Female Finnish Tourist Punched And Assaulted On Koh Lipe Island

[vincentc]

We got used to this kind of news coming from Phuket.

But Lipe??!!

There is really very little hope left if these sort of crimes spread to every corner of Thai tourist destinations.

Actually, there is none. Why do (girl) tourists keep flocking here?!

[Fatherfluffybottom]

Cut of his nob and put him in Jail for a long time

[GeorgeO]

What ... no response yet from TAT on how this will have no real effect on tourism .....?!

I hope it drives another nail deep into the coffin of Thai tourism; and then maybe, just maybe, someone will start to think about what can be done to put an end to all of this ... murders, rapes, jet ski scams, daylight robberies ... and on and on!

If something isn't done soon, we are bound to see a reduction in the current numbers visiting here, and that outcome will be well deserved!

[Muggi1968]

The Thai version:

http://www.manager.co.th/South/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9550000104830

[dude007]

Awful for the poor girl - heart goes out to her. Why they had to post a picture of her as well as giving her name I have no idea though.

I'm not saying it's right or wrong but giving those details will probably help jog someones memmory if they have seen anything? if just a report who knows what?

You think this is the task of the newspaper? of the tabloid? Poor ethics is what I call it... Slander news from papperazzi-styles reporters.

[dude007]

If it had been a farang man, the article would be screaming that point. So, one can assume it was a Thai. What a sad thing to happen, either way. I hope the police leave no stone unturned, and come down like a ton of bricks on the rapist.

I think you hit head right on the nail. You can absolutely assume he was thai. We'd know otherwise. Probably in the first sentence.

Shouldn't you hit the nail on the head instead?

[how241]

May the person who did this be shown no sympathy.

+1

[tomross46]

Today there was an article in the Bangkok Post, about how the police are solving crimes faster than before. It appears that the crime rate is increasing in the Phoket tourist area. Is it safe for tourist to go to Phuket? The inability for Thailand finest to solve crimes and stop them before happening is lacking.

[dude007]

With regards to the rape & the printing of her name in the paper I have utmost sympathy..

I'll tell you why:

Last year in my province (not too far west of BKK) I have an Iranian friend & his Thai wife living here for 10 years now.

On their way home from shopping at Big C they were followed along the road by two Thai men on their motorcycle

my friend was riding his with his wife as pillion passenger behind.

Suddenly he heard a couple of cracks/bangs & his wife screamed out in pain, she had been shot twice by these men,

once in the back & once in the leg, almost falling off she clung to him but he had to pull over to stop her from falling off completely.

As he did so they rode past & he was shot in the arm.

Luckily a car was passing at this time & scared them off before being robbed or killed & took them to hospital for treatment.

The local newspaper who covered the story published their full names, details of where they worked & if you can believe it their full home address!!!!

After staying in hospital for emergency treatment he managed to give a description of the men & motorcycle to the police, his wife was in for over a month after receiving major surgery.

He had to move from his home for safety reasons, lost his work & suffered many days of fearing for his life every time he visited his wife.

When he complained to the police & newspaper about what they had done they just said they were reporting news & doing their job!!

No remorse or apology given or even a sense of what damage they had done!!

Now they have rebuilt their lives in a different province after 1 year of trauma, with no compensation for their financial losses.

Needless to say the culprits were never found, even though the police said they had a strong idea who it might have been as it wasn't the first time this had happened... I was speechless & lost for words at this omission..

But then I remembered this is Thailand!!

When farangs are involved the investigation goes a totally different way. Proof is that they gave the full name and address to the newspaper of the victims, rather than publishing a robot picture of the culprits. Brain cells do not multiply: you have to finish your life with the amount that was given to you from your parents. And to be a policeman one really doesn't need this big amount of brain cells whilst the shortage can be compensated by ass-transmitters/receivers and some money... The anti-farang reflex is hereditary.

Edited August 27, 2012 by dude007

[frank1970]

indeed sad news.. but wonder what transpired leading the unfortunate event.

Edited August 27, 2012 by frank1970

[katana]

Meir is not common finnish name. There is 5 women in Finland with surname Meir, under 25 for firstname Meir. So good chance they miss spel it as usual, hope so

Yes it was a misspelling.

Reports in the Thai press also say she had some money and a mobile phone stolen too. Police think they have the guy caught on CCTV so hope to be able to catch him soon.

[gaucho]

And then she must wait for the HIV test...

Not called for.

why do u say its not called ...of course it is <deleted> ...the culprit could be infested with anything ...do u remember the english girl raped in nigeria a few years back ....she contracted aids from the rape ..as an aside that aussie tart that cried rape a few weeks back is back in oz ...sold her story and is now saying she was telling the truth ....apparently was paid 20 000.dollars

[F1fanatic]

indeed sad news.. but wonder what transpired leading the unfortunate event.

You suspect the woman may have been 'asking for it'? Or perhaps, was not raped at all?

[shaurene]

Agreed it is a terrible thing to have happened.

I cannot understand why they have not withheld her name though. It is hard enough to go through and ordeal like this without having your name published too.

I was wondering the same thing. They are either very dumb or deterring victims from reporting by making it public. I'd go with dumb.

Ye reporting all her details is very inconsiderate, the police have no feelings or they do not want to lose the papers tea money.

[DrTuner]

Meir is not common finnish name. There is 5 women in Finland with surname Meir, under 25 for firstname Meir. So good chance they miss spel it as usual, hope so

German?

That's what it sounds like.

The problem with publishing Finnish names is that anyone who's got a name and approximate birth date & place can query address details from the Finnish citizen information system. Since it's a small country, this traceability works badly in cases like this. The worst case is, they publish a copy of the passport where the social security number, which is unique to one individual, is clearly visible. It really is something the Thai government could make a law of, no publication of personal details until permission has been granted by the party in question, or a conviction has been ruled.

[softgeorge]

indeed sad news.. but wonder what transpired leading the unfortunate event.

You suspect the woman may have been 'asking for it'? Or perhaps, was not raped at all?

So many on here always want to move the blame to the victims and away from the offender. Things like if they didn't come to Thailand or stayed in thier hotel room it wouldn't have happened.

[asiawatcher]

Farang unaccompanied girl drinking anywhere in Thailand is a target - many of these never make the papers. Another strike against Thailand (but it could happen anywhere). Sad ...

[julemanden]

No description of the attacker was given.

Was he Thai or another foreigner? Had the girl met the assailant at a club or disco prior to the attack or committed by an opportunist who struck because the girl was walking alone?

Perhaps if a description and some details were given, than there is more chance of the rapist being identified and reported to the police.

As the article says: After receiving the rape report, police are tracking the criminal, who may still be on the island, said Pol. Col. Pissanu Atchanapornkul, director of Satoon provincial police.

The suspect was seen on the island’s CCTV footage, and police expect to arrest him soon, he said.

[crazykopite]

What a terrible tradegy I hope they get this culprit and lock him up for life onec they cut off his penis !!!!!

[meatboy]

May the person who did this be shown no sympathy.

i can see it now,he will be paraded before reporters and tv camera's but wearing a balaclava goggles and a hood.

[cloudhopper]

We got used to this kind of news coming from Phuket.

But Lipe??!!

There is really very little hope left if these sort of crimes spread to every corner of Thai tourist destinations.

Actually, there is none. Why do (girl) tourists keep flocking here?!

Because P.T. Barnum was right. Lipe has been totally destroyed by overdevelopment just like Phuket. I remember anchoring in the S bay 10 years ago, an empty beach unbroken except for a path leading to the sea gypsy village. That path is now "walking street" and the bay has bars and shops from one end to the other. Even more shocking considering it is was a national park. Fortunately the rest of the Butangs are still relatively pristine.

[lyonelll]

We got used to this kind of news coming from Phuket.

But Lipe??!!

There is really very little hope left if these sort of crimes spread to every corner of Thai tourist destinations.

Actually, there is none. Why do (girl) tourists keep flocking here?!

Because P.T. Barnum was right. Lipe has been totally destroyed by overdevelopment just like Phuket. I remember anchoring in the S bay 10 years ago, an empty beach unbroken except for a path leading to the sea gypsy village. That path is now "walking street" and the bay has bars and shops from one end to the other. Even more shocking considering it is was a national park. Fortunately the rest of the Butangs are still relatively pristine.

Sorry for the victim, hope she is able to heal both physically and mentally..

As for Lipe, went there this spring and every beach is noisy because of long tail boats. You also have to constantly watch out to make sure they are not coming close when you are swimming. The only part that is still tranquil is the hilly side, saw a really nice and near empty pirate-themed hotel there. Unfortunately, whenever island seems to become popular, it starts attracting wrong type of people, just like in this case.( So sad, people who went there in 2003-4 reported it was about as close to paradise on Earth as they have ever seen...

[rubik101]

Not too surprised that the officer taking the initial statement, Pairoj, was a man.

[catweazle]

With regards to the rape & the printing of her name in the paper I have utmost sympathy..

I'll tell you why:

Last year in my province (not too far west of BKK) I have an Iranian friend & his Thai wife living here for 10 years now.

On their way home from shopping at Big C they were followed along the road by two Thai men on their motorcycle

my friend was riding his with his wife as pillion passenger behind.

Suddenly he heard a couple of cracks/bangs & his wife screamed out in pain, she had been shot twice by these men,

once in the back & once in the leg, almost falling off she clung to him but he had to pull over to stop her from falling off completely.

As he did so they rode past & he was shot in the arm.

Luckily a car was passing at this time & scared them off before being robbed or killed & took them to hospital for treatment.

The local newspaper who covered the story published their full names, details of where they worked & if you can believe it their full home address!!!!

After staying in hospital for emergency treatment he managed to give a description of the men & motorcycle to the police, his wife was in for over a month after receiving major surgery.

He had to move from his home for safety reasons, lost his work & suffered many days of fearing for his life every time he visited his wife.

When he complained to the police & newspaper about what they had done they just said they were reporting news & doing their job!!

No remorse or apology given or even a sense of what damage they had done!!

Now they have rebuilt their lives in a different province after 1 year of trauma, with no compensation for their financial losses.

Needless to say the culprits were never found, even though the police said they had a strong idea who it might have been as it wasn't the first time this had happened... I was speechless & lost for words at this omission..

But then I remembered this is Thailand!!

No, this is MEDIA !!! They'll f#$%k you and suck you dry, get out of you whatever they can to make a good headline and a quick buck to then drop you like a hot potatoe as soon as you are not a valuable asset to them anymore. Same goes for the music industry, fashion, etc... The bottom line is: They (the industry) simply don't care!

[belg]

let us hope she does not go home having aids...

[Tokay]

Pathetic they can not even report the attackers description.

[ramrod711]

I feel sorry for this woman, but there will be no justice, they will probably catch the perpetrator, send him to jail for a short time and release him because the government can not afford to keep him. Not that anyone in authority really care what happens to farang. Is anyone still under the illusion that this is the land of smiles? People are poor, desperate and getting no help, It's going to get worse.

[catweazle]

Why is there no info about and description of the assailant(s)?

And where the hell is

?

Edited August 27, 2012 by catweazle

[dcutman]

The Thai version:

http://www.manager.c...D=9550000104830

google translate could not translate this article very well. My wife read the story in Thai and said the women was attacked and robbed but did not get raped. According to the Thai article

Still no description of the attacker in this Thai version.

[Basil B]

I wounder what was worse, the rape or reporting the crime???

I would guess very few rapes are reported to the police if as seems to have happened in this instance that the statement and questioning was conducted, by a male police officer, In public with every male in the police station standing around and with Thailand's "Freak Media Circus" reporting half cocked story with photos of the victim.

Obviously Thailand does not want women reporting that they have been raped.