Terrified Briton flees Koh Tao after 'mafia' death threat

[SteveFong]

The only way this case is going to be resolved correctly is if there is enough International pressure placed on it to make it otherwise unbearable for the Thai NOT to solve it. Otherwise it will go the way so many other "foreigner" murders have gone - under the carpet and forgotten about in time.

This case is all over the news, worldwide,

even people I never expected to hear of it, in the USA, are aware of the case as is everyone in Bangkok

It will be solved

Watch tourism there dissapear

[SteveFong]

So we know he worked illegally prior on the Island for 18 months.

Arrived the day of the murders by sheer coincidence ?

Took drugs at times?

Accuses Thais of the crimes ?

And his friends claim "he may be Bullshiting"?

His friends? Seriously, get a grip of yourself and your conspiracies!!!

You should be ashamed of yourself to pick a side without knowing if there is truth to his story or not. If this incident can help the investigation catch the killers, you should be happy that Sean would have the balls to actually speak up!

You're obnoxious!

I can see your point. However would you agree that Sean should be locked up if it is proven that he was lying? How would you feel if someone publicly accused you of a murder without providing a shred of credible evidence? Let's assume you are/were innocent.

Sean wasnt lying

There is more on the story coming soon,

[Leila30]

I think the OP is BS, he's trying to capitalize on the misfortune of others.

Look, if the local mafia would wanted him dead, so it would have been, there wouldn't have been the in depth conversations described in the OP, it's nonsense.

I'm a sceptic too. I might be unfair to the young man but how can he work as a 'barman' for 18 months on the island?. Work permit? Sounds fishy to me.

Hardly anyone on Koh Tao have work permits. People working the bars are penniless tourists and most diving instructors work a few months, then leave. Police takes some bribes, pretend they don't know.

[mojorison]

I'm a sceptic too. I might be unfair to the young man but how can he work as a 'barman' for 18 months on the island?. Work permit? Sounds fishy to me.

Many western barmen on Koh Tao and other islands don't have permits, what does that have to do with his credibility as a murder witness?

If true, such a person would be a self-admitted criminal, guilty of violating immigration and labor laws. Maybe tax laws, too.

And? You going somewhere with this?

[littlebw]

Sean hasnt lied - he didnt say that the 2 men he photographed were responsible for the murders - he said that they may know something and that if he was killed that night then the 2 men were HIS killers !

So we know he worked illegally prior on the Island for 18 months.

Arrived the day of the murders by sheer coincidence ?

Took drugs at times?

Accuses Thais of the crimes ?

And his friends claim "he may be Bullshiting"?

His friends? Seriously, get a grip of yourself and your conspiracies!!!

You should be ashamed of yourself to pick a side without knowing if there is truth to his story or not. If this incident can help the investigation catch the killers, you should be happy that Sean would have the balls to actually speak up!

You're obnoxious!

I can see your point. However would you agree that Sean should be locked up if it is proven that he was lying? How would you feel if someone publicly accused you of a murder without providing a shred of credible evidence? Let's assume you are/were innocent.

[Iumentum]

So we know he worked illegally prior on the Island for 18 months.

Arrived the day of the murders by sheer coincidence ?

Took drugs at times?

Accuses Thais of the crimes ?

And his friends claim "he may be Bullshiting"?

His friends? Seriously, get a grip of yourself and your conspiracies!!!

You should be ashamed of yourself to pick a side without knowing if there is truth to his story or not. If this incident can help the investigation catch the killers, you should be happy that Sean would have the balls to actually speak up!

You're obnoxious!

I can see your point. However would you agree that Sean should be locked up if it is proven that he was lying? How would you feel if someone publicly accused you of a murder without providing a shred of credible evidence? Let's assume you are/were innocent.

If he has been lying in this case, then of course he should be held responsible for that.

All that i am saying is that so many here including Fred F-Face are dismissing the possibility of credibility in his story. Further more then Fred F-Face try to make ridiculous comments about me should being his friend, even though that i clearly stated that i do not dismiss the possibility of him actually being full of BS either. Difference here is that some already made their judgements based on their poor armchair investigation, while others try to remain objective and hope that any information can lead to the arrest of the actual killers.

[Leila30]

To all the 'experts' who have lived on the island or are still living on the island - who claim to know who the 'Big Families' are, are: Why don't you share your intimate knowledge with everyone? What are their names? Who are the crazy rich kids?

Who are the Bar owners? Who are the corrupt police?

Leave the island and tell all. If you are already in another country - tell us.

Here on this site? The press? The Thai Military? The Police?

So many people have already said that they know what goes on there because they have lived there.

But, - no one talks. Interesting. Yet you accuse the Thais of not talking.

If this is all supposed 'common knowledge', - then time to speak up!

Just druggies and misfits scum in Bangkok rotting with pet hatreds.

I am the first to be harsh on Thai authorities in their investigations

But rumours don't help ...if anything cause distractions .

The island is known for full moon functions that entail mind altering drugs.

It's not helpful here.

And though Yes most certainly powerful families exist the question begs ?

Who?

Really , someone?...,, nope ?

Just conjecture ?

And if this false lead goes no where who will be to blame?

Some smart arsed kid who sits limp wristed in a freezer ripped on drugs ?

Seriously , this is not cool.

It's pathetic that rat bags have used social media in this way and the whole criminal investigation pushed into an even bigger zero

I don't think there's ever been a full moon party on Koh Tao. There are however boats from Koh Tao to Koh Phagnan for the full moon parties. It's another island entirely though. Koh Tao is known for chillaxing and diving, and somewhere to go to chill after some time partying on Phagnan.

[Banzai99]

Why would the Thai Mafia walk into a bar full of people and threaten him, they could have just waited for him outside, he said he was hiding from them, but he still managed to get his guitar and belongings from the pad he stayed in without being seen by the organisation that is after him, why does he not tell what he knows, is he waiting for the Fee for an exclusive from the Mirror, is he hoping the publicity will kick start his so far failed musical career ?

The Mafia are not going to tell you they are going to kill you, they'll just do it, how was the Mafia put off by him being in a 7 eleven, they could have pulled down balaclavas and dragged him out, is the 7 eleven some kind of no go area for the Mafia ?

I don't believe his story, its all too convenient, I think he'll soon be exposed as a fraud who has jumped on the bandwagon for some free publicity, I'd like to be wrong, but I don't buy this story at all.

I say again, I would like to be wrong.

Edited September 23, 2014 by Banzai99

[Fred Flinstone]

So we know he worked illegally prior on the Island for 18 months.

Arrived the day of the murders by sheer coincidence ?

Took drugs at times?

Accuses Thais of the crimes ?

And his friends claim "he may be Bullshiting"?

His friends? Seriously, get a grip of yourself and your conspiracies!!!

You should be ashamed of yourself to pick a side without knowing if there is truth to his story or not. If this incident can help the investigation catch the killers, you should be happy that Sean would have the balls to actually speak up!

You're obnoxious!

I can see your point. However would you agree that Sean should be locked up if it is proven that he was lying? How would you feel if someone publicly accused you of a murder without providing a shred of credible evidence? Let's assume you are/were innocent.

My point exactly.

I have only stated Facts .

Its ironic he asks for objectiveness

[Iumentum]

So we know he worked illegally prior on the Island for 18 months.

Arrived the day of the murders by sheer coincidence ?

Took drugs at times?

Accuses Thais of the crimes ?

And his friends claim "he may be Bullshiting"?

His friends? Seriously, get a grip of yourself and your conspiracies!!!

You should be ashamed of yourself to pick a side without knowing if there is truth to his story or not. If this incident can help the investigation catch the killers, you should be happy that Sean would have the balls to actually speak up!

You're obnoxious!

I can see your point. However would you agree that Sean should be locked up if it is proven that he was lying? How would you feel if someone publicly accused you of a murder without providing a shred of credible evidence? Let's assume you are/were innocent.

My point exactly.

I have only stated Facts .

Its ironic he asks for objectiveness

No you haven't just started facts. You started to ask me questions about Sean and make me a part of your personal armchair investigation.

If it's not obnoxious to ask me about Sean's whereabout on the time of the murder and if he was on drugs or not, then i do not know what it is.

[tifino]

A book would soon be banned - because someone will lose face

Edited September 23, 2014 by tifino

[T_Dog]

The Daily Mirror stated that there is a "lot more story" here but so far they have not put anything further out. Either they are still developing it or there are some problems with it.

[schondie]

Wow, there are a lot of cynics on this thread. To think that the people who live on Koh Tao want anything less than justice for the killers of these two people is mind-blowing. Keep in mind, we LIVE here and can't stand the thought that there are people living amongst who are capable of such an atrocity. We want these people caught for the families of the victims, for our own safety, and to a much lesser degree because we have built lives and businesses here and we will undoubtedly suffer from the negative attention.

All of the speculation and the actual reporting of this story in the media has been terribly insensitive and counter-productive. The owner of the resort was one of the first on the scene because he owns a business adjacent to it. Reports that he hasn't submitted a DNA test are false. He was one of the first to be tested.

Talk of a mafia-run island is also incorrect. Some of our local business people have more influence than others because they have more land, money, family interests, etc. These are the people that get elected into government on Koh Tao as well as in many other places in the world. We don't have any history of tourist murders on the island. Drugs are not as prevalent here as they are in many other places in Thailand, and all of the Full Moon party references apply to Koh Phangan, not Koh Tao.

Sean McAnna has not been here working as a barman for 18 months here. In fact, he only recently arrived. He spent some time here in the past and wasn't able to maintain employment anywhere for long on the island. He has been all over the place with his views of what happened. His first post since the tragedy occurred (since removed) was of how sad he was and that he was supposed to meet David Miller on the night of the murders, but he fell asleep in his bungalow. Now he somehow seems to have witnessed the killings and can ID the killers. And if he did witness the murders, why is he only just now speaking up? We have had literally hundreds of mainland police combing this island for a week. If he felt uncomfortable speaking about it because he feared for what would happen to him if he did, why not leave the island and contact the British Embassy who could then keep him safe while he spoke with police in Bangkok or even at home in the UK? Instead, he drunkenly walked into AC Bar at night, alone and made accusations against the owner. And why would he post such garbage on Facebook instead of speaking to the authorities? These are just a few of the reasons that we question his mental state. He seems to be quite illogical in his actions and more than a little bit disturbed. Hopefully, he gets the help he needs and the authorities will get back to searching for the killers...

I'm sure many other people would feel the same as the bar owner if they had been accused of these heinous crimes by a person without any proof.

All the people on here who feel he has been brave and found the culprits are clutching at straws in the same manner as Sean. Regardless of how well connected, influential or powerful he or his family are I'm sure the police would have charged him by now as the country's reputation needs a boost.

Do you really think the present government would allow the police to let someone else take the blame and see the case collapse in court in front of the world's media? I think not as the fall guys would have been charged by now. You can bet the military's breathing down the necks of the police to make sure this awful crime gets solved properly.

[mataleo]

My gf read article just now it says they arrested 1 and 1 escape to bkk. Its in thai not sure credibity i try post it here soon

[CantSpell]

So who is this guy on the left in the photo Sean took?

We know he is standing on the beach talking to a policeman at the crime scene. It has now been reported he refused to give a DNA sample. It appears he is also the same guy running in the CCTV footage (same size, basic appearance, hairstyle, and has an earring in his left ear). We know Sean took a photo of him looking into the store where he was hiding out (regardless of whether he is right or wrong in his claims about being threatened with hanging). There are also claims that this guy owns 2 resorts on Koh Tao. I think it would be fair to say that for someone to own 2 resorts on Koh Tao, this person would have to be well known and probably well connected.

So what we have is a guy who has popped up 3 times, may own two resorts, is known to police and the community, and is likely well connected due to the fact he didn’t have to give DNA and owns said resorts. Considering the flimsy evidence with which they detained everyone else, this guy should definitely be in custody. Unless…..

Let’s assume there are influential families running Koh Tao and this fellow belongs to one of them. The question then becomes, what is more likely…… Solving this case and blowing the lid in a very public way that Thailand (or parts of) are controlled by influential mafia type families causing huge embarrassment to the country. Or, the pretense of a genuine investigation which in fact is a giant farce buying time for the police until they can find an acceptable scapegoat on to whom they can pin this with minimal national embarrassment.

Adding to the fact that according to one of his defender:

"he owns a resort very close from the crime scene, that is why he was here early morning with police"

Ok, but what about late evening the previous night??

DNS please, if not him then he is clear....

[mojorison]

To all the 'experts' who have lived on the island or are still living on the island - who claim to know who the 'Big Families' are, are: Why don't you share your intimate knowledge with everyone? What are their names? Who are the crazy rich kids?

Who are the Bar owners? Who are the corrupt police?

Leave the island and tell all. If you are already in another country - tell us.

Here on this site? The press? The Thai Military? The Police?

So many people have already said that they know what goes on there because they have lived there.

But, - no one talks. Interesting. Yet you accuse the Thais of not talking.

If this is all supposed 'common knowledge', - then time to speak up!

Just druggies and misfits scum in Bangkok rotting with pet hatreds.

I am the first to be harsh on Thai authorities in their investigations

But rumours don't help ...if anything cause distractions .

The island is known for full moon functions that entail mind altering drugs.

It's not helpful here.

And though Yes most certainly powerful families exist the question begs ?

Who?

Really , someone?...,, nope ?

Just conjecture ?

And if this false lead goes no where who will be to blame?

Some smart arsed kid who sits limp wristed in a freezer ripped on drugs ?

Seriously , this is not cool.

It's pathetic that rat bags have used social media in this way and the whole criminal investigation pushed into an even bigger zero

I don't think there's ever been a full moon party on Koh Tao. There are however boats from Koh Tao to Koh Phagnan for the full moon parties. It's another island entirely though. Koh Tao is known for chillaxing and diving, and somewhere to go to chill after some time partying on Phagnan.

Put it this way, after the FMP on KPG, some 80% of the total tourists go onward to Koh Tao... there the partying continues. (Koh Tao is about 25sq km, KPG is about 250 sq km... receiving similar numbers of tourists, think about the logistics of that for one second...) Koh Tao tried for a long time to maintain the "leave only footprints and bubbles" routine, but alas the dark forces have introduced a full on party culture there too. I know this, because we are now getting many customers coming from Koh Tao, looking for relaxation on Koh Phangan, complaining of "too much noise and partying" on Koh Tao (and being thoroughly disappointed and surprised)... oh the irony. Especially on the Sairee stretch. It is well known to be loud 24 hours a day. doof doof doof. Now you can ignore the reality of this, or you could address it. On KPG now, we are choosing to address these issues, rather than putting the proverbial head in the sand.

[zydeco]

Wow, there are a lot of cynics on this thread. To think that the people who live on Koh Tao want anything less than justice for the killers of these two people is mind-blowing. Keep in mind, we LIVE here and can't stand the thought that there are people living amongst who are capable of such an atrocity. We want these people caught for the families of the victims, for our own safety, and to a much lesser degree because we have built lives and businesses here and we will undoubtedly suffer from the negative attention.

All of the speculation and the actual reporting of this story in the media has been terribly insensitive and counter-productive. The owner of the resort was one of the first on the scene because he owns a business adjacent to it. Reports that he hasn't submitted a DNA test are false. He was one of the first to be tested.

Talk of a mafia-run island is also incorrect. Some of our local business people have more influence than others because they have more land, money, family interests, etc. These are the people that get elected into government on Koh Tao as well as in many other places in the world. We don't have any history of tourist murders on the island. Drugs are not as prevalent here as they are in many other places in Thailand, and all of the Full Moon party references apply to Koh Phangan, not Koh Tao.

Sean McAnna has not been here working as a barman for 18 months here. In fact, he only recently arrived. He spent some time here in the past and wasn't able to maintain employment anywhere for long on the island. He has been all over the place with his views of what happened. His first post since the tragedy occurred (since removed) was of how sad he was and that he was supposed to meet David Miller on the night of the murders, but he fell asleep in his bungalow. Now he somehow seems to have witnessed the killings and can ID the killers. And if he did witness the murders, why is he only just now speaking up? We have had literally hundreds of mainland police combing this island for a week. If he felt uncomfortable speaking about it because he feared for what would happen to him if he did, why not leave the island and contact the British Embassy who could then keep him safe while he spoke with police in Bangkok or even at home in the UK? Instead, he drunkenly walked into AC Bar at night, alone and made accusations against the owner. And why would he post such garbage on Facebook instead of speaking to the authorities? These are just a few of the reasons that we question his mental state. He seems to be quite illogical in his actions and more than a little bit disturbed. Hopefully, he gets the help he needs and the authorities will get back to searching for the killers...

I'm sure many other people would feel the same as the bar owner if they had been accused of these heinous crimes by a person without any proof.

All the people on here who feel he has been brave and found the culprits are clutching at straws in the same manner as Sean. Regardless of how well connected, influential or powerful he or his family are I'm sure the police would have charged him by now as the country's reputation needs a boost.

Do you really think the present government would allow the police to let someone else take the blame and see the case collapse in court in front of the world's media? I think not as the fall guys would have been charged by now. You can bet the military's breathing down the necks of the police to make sure this awful crime gets solved properly.

Your last paragraph might be due some extrapolation. Behind much of this hysteria, I believe, is a well armed propaganda attack against the government. Just a few months back many of these same posters now tearing into the police were only too happy to defend police ineptitude at producing arrests for bombings, assassinations, and drive-bys. But that was under a different government, with whom the police at the time were closely identified. Now that corruption is being rooted out, notably within the police, investigative molehills will become mountains. Crimes going without an arrest in the space of 24 hours will be called cover-ups. That is the agenda at work here.

Edited September 23, 2014 by zydeco

[SteveFong]

Twitter has the updates

I just spoke to g/f in bkk

she said this island is one of her favorite vacation spots and sent me a 6 pictures,

she said her and her friends wont be going there ever again, if the killer isnt caught

[schondie]

The Daily Mirror stated that there is a "lot more story" here but so far they have not put anything further out. Either they are still developing it or there are some problems with it.

I'd put my money on the latter. Yesterday it sounded plausible but as more information has trickled out it looks like Sean has been a very silly boy.

[Jai Dee]

Some posts containing personal attacks and bickering have been deleted from this topic.

Please keep the discussion civil.

[Fred Flinstone]

The Daily Mirror stated that there is a "lot more story" here but so far they have not put anything further out. Either they are still developing it or there are some problems with it.

I'd put my money on the latter. Yesterday it sounded plausible but as more information has trickled out it looks like Sean has been a very silly boy.

Yes

[Stokakrishna]

mafia is too strong, even for the military in thailand

[Rykbanlor]

Wow, there are a lot of cynics on this thread. To think that the people who live on Koh Tao want anything less than justice for the killers of these two people is mind-blowing. Keep in mind, we LIVE here and can't stand the thought that there are people living amongst who are capable of such an atrocity. We want these people caught for the families of the victims, for our own safety, and to a much lesser degree because we have built lives and businesses here and we will undoubtedly suffer from the negative attention.

All of the speculation and the actual reporting of this story in the media has been terribly insensitive and counter-productive. The owner of the resort was one of the first on the scene because he owns a business adjacent to it. Reports that he hasn't submitted a DNA test are false. He was one of the first to be tested.

Talk of a mafia-run island is also incorrect. Some of our local business people have more influence than others because they have more land, money, family interests, etc. These are the people that get elected into government on Koh Tao as well as in many other places in the world. We don't have any history of tourist murders on the island. Drugs are not as prevalent here as they are in many other places in Thailand, and all of the Full Moon party references apply to Koh Phangan, not Koh Tao.

Sean McAnna has not been here working as a barman for 18 months here. In fact, he only recently arrived. He spent some time here in the past and wasn't able to maintain employment anywhere for long on the island. He has been all over the place with his views of what happened. His first post since the tragedy occurred (since removed) was of how sad he was and that he was supposed to meet David Miller on the night of the murders, but he fell asleep in his bungalow. Now he somehow seems to have witnessed the killings and can ID the killers. And if he did witness the murders, why is he only just now speaking up? We have had literally hundreds of mainland police combing this island for a week. If he felt uncomfortable speaking about it because he feared for what would happen to him if he did, why not leave the island and contact the British Embassy who could then keep him safe while he spoke with police in Bangkok or even at home in the UK? Instead, he drunkenly walked into AC Bar at night, alone and made accusations against the owner. And why would he post such garbage on Facebook instead of speaking to the authorities? These are just a few of the reasons that we question his mental state. He seems to be quite illogical in his actions and more than a little bit disturbed. Hopefully, he gets the help he needs and the authorities will get back to searching for the killers...

What do you think they mean by a mafia run island? Some of your local business owners have more influence cos they have more land and money, and are elected to local office. That is the backbone, the very structure of local Thai mafias nationwide. What did you think, they were going to be influencing the unions, fixing college football games and hanging out at Marios Cold cuts and Pizzeria?

[mataleo]

Translate my above link...

And heres new one. http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/southern-police-chief-says-enough-evidence-british-tourists-murder-case-make-arrest-now/

And from twitter police search bar on sairee beach

[bkkgooner]

mafia is too strong, even for the military in thailand

wrong.

the mafia operate because they are allowed to by the army.

[Rykbanlor]

mafia is too strong, even for the military in thailand

If it came down to actually sending in troops, then no, i doubt the mafia would be that well armed. It's the question of tearing out the entire social fabric of Thailand that may be too painful to do.

[mataleo]

A lot of misreporting going on re Sean McAnna. He didnt tell us the 2 men had killed David & Hannah. He DID say they threatened to kill him

[Bung]

One thing that seems to permeate this whole episode is drugs. Everyone knows these islands and the parties are a haven for drug users. It is known throughout the world that you can travel there and take drugs. The Thais and Thai police like it as they are cashing in on it.

I think it is high time for this new government to put an end to all these full moon parties and the drug scene and let normal people enjoy these places again.

It was only a matter of time for something like this to happen. Shut it down.

Look at Vang Vieng in Laos. That place got out of hand and they shut that down too and good on them. Too many peoples kids are coming here and not coming home.

Thailand doesn't need a bunch of drugged up and drunk kids dancing around until the dawn.

[Rykbanlor]

Translate my above link...

And heres new one. http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/southern-police-chief-says-enough-evidence-british-tourists-murder-case-make-arrest-now/

And from twitter police search bar on sairee beach

Good, thanks for the link.

The police man says, 'no, no there is no Thai Mafia on island, or people would have told us'.

Right.

[littlebw]

Andy Lines (twitter)

permission to search one of the bars by the owner - only 9 days later lol

cue the planted evidence etc

what a comedy act this is lol