Terrified Briton flees Koh Tao after 'mafia' death threat

[noitom]

This is clearly a job for General Prayuth. He should quickly form a team to close down all these Koh Tao bars, raze them and questions those in the know. Prayuth can find the killers. Everyone knows that he has the power to solve the mess, but does he have the will?

[2befrank]

sounds like a paranoid nutter tbh

So I am assuming that you know that all this has been made up and the photo of the two guys was actually taken of them buying ciggys at the shop and that the girl behind the counter has been paid to corroborate his story, and of course the police never actually turned up at the shop and questioned the two Thais before releasing them??

So what happened then.... You obviously know everything is faked, so you must also know what the real events were on the night.

You ought to be contacting the police and the British embassy..... you clearly know so much.

Me myself?.... In the absence of anything more concrete or to the contrary, I am willing to give Sean the benefit of the doubt. Please ask yourself if many on the island knows this guy and discredits him, then why are they not approaching the media to say he is full of shit?

I am sure if I want to protect my little tourist trap, I would be the first person to contact the Telegraph and The Mirror to put the story straight. But no not if you live on Koh Tao.... that would be snitching, instead they opt to whisper and gossip anonymously on forums etc.

[slipperylobster]

I'm glad he got out....alive.

Poor guy, crapped his trousers no doubt. If you are going to be vocal, make sure you cover your butt. This is not the land of free speech.

[keemapoot]

It appears the Man has issues

That's true, but any experienced investigator will tell you they rarely have the luxury of a perfect, credible, unimpeachable witness or informant in cases like this. You have to wade through the paranoia and determine if there is a believable story at base that is largely correct or not.

Edited September 23, 2014 by keemapoot

[katana]

Really think this is the best lead by far since the event happened.

Its gone viral, and all over the international papers, not a word funny enough in one Thai paper tho ... yet....

It was in Thairath yesterday.

[Metapod]

if he made this up then i hope they arrest him for libel and defamation. pretty shitty thing to accuse people publicly of a brutal murder that has worldwide media coverage.

or has he already left the country?

[SteveFong]

the guy also looks like is in handcuffs as the shoulders are pretty far back for a natural standing position

does anyone know if that is actually the bar owner and not a plain clothes policeman?

if he was the killer, he would be marked, as David Miller put up a fierce enough fight to have damaged his knuckles and to have been required to be hit with an iron bar to stop him,

there is no way the killers do not have injuries

my 2 ct

[Wilsonandson]

8 days later and the murders still haven't been caught. If they've ruled Sean out by DNA why not his accused?

[Oscar2]

It's amazing that this guy's story has been picked up at all. Thaivisa actually had the journalistic integrity to remove his post yesterday morning as it was unsubstantiated conjecture. But the Mirror seems to find it newsworthy. The people who know Sean on Koh Tao have a very low opinion of him. He's definitely not right in his head. Not sure whether that's normal for him or if it's drug/alcohol induced. He didn't seem too worried about his safety last night (21st) when he drank himself unconscious and passed out on a couch at one of the local bars.

His posts (since deleted from FB) are telling of his mental state. Randomly pointing fingers at local business owners and accusing them of horrific crimes without any evidence, doesn't attest to mental stability. Furthermore, he simply wanted to be in the spotlight. He was posting to have Sky News call him, but he doesn't have anything to add to the story. Instead, he's become a side-story. Seemingly, that was his intention.

The guy in the photo is the owner of a resort just next to the crime scene. He was one of the 1st on the scene, so yes, he was filmed with the police and was questioned accordingly. The speculation that he is involved in the crime or that he is somehow a mafioso is at the least mean-spirited, at worst, it is libelous.

The Koh Tao community is devastated by this news and we have the deepest sympathy for the families of the victims. We are also hurt that our little island is being viewed so negatively to so many. In fact, this type of thing happens at tourists destinations throughout Thailand and the world, but it is the absence of anything like this ever happening here before, that makes this story so shocking for us. We hope for a resolution soon and want to see justice served, but senseless media speculation and armchair investigating is getting us no closer to that end.

according to the BK Post, your man that you speak so highly of, refused to provide a DNA sample!

[jspill]

if he made this up then i hope they arrest him for libel and defamation. pretty shitty thing to accuse people publicly of a brutal murder that has worldwide media coverage.

or has he already left the country?

Would you also apply that to the Koh Tao police for:

- naming and photographing Christoper Ware before DNA test

- putting 'blood stained' clothing of the victim's in his luggage

- saying 'the weight of evidence points to a foreigner'

- saying that they don't believe 'a Thai would ever do this'

- pointing out that Ware is homosexual

Edited September 23, 2014 by jspill

[2befrank]

It's amazing that this guy's story has been picked up at all. Thaivisa actually had the journalistic integrity to remove his post yesterday morning as it was unsubstantiated conjecture. But the Mirror seems to find it newsworthy. The people who know Sean on Koh Tao have a very low opinion of him. He's definitely not right in his head. Not sure whether that's normal for him or if it's drug/alcohol induced. He didn't seem too worried about his safety last night (21st) when he drank himself unconscious and passed out on a couch at one of the local bars.

His posts (since deleted from FB) are telling of his mental state. Randomly pointing fingers at local business owners and accusing them of horrific crimes without any evidence, doesn't attest to mental stability. Furthermore, he simply wanted to be in the spotlight. He was posting to have Sky News call him, but he doesn't have anything to add to the story. Instead, he's become a side-story. Seemingly, that was his intention.

The guy in the photo is the owner of a resort just next to the crime scene. He was one of the 1st on the scene, so yes, he was filmed with the police and was questioned accordingly. The speculation that he is involved in the crime or that he is somehow a mafioso is at the least mean-spirited, at worst, it is libelous.

The Koh Tao community is devastated by this news and we have the deepest sympathy for the families of the victims. We are also hurt that our little island is being viewed so negatively to so many. In fact, this type of thing happens at tourists destinations throughout Thailand and the world, but it is the absence of anything like this ever happening here before, that makes this story so shocking for us. We hope for a resolution soon and want to see justice served, but senseless media speculation and armchair investigating is getting us no closer to that end.

Hmmmm.

First post and you seem to have a lot to say on the matter. Almost like you know this guy inside out.

More like another poster who can't get his point across posing as someone who knows the score.

Or maybe a farang bar owner from the island who like the rest of the islanders, attempting to discredit the first person to actually come along to offer up what everyone is craving..... information!! Then when someone offers it up and gets almost killed, all people can do is tear him to pieces.... Yep... That is ThaiVisa alight.

Now why would an islander want to go to such lengths to discredit this guy at all costs???? Oh right...... protecting the tourist baht.

If indeed you really are an islander.

Of course the community is in shock and disgust.... This is going to hit them in the pocket dearly...... after all.... money number one eh?

[ukrules]

8 days later and the murders still haven't been caught. If they've ruled Sean out by DNA why not his accused?

I suspect they won't consider that a Thai could have possibly done this until all the other potential scapegoats / suspects foreigners have been ruled out.

[jaidam]

It's amazing that this guy's story has been picked up at all. Thaivisa actually had the journalistic integrity to remove his post yesterday morning as it was unsubstantiated conjecture. But the Mirror seems to find it newsworthy. The people who know Sean on Koh Tao have a very low opinion of him. He's definitely not right in his head. Not sure whether that's normal for him or if it's drug/alcohol induced. He didn't seem too worried about his safety last night (21st) when he drank himself unconscious and passed out on a couch at one of the local bars.

His posts (since deleted from FB) are telling of his mental state. Randomly pointing fingers at local business owners and accusing them of horrific crimes without any evidence, doesn't attest to mental stability. Furthermore, he simply wanted to be in the spotlight. He was posting to have Sky News call him, but he doesn't have anything to add to the story. Instead, he's become a side-story. Seemingly, that was his intention.

The guy in the photo is the owner of a resort just next to the crime scene. He was one of the 1st on the scene, so yes, he was filmed with the police and was questioned accordingly. The speculation that he is involved in the crime or that he is somehow a mafioso is at the least mean-spirited, at worst, it is libelous.

The Koh Tao community is devastated by this news and we have the deepest sympathy for the families of the victims. We are also hurt that our little island is being viewed so negatively to so many. In fact, this type of thing happens at tourists destinations throughout Thailand and the world, but it is the absence of anything like this ever happening here before, that makes this story so shocking for us. We hope for a resolution soon and want to see justice served, but senseless media speculation and armchair investigating is getting us no closer to that end.

according to the BK Post, your man that you speak so highly of, refused to provide a DNA sample!

So it couldn't have been them then!! Good to see they were not forced to give their DNA, let's re-look at these Rohingyas then shall we(pats on the back all round for superb detective work).

[Plutojames88]

Having read and seen this guy-

It's obvious he is mentally unbalanced.

However that said , he may well know something .

It's though , increasingly likely he fabricated a great deal of his press and social media .

For whatever reasons.

Personally , he should be detained and not allowed to fly .

And this whole story examined much more closely.

[Leila30]

Having read and seen this guy-

It's obvious he is mentally unbalanced.

However that said , he may well know something .

It's though , increasingly likely he fabricated a great deal of his press and social media .

For whatever reasons.

Personally , he should be detained and not allowed to fly .

And this whole story examined much more closely.

He's been cleared by the police of any involvement and he's free to leave the country - which it seems he now has. Embassy apparently involved.

[joedot]

For those vouching for this guys' character and saying he could never do such a thing. One thing I have learned through my years in life is that you never really know somebody and what they are capable of. Something you usually hear after someone is found guilty of something heinous is the shock and disbelief of people that knew him. They never could have imagined them doing such a thing. And that's with people very close to the guilty party. I doubt any of you vouching for him are much more than casual acquaintances, and even if you are more than that, you never know what someone is capable of, especially if drunk or under the influence. So think twice before you vouch for someone in the future please. I'm not saying he's guilty or not, but he certainly could be, regardless of how good a guy you claim he is.

[jspill]

Lot of mental health professionals on ThaiVisa.

[Plutojames88]

Having read and seen this guy-

It's obvious he is mentally unbalanced.

However that said , he may well know something .

It's though , increasingly likely he fabricated a great deal of his press and social media .

For whatever reasons.

Personally , he should be detained and not allowed to fly .

And this whole story examined much more closely.

He's been cleared by the police of any involvement and he's free to leave the country - which it seems he now has. Embassy apparently involved.

Then we may never know if he indeed knew who killed the victims- or if he was just someone who did drugs and invented stuff.

[Leila30]

Having read and seen this guy-

It's obvious he is mentally unbalanced.

However that said , he may well know something .

It's though , increasingly likely he fabricated a great deal of his press and social media .

For whatever reasons.

Personally , he should be detained and not allowed to fly .

And this whole story examined much more closely.

He's been cleared by the police of any involvement and he's free to leave the country - which it seems he now has. Embassy apparently involved.

Then we may never know if he indeed knew who killed the victims- or if he was just someone who did drugs and invented stuff.

True. But embassies don't normally get involved in their citizens being drunk or on drugs. They tend to only get involved if you have legal issues or if there's been a death....

[2befrank]

Having read and seen this guy-

It's obvious he is mentally unbalanced.

However that said , he may well know something .

It's though , increasingly likely he fabricated a great deal of his press and social media .

For whatever reasons.

Personally , he should be detained and not allowed to fly .

And this whole story examined much more closely.

Who says his story hasn't already been closely examined?

You?

How is it obvious he is mentally unballanced? I have had some photos taken in stupid poses when I have been langered.... I am not mentally unbalanced, quite the opposite. To see me, you couldn't meet a more composed conservative personality.

Read and seen.... read thaivisa character assassination and seen a picture of him goofing around? So that is the embodiment of this guy is it?

Trust me.... If this wasn't substantiated, this would not have got past the editor's desk....

'Personally , he should be detained and not allowed to fly .'

Also no use advising the Thai police on what they should and should not do.... They will do it the way they are going to do it.... The Thai way. He has been cleared as a suspect unless you are now suggesting the investigation should swing from a murder hunt to a defamation case?

As far as I am personally concerned. I am very suspicious of this bar owner who seems to be popping up suspiciously and now pop up in this story too... For me... He is suspect number one... It is common for a murderer / murder suspect to return to the scene of the crime. That is fact.... Ask any detective. He also refused a DNA test as already pointed out.

Seems to me that Sean may actually be the most credible person in this whole 8 days of shambolic BS investigating.

If it turns out he was correct all along, then the doubters should hang their heads in shame and be forever shunned from TVF.

[tingtong]

So they're still trying to pin it on a foreigner.

I don't see why the new Prime Minister doesn't send the army into this lawless place and audit everyone who lives there to weed out the seemingly endemic corruption.

Martial law is still in effect isn't it ?

Who are these 5 families who are so important that even the prime minister can't touch them ?

some family relatives?

[Fat Haggis]

How many 7/11 workers could you borrow a phone from that have INTERNATIONAL call availability, to call your mum and sister?

BS - He's lying.

How many 7/11 workers do you know that have enough credit to call International numbers?

Even my own wife rarely has anymore then 200-300 baht credit on her phone, and I don't tend to have much more in mine either when I'm at home.

What a stupid assumption. Just because your wife doesn't have 200 - 300 Bt credit, that means all people that work in 711 must be the same.

Do you know how cheap it is to call the UK if you use 005, or 008? No......didn't think so.

If you had taken the time to read my next couple of posts after that one you'll have seen that I wasn't aware of the prefix dialing so before you have your morning coffee Karen, take your foot out of your mouth, it tastes better ...

So stop with the stupid assumptions yourself thank you.

Aussiebrian also gave me this information, but he wasn't as rude as you!!

[joedot]

obv the reporter at bkk post got the nationality wrong but it is Sean Mcanna he is referring to

[alfalfa19]

While his story sounds dramatic, after I read it, I get the impression that these two thai guys might have been just a couple of drunken thugs/creeps acting tough and wanting to intimidate a foreigner. They might well have hurt or killed him if he had not taken refuge in the supermarket. I feel the Thai police can catch criminals when they want to. I think all this stalling, yammering and stammering is just being done to give the real killers plenty of time to get far away.

[blu3]

Something in that new BKK Post article is clearly amiss.

It's either a completely new witness who have suddenly been able to identify people they saw with Hannah that night thanks to the media coverage from Sean over the past 24 hours.

OR

It's the a case of mistaken nationality in the article.

Of the second scenario: it is odd that this is being published as 'new' news. It's an old story now figuratively speaking.

Regardless - perhaps the most critical point contained in that the two men refused to give DNA evidence. If true? Why? And if true - why can't they be forced to? The Police have announced they are DNA testing all males on the island. That really should be ALL males.

[Fat Haggis]

and STILL TVF allows defamatory comments about this guy McAnna?

And STILL the Thai apologists are larging it it like they're King of the hill... no criticism of the Thai men in question refusing to give DNA samples then? .. Pathetic!!!!!

[mrtoad]

obv the reporter at bkk post got the nationality wrong but it is Sean Mcanna he is referring to

Not necessarily, but would appear to be the case.

[2befrank]

I think this is all starting to unravel, and we may be close to the actual end of this investigation.

The Bangkok Post is deffo quoting the Sean McAnna incident. For some reason they have him as a Frenchman and not a Stotsman, but he is clearly Scottish.

They seem to have him in protective custody on the mainland as opposed to him getting zero protection by the police on the island since he has had to hide out in the jungle and sleep under a snooker table.

So looking more and more credible is Mr McAnna, and to think how many on here trying to discredit him as though they don't want this to be resolved.

Where is KTVIEW for comment on this now I wonder??

[ukrules]

While his story sounds dramatic, after I read it, I get the impression that these two thai guys might have been just a couple of drunken thugs/creeps acting tough and wanting to intimidate a foreigner. They might well have hurt or killed him if he had not taken refuge in the supermarket.

Yeah, there's been a lot of this kind of thing going on in Thailand for the past 20 years or so.

Edited September 23, 2014 by ukrules

[Oscar2]

It's amazing that this guy's story has been picked up at all. Thaivisa actually had the journalistic integrity to remove his post yesterday morning as it was unsubstantiated conjecture. But the Mirror seems to find it newsworthy. The people who know Sean on Koh Tao have a very low opinion of him. He's definitely not right in his head. Not sure whether that's normal for him or if it's drug/alcohol induced. He didn't seem too worried about his safety last night (21st) when he drank himself unconscious and passed out on a couch at one of the local bars.

His posts (since deleted from FB) are telling of his mental state. Randomly pointing fingers at local business owners and accusing them of horrific crimes without any evidence, doesn't attest to mental stability. Furthermore, he simply wanted to be in the spotlight. He was posting to have Sky News call him, but he doesn't have anything to add to the story. Instead, he's become a side-story. Seemingly, that was his intention.

The guy in the photo is the owner of a resort just next to the crime scene. He was one of the 1st on the scene, so yes, he was filmed with the police and was questioned accordingly. The speculation that he is involved in the crime or that he is somehow a mafioso is at the least mean-spirited, at worst, it is libelous.

The Koh Tao community is devastated by this news and we have the deepest sympathy for the families of the victims. We are also hurt that our little island is being viewed so negatively to so many. In fact, this type of thing happens at tourists destinations throughout Thailand and the world, but it is the absence of anything like this ever happening here before, that makes this story so shocking for us. We hope for a resolution soon and want to see justice served, but senseless media speculation and armchair investigating is getting us no closer to that end.

according to the BK Post, your man that you speak so highly of, refused to provide a DNA sample!

what i meant to say was that according to the BKK Post, the man you spoke so highly of [on Koh Tao Community Board] and assuming you are Claus or writing on his behalf, refused to provide DNA samples to the police - and the guy in the photo next to him refused to provide DNA samples too. i notice you were not as complimentary of him/them on your 1st TV post.

the fact that the BKK Post (who obviously understands all libel and other laws in Thailand) posted the photos and the story speaks volumes. they also said his photo matches the guy running at the time of the killings in the CCTV video. they also made mention of an ear ring he is wearing that is seen in 3 different photos now.

i too, think the Frenchman? Italian? Scot? is a nutter and probably a paranoid, alcoholic/druggie. but he may be the guy who has the info to crack this case open.