Phuket Fears As News Of Another Stabbing Emerges

[webfact]

Phuket fears as news of another stabbing emerges

Stabbed through the heart .... Michelle Smith was on a travel agents' tour of Phuket. Photo: Facebook

PHUKET: -- A British tourist was stabbed in the back on the holiday island of Phuket on the same night that an Australian travel agent was killed in a botched bag snatch.

Mohamad Zubair Edwa, 37, said he was riding home from a bar in Chalong on the south of the island on Wednesday night when he was confronted by three men on a motorbike who blocked the road in front of him.

One of the men dismounted and, as Mr Edwa attempted to ride around the man, he was stabbed in the side, causing a deep wound and extensive bleeding.

"As I was riding [away], I touched my back, and there was blood all over my hand. A lady saw me, she called an ambulance. She said 'I think you should go to hospital'," Mr Edwa, from Cambridge, told Thailand tourism news website Phuket Wan.

The attack at 3.30am came just five hours after Perth travel agent Michelle Smith was fatally stabbed in the heart during a botched bag snatch less than 10 kilometres away.

It is unclear whether the two attacks are linked, however the two cases are remarkably similar in that the victims were both confronted by men on motorbikes who stabbed them.

Mrs Smith, from Butler in Perth's northern suburbs, was walking home from dinner with another Australian travel agent at 10.30pm on the same night when they became suspicious of two men who passed them several times on a motorcycle.

The women were walking single-file along the narrow street close to the five-star Katathani Phuket Beach Resort where they were staying when the men attacked Mrs Smith, who was walking behind, and attempted to grab her handbag.

Mrs Smith is believed to have held on to her bag and the men stabbed her in the chest, piercing her heart. As they tried to escape they also slashed the other woman's arm.

At first the shocked women continued walking, unaware of the severity of their injuries, before Mrs Smith collapsed. She died on the street.

The Age has also been contacted by another tourist who said she was robbed on the same stretch of road outside the Katathani Phuket Beach Resort by men on motorbikes in November last year.

"Luckily there was no knife," she said.

Mr Edwa was treated at the Phuket International Hospital for a stab wound to his side.

He told Phuket Wan he was riding from a bar near Chalong Circle to his Rawai apartment in southern Phuket about 3.30am after arriving on the island the previous day.

"Three men on a moped, they pulled up alongside me as I was riding and said 'Do you want a smoke,' obviously talking about drugs. I accelerated, driving faster," he said.

"Somehow they overtook me and they blocked the road in front of me. Two stayed on the motorbike, one got off. I saw him on the road and went to go past him.

"Probably about 300 metres from the roundabout, he hit me with something metallic.

"I like Phuket it's very nice. But not this."

Source: http://www.brisbanet...0622-20roe.html

-- brisbane times 2012-06-22

[stevenl]

I find Mohamad's story very strange, seems something fishy about it.

[samjaidee]

I find Mohamad's story very strange, seems something fishy about it.

Would you care to elucidate?

[Maejo Man]

I find Mohamad's story very strange, seems something fishy about it.

What's fishy about...."Mr Edwa was treated at the Phuket International Hospital for a stab wound to his side."

[stingray]

Not fishy, Slum and drug peaple all over the places. Also here in Pattaya. They are lazy to work, just stealing is easy. I got my own lesson. I got surRouded by 5 locals last Octobre. What chance do you hace without weapon? The problem is that we foreigners can't carry guns. In my home country i can do that. So we are just victims in this country. In my case police was useless.

[maipompui]

I find Mohamad's story very strange, seems something fishy about it.

Like , what?

[navara]

Scary place that " Knifekhet "

Beter not go there, until the police has caught the stabby guy.

[apetley]

I find Mohamad's story very strange, seems something fishy about it.

Maybe you would find it less fishy if he was called Colin or Dave?

[stiggy]

Never understood, why people risk lives for what is just stuff.

Been mugged twice in Asia (not Thailand) both times just gave what they wanted and survived never lost more than 50 dollars, of course I never have anything of real value in bag etc.

Split your valuables or carry a dummy wallet , was advised once throw your belongings on floor away from you and run. They will go for bag etc.

If on a night out just take what you need, and get a taxi back.

[JohnAllan]

I find Mohamad's story very strange, seems something fishy about it.

Really? As in . . .?

[MLSviews]

Sounds like Phuket and Pattaya are ideal holiday destinations - stabbings, murder, drunken orgies, corruption, jet-ski gangs, robberies etc - I can't imagine why anyone would want to visit, let alone live there.

[dave222]

I find Mohamad's story very strange, seems something fishy about it.

I find Mohamad's story very strange, seems something fishy about it.

Are you reading the same story as us, or are you on another planet?

Whats fishy about being stabbed at 3.30am by a thug on a motorbike

These men need to be caught now before anyone else gets hurt or worse killed

[PingManDan]

Not fishy, Slum and drug peaple all over the places. Also here in Pattaya. They are lazy to work, just stealing is easy. I got my own lesson. I got surRouded by 5 locals last Octobre. What chance do you hace without weapon? The problem is that we foreigners can't carry guns. In my home country i can do that. So we are just victims in this country. In my case police was useless.

Like I said in the other story of Aussie woman dying, after stabbed in the heart, it's time to start carrying some sort of weapon, farangs are easy picking for these ass_holes.

[laurentbkk]

I dont find this story fishy at all ... its only a daily reality in Phuket ...

[JohnAllan]

Never understood, why people risk lives for what is just stuff.

Been mugged twice in Asia (not Thailand) both times just gave what they wanted and survived never lost more than 50 dollars, of course I never have anything of real value in bag etc.

Split your valuables or carry a dummy wallet , was advised once throw your belongings on floor away from you and run. They will go for bag etc.

If on a night out just take what you need, and get a taxi back.

Lucky you . . . for getting away with just being robbed. These scavengers will often use a knife, or whatever they have to hand - and I do mean use - for nickels and dimes, for a zero haul - and even with the stuff already in their grubby little paws. And not just in Thailand.

[JohnAllan]

Not fishy, Slum and drug peaple all over the places. Also here in Pattaya. They are lazy to work, just stealing is easy. I got my own lesson. I got surRouded by 5 locals last Octobre. What chance do you hace without weapon? The problem is that we foreigners can't carry guns. In my home country i can do that. So we are just victims in this country. In my case police was useless.

Like I said in the other story of Aussie woman dying, after stabbed in the heart, it's time to start carrying some sort of weapon, farangs are easy picking for these ass_holes.

Which is why they work in twos or threes, and carry weapons. Not such easy pickings for them, on their own and unarmed.

[stevehaigh]

scary shit. i tend to stay home in the evenings these days anyhow, i think its a lot safer that way.

[sushi5734]

I don't find anything 'fishy' about his story.

This is a real problem for Phuket's tourism sector, people are going to start giving the place a wide berth! My cousin who is 21 years old is arriving in Thailand next month, I have already advised him to avoid Phuket and Pattaya in the same way as I would the southern provinces.

The boys in brown need to sort this out quickly, not just catching the bike gangs responsible for these latest incidents but also sending out a clear deterrent to the others. If the tourist industry suffers then there's less tea money for the BiB =)

[morocco]

I find Mohamad's story very strange, seems something fishy about it.

Sounds like you're purposely aggravating readers to get a response. Seems to be working.

[BeforeTigers]

The only trouble I've had in a year of living in Thailand is someone trying to go through my backpack in a crowd as a "tailor" distracted me in Patong.

This stuff is only shocking because people have it in their heads that Thaiand is somehow a safe place- It's not.

Lots of desperate people + inept policing + active coverup of anything that might make the country look bad + a bunch of cash laden tourists with no clue what's going on around them. Not hard to see where that ends up.

[tonysilly]

Im staying in Chaing Mai

[klubex99]

As reported by the Brisbane Times... Looks to me like the Aussie media are going to jump all over every crime against tourists.

I will retort what i said in a similar thread. "Australians make up a large % of tourists in Thailand".

The best TAT can come up with in response is.. I doubt it will impact tourism" and Bangkok is #3 destination in the world".

Not exactly humbled by this are they? Maybe an apology to the families of the victims and a reassurance that they are going to do all they can to prevent repeats happening.

[wlcart]

I think the youth of Thailand will become more brazen and dangerous as time goes, being influenced by their intake of western media.

This is especially sad as I also believe the adults and authorities here lack the understanding and ability to handle the problem of youth and gang violence.

Just one man's observation..........

[Misterwhisper]

I have always avoided Phuket like the plague. I find the place is over-rated, way too expensive compared to the rest of Thailand, the environment becomes increasingly spoiled, and the masses of foreign tourists almost naturally attract crooks from all corners of the kingdom. Violence against foreigner seems to become more prevalent there lately, and that certainly gives me even more reason to stay away.

Surely, the vast majority of visitors most probably still experience a pleasureable, trouble-free vacation there, but if something terrible happens to you, you'll be sorry you ever chose Phuket as your destination.

What neither the Ministry of Sports and Tourism, the local and national police, the Tourism Authority (TAT), hotel, gastronomy and entertainment venue operators ever seem to comprehend is that word about such incidents spreads like wildfire and no ad campaigns or attempts at white-washing of whichever kind can be effective at damage control.

TAT's ads largely depict a tropical, care-free paradise that simply does NOT exist (anymore) and many visitors' eyes are uncomfortably opened as soon as they're fleeced on arrival by unscrupulous, greedy taxi drivers. Even worse, later on you'll be overcharged at restaurants, beaten to a pulp by crooks if you don't hand over your valuables fast enough (or even fatally stabbed). And if not, you can enjoy yourself on a beach while just behind the next sand dune your own morning crap is discharged untreated right into the "crystal-clear" sea. If you don't like to swim in that filth, perhaps simply rent a jet ski, right? And once again, chances are high that you'll be shocked afterwards when you're presented with a grossly inflated "repair bill"... Phuket? No, thanks.

[stevenl]

I find Mohamad's story very strange, seems something fishy about it.

Maybe you would find it less fishy if he was called Colin or Dave?

Up to you to think that way, I don't.

Just fishy that people approach him on a motorbike selling drugs, and they get aggressive when he drives off? Strange sales techniques. He claimed to be going home, 300 meters from the circle he gets stabbed after the road was blocked, very wide road there. I have no doubt he was stabbed, but would guess there is more to it than he telling at the moment. We'll have to wait and see though.

[TomTom55]

It is sad of course when I life is taken like this, but being realistic here it happens everywhere and what goes down in Phuket is really quite tame to many other parts of the world, including developed countries.

To the person who said that being unable to carry a gun is a bad thing, try to think again. Do you really think that would be such a good idea to allow this country to carry guns around? Just go and watch an episode of gangland and see what happens in the US daily. Here the murde rate is only slightly higher than the US without guns, with guns I hate to think what would happen.

[Arkady]

It's time for embassies to issue stern travel advisories against coming to Phuket, i.e. don't go there unless your trip is absolutely essential. Leave them on until police can demonstrate significant progress in cleaning up the gangs of thugs that prey on tourist pedestrians and motorcyclists, armed with guns, knives and clubs. Also clear up the jet ski scams , taxi scams and similar. The way to get government to act is by hurting them in the pocket.

Edited June 22, 2012 by Arkady

[Nip]

I do not expect this comment to be posted but never the less I shall say my piece. The murder of Michelle Smith was indeed shocking in the extreme and needless. A senseless act by senseless people. Naturally we are all sickened by this mindless act of violence and unreservedly offer our condolences to her grieving family. But I would like to bring to the attention of the numerous government agencies be they Thai or foreign who have willingly expressed their sorrow and anger that there are many expatriates in Phuket at this moment living in fear of their lives from notorious Phuket crime families who have targeted them and no single Thai or foreign agency gives a dam_n. It is time for the real Phuket underbelly to be exposed to the world! I hope forums such as this open its channels of communication and allow us to pool our knowledge and take back Phuket before it sinks further into this cesspool of corruption ...

[sandrabbit]

You just have to read the Bangkok Post to see what happens just between Thais let alone with Farang involved, people going out of their houses to complain about noise then being hacked to death by youngsters with machetes etc. Tourist deaths must be approaching 100 this year in Phuket alone, it seems like every day or so there's something in the newspaper.

[lianab]

I find Mohamad's story very strange, seems something fishy about it.

Maybe you would find it less fishy if he was called Colin or Dave?

Up to you to think that way, I don't.

Just fishy that people approach him on a motorbike selling drugs, and they get aggressive when he drives off? Strange sales techniques. He claimed to be going home, 300 meters from the circle he gets stabbed after the road was blocked, very wide road there. I have no doubt he was stabbed, but would guess there is more to it than he telling at the moment. We'll have to wait and see though.

That's what I thought . No motive, they can pull up beside him, talking so he can hear then he accelerates away from them , they (3- "somehow") get far enough ahead to stop, get off a bike, him sees them ahead waiting for him (wide road blocked with a moped) doesnt turn around and get out of there when 3 he presumes dealers are waiting for him ...AND All within 300meters of near where he started, (didnt say where they oulled up beside him - they had speed?