This was reported in all the major papers here in the UK today, although the crime doesnt seem to have been commited by thais (the couple were travelling from Phuket to Langkawi) its not great press for the area....

Just seems a bit disappointing there has been so much negative press in Thailand/Phuket recently...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/...se-pirates.html

made CNN online too

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/...urma/index.html

The story doesn't really have anything to do with Phuket. The word "Phuket" only appears once on the whole page and that's in a caption.

The story doesn't really have anything to do with Phuket. The word "Phuket" only appears once on the whole page and that's in a caption.

Yeah you are right, its not really a big deal. But that is just one out of the hundreds of articles worldwide that all mention this couple were travelling from Phuket and were hi-jacked off the coast of thailand. Just thought it was quite bad press for the area...

Probably shouldnt have bothered posting it...just thought that people might be interested. Or maybe i should have just put a different title

Different title, sure. But it was worth posting.

Different title, sure. But it was worth posting.

its very bad press as most of the media is saying piracy when this was more of a robbery,

boat at anchor, and as this area is a big yachting area we do not need that word used ,unless we want all that passing trade do just that pass.

I am truly sorry for the poor bugger that died but it was not a pirate attack

It is well known that bsd press is bad news for phuket that is why the phuket gazette does not print crime figures like other local papers also when there is a serious crime they seem to put it way down the page.

Phuket is already getting enough bad press around the world. The twelve murders and attempted murders here this year so far have attracted a lot of negative attention.

Yet almost no homeowners or development management or hoteliers have anything close to what could be considered adequate security. It will only get worse until the majority of homes are properly protected so that criminals know that there are no easy targets in Phuket.

Edited March 26, 200917 yr by Yamantaka

Different title, sure. But it was worth posting.

its very bad press as most of the media is saying piracy when this was more of a robbery,

boat at anchor, and as this area is a big yachting area we do not need that word used ,unless we want all that passing trade do just that pass.

I am truly sorry for the poor bugger that died but it was not a pirate attack

Really?

What do you define a pirate as?

Do you need it stamped on a drivers license (occupation: Pirate)

pi·ra·cy <script>play_w2("P0326600") (pr-s)n. pl. pi·ra·cies 1. a. Robbery committed at sea. Check

b. A similar act of robbery, as the hijacking of an airplane. Hijacked a boat, Check

piracy

Noun

pl -cies

1. Brit & NZ robbery on the seas

2. a crime, such as hijacking, committed aboard a ship or aircraft

Sounds like pirates to me, no eye patches and parrots, but pirates just the same

Edited March 29, 200917 yr by boatboy

Couldn't be pirates - they didn't have peg legs...

Couldn't be pirates - they didn't have peg legs...

You're one sick mutha, Khun Ping.

"Quay-haul that man Mr Christian."

Fortunately, the murdered chap's missus would appear to have the good support of her family and friends. There are no words when you lose somebody close like that, but I do wish her well. I live not too far from this family's home and there was some considerable cover in the local media as to what had transpired, nothing hysterical, just the facts and the tragedy of the sad loss of a good loving family man.

Just my 2 baht's worth...

Black Bhat.

Edited March 29, 200917 yr by billythehat

Couldn't be pirates - they didn't have peg legs...

You're one sick mutha, Khun Ping.

"Quay-haul that man Mr Christian."

Fortunately, the murdered chap's missus would appear to have the good support of her family and friends. There are no words when you lose somebody close like that, but I do wish her well. I live not too far from this family's home and there was some considerable cover in the local media as to what had transpired, nothing hysterical, just the facts and the tragedy of the sad loss of a good loving family man.

Just my 2 baht's worth...

Black Bhat.

Spot on Billy, this is a terrible tragedy for this mans family and his dream of sailing around the world destroyed in a moment of madness.

The words piracy and hijacking are highly emotive and make good media but very bad publicity, it's seems that this horrible crime was from some migrant fishing boat workers whose motives we have yet to find out.

Maybe they were trying to just escape from a near slave existence by stealing a dinghy and get ashore.

I hope the full facts will come out.

Nice to see you drop in for one of your occasional visits, Billy!

An act of piracy it was, without doubt. Indeed, I would be highly surprised if there is not Thai law that specifically refers to the Thai word for 'piracy'. But my throw-away line was in bad taste. Of course my sympathy goes to the relatives and I'm confident that the thugs who did the deed will feel the full force of the law. My apologies to all for my poor judgment in posting that gaffe.