husband was killed, testified in the provincial court Friday because she has to leave Thailand.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/13...on-found-in-sea

According to Reuters at 1920 hours Thailand time, today, Friday 27th March, reports that the body having been found by police are, I am afraid, incorrect.

[sriracha john]

Conflicting reports UK yachtie's body found

Reports the body of British yachtsman Malcolm Robertson has been found floating in the Andaman Sea, confirming his murder by pirates, were discounted on Friday by the British Foreign Office.

"We had reports that a body had been found, but it's turned out to be a log,'' a Foreign Office spokeswoman said, news agencies reported.

Pol Col Lertchai Tinrat of the Thai marine police earlier told reporters a search by 30 officers and volunteer divers had been called off after a fisherman found his body floating near Koh Adang, off the coast of Satun province.

Continued:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/1387...uk-yachtie-body