Terrified Briton flees Koh Tao after 'mafia' death threat

[MJP]

Taking an old, unconnected picture from the guy's social media accounts to undermine his credibility is fallacious and pathetic.

Always, always stay behind the camera.

[TealLA]

Koh Tao is home to a bunch of backwoods coconut farmers who think they can get away with murder. They need to put this thing to an end NOW!

Just because I have someone to keep my toilet clean,

doesn't mean he owns the s**thole. Think about!

Very insightful... OMG

[indo247]

the guy looks like he's on the yaa baa.

this murder will be covered up by the Thai police, anyone who has spend along time in asia knows this

Thais are a xenophobic race no one will talk, after all they were only farangs

Koh tao should be boycotted spend your hard earned elsewhere

[jspill]

"He revealed the Thai men snarled at him"...

That doesn't suggest paraphrasing, that's how you would address a direct quote.

And the quote is way too good English for a mafia goon. It reads like something from a poor crime novel.

OK the guy is spooked about something and maybe someone has leant on him to keep quiet or keep his nose out of other people's business but I believe he has over-dramatized his role in the affair

If he'd used broken Tinglish there would be someone on Thaivisa saying 'hmm, he's trying way too hard to seem convincing, this all seems too perfect, I don't buy his story'.

[Lozza]

He did well to take pictures and get by any Thai script to use the apps he needed on a phone he's not used to.

not saying he couldn't have done that.

I doubt I could pick up my TGF's phone and use it,

What! doesn't he have a phone he'd be addicted to it he managed to wake up britain, the embassy, thailand and play on social media till rescued. I'm inclined to say he was penniless and needed an out without any visa issues. Was he DNA'd?

[MJP]

the guy looks like he's on the yaa baa.

this murder will be covered up by the Thai police, anyone who has spend along time in asia knows this

Thais are a xenophobic race no one will talk, after all they were only farangs

Koh tao should be boycotted spend your hard earned elsewhere

Even the old woman would never let me, her and the kids go to any of the southern islands. Samui, Phuket, any of them. She's tough too. And built. Strong and angry. One mean mutha . . .

[Leila30]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/thailand/11113386/British-backpacker-describes-terror-after-Thai-mafia-death-threat.html

You be the judge.

I can judge that he hasn't once mentioned his friend, throughout the whole interview.... clearly videoed in a shinky tuk-tuk, whilst still in Thailand.

If he was so afraid, he would not have found time to even be approached by the Telegraph reporters. Don't rule him out yet!

The police have cleared Sean McAnna for any involvement after DNA test.

[Lozza]

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.

All thai sims can make international calls. And actually quite cheap. I was surprised when I called first time from a thai number.

Dee Dial is another good telco 1baht a minute to landlines and 3 baht to mobiles to most countries.

[indo247]

the guy looks like he's on the yaa baa.

this murder will be covered up by the Thai police, anyone who has spend along time in asia knows this

Thais are a xenophobic race no one will talk, after all they were only farangs

Koh tao should be boycotted spend your hard earned elsewhere

Even the old woman would never let me, her and the kids go to any of the southern islands. Samui, Phuket, any of them. She's tough too. And built. Strong and angry. One mean mutha . . .

time to put your foot down don't let the old woman wear the trousers, a thai wouldn't

[MJP]

the guy looks like he's on the yaa baa.

this murder will be covered up by the Thai police, anyone who has spend along time in asia knows this

Thais are a xenophobic race no one will talk, after all they were only farangs

Koh tao should be boycotted spend your hard earned elsewhere

Even the old woman would never let me, her and the kids go to any of the southern islands. Samui, Phuket, any of them. She's tough too. And built. Strong and angry. One mean mutha . . .

time to put your foot down don't let the old woman wear the trousers, a thai wouldn't

Oh hell no, she tried to kill me years ago. We're back on speaking terms now though.

[englishoak]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/thailand-beach-murders-police-hunting-4261185

Go to 0.19 of the vid and tell me the guy that sean took a pic of isnt the same chap that is clearly beside the police...

Now look at his demeanour and expression the whole time, his body language and manner exudes an air of resignation and a sorrowful expression, he dosnt look up, isnt looking at the bodies but is clearly in thought about something. Im not going to say hes acting guilty but he does seem totally out of place there. Everyone else is buzzing about and preoccupied with something and active but not him.

And hes right beside the police as if hes special for some reason not kept back with the press etc

This was pointed out the first day in some thread and now he happens to pop up in seans pic as the leader of the gang after him and hes a bar owner of a couple of businesses right there ? coincidence maybe but its pretty strange all the same.

Edited September 22, 2014 by englishoak

[indo247]

lol that's why i married an Indonesian much more managable

the guy looks like he's on the yaa baa.

this murder will be covered up by the Thai police, anyone who has spend along time in asia knows this

Thais are a xenophobic race no one will talk, after all they were only farangs

Koh tao should be boycotted spend your hard earned elsewhere

Even the old woman would never let me, her and the kids go to any of the southern islands. Samui, Phuket, any of them. She's tough too. And built. Strong and angry. One mean mutha . . .

time to put your foot down don't let the old woman wear the trousers, a thai wouldn't

Oh hell no, she tried to kill me years ago. We're back on speaking terms now though.

[lung]

"You've got two people's deaths on your hands"

I've never heard a Thai speak like this. Must be educated mafia in Koh Tao

How are they supposed to say it?

You you . . . kill . . . two . . . you you.

--- the first post me think ,easy to find a "so" English speaking Thai

then i see the pic of him and think he was trying some "yaba"

sooo....

[SunsetT]

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.

......But maybe the local mafia are as inept as the Keystone Thai cops in telling him what they are proposing to do to him rather than just doing it when he is off guard.

The most logical explanation is that they have achieved their intended outcome in scaring him off the island as he was broadcasting the truth. But like most Thais, they have no awareness of a World outside of Thailand and just do not realise that this has gone International and will further damage Koh Tao and Thai tourism.

But hey! Those who have been in Thailand long enough know the truth...........TIT writ large and logic does not apply............Absolutely anything is possible!

Edited September 22, 2014 by SunsetT

[MJP]

"You've got two people's deaths on your hands"

I've never heard a Thai speak like this. Must be educated mafia in Koh Tao

How are they supposed to say it?

You you . . . kill . . . two . . . you you.

--- the first post me think ,easy to find a "so" English speaking Thai

then i see the pic of him and think he was trying some "yaba"

sooo....

In fairness my old SIL's speak a very high standard of English. They're not gangsters though.

[Leila30]

seems perfectly sane to me

No doubt at all here, he is in a state of paranoia and medication of some sort. It's not fear. Their may be (is) underlying mental health issues.

This is a picture from over a year ago, found on his facebook or twitter... And I'm pretty sure the picture was intended as a joke, there's also one of him sitting completely down in that freezer...

[indo247]

I can't wait for tomorrows episode of this ongoing escapade.

The 2 best bits of today were The Royal Thai muppets are taking DNA from all islanders and fishermen so on (a whole 7 days after the incident brilliant who's brain fart was that should it not of happened straight away

bit no 2 hippie busker come junkie spouts off about the thai mafia as if they would tell him what they are going to do, i really hope the guy can make it to the plane

before some one in the real mafia catches up with him.

[KTVIEW]

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.

[Leila30]

The guy on the left in Sean's pic is definitely the same guy as in the video from the crime scene.

First of all he shouldn't have been on the crime scene no matter how many resorts he owns, or how many of the police are his best buddies.

I unfortunately stumbled upon the pictures of the two deceased from the crime scene, and can't by any chance erase the sight of the poor girl from my mind.

And this is what concerns me. Because this man seem to be staring directly at her body. And that's not something you so casually just look at.

The brutality of her injuries were horrific, and I would think even trained professionals would have a reaction to it.

How has a guy who owns a bar and a couple of resorts on Koh Tao get so used to a sight like that? That he manages to just casually look at her?

[englishoak]

seems perfectly sane to me

No doubt at all here, he is in a state of paranoia and medication of some sort. It's not fear. Their may be (is) underlying mental health issues.

This is a picture from over a year ago, found on his facebook or twitter... And I'm pretty sure the picture was intended as a joke, there's also one of him sitting completely down in that freezer...

David had a pic on his FB page doing the same thing and no one claimed he had mental health issues its clearly a fad...

pics can be misleading or is this guy a fruitloop too ?

[phuketandsee]

The guy on the left in Sean's pic is definitely the same guy as in the video from the crime scene.

First of all he shouldn't have been on the crime scene no matter how many resorts he owns, or how many of the police are his best buddies.

I unfortunately stumbled upon the pictures of the two deceased from the crime scene, and can't by any chance erase the sight of the poor girl from my mind.

And this is what concerns me. Because this man seem to be staring directly at her body. And that's not something you so casually just look at.

The brutality of her injuries were horrific, and I would think even trained professionals would have a reaction to it.

How has a guy who owns a bar and a couple of resorts on Koh Tao get so used to a sight like that? That he manages to just casually look at her?

How do you know the position of the body and that he was staring at it?

[Leila30]

The guy on the left in Sean's pic is definitely the same guy as in the video from the crime scene.

First of all he shouldn't have been on the crime scene no matter how many resorts he owns, or how many of the police are his best buddies.

I unfortunately stumbled upon the pictures of the two deceased from the crime scene, and can't by any chance erase the sight of the poor girl from my mind.

And this is what concerns me. Because this man seem to be staring directly at her body. And that's not something you so casually just look at.

The brutality of her injuries were horrific, and I would think even trained professionals would have a reaction to it.

How has a guy who owns a bar and a couple of resorts on Koh Tao get so used to a sight like that? That he manages to just casually look at her?

How do you know the position of the body and that he was staring at it?

As I said, I stumbled upon the pictures from the crime scene of the two deceased.

In the still photo posted from the video you can see the guy laying on the beach behind him.The girl was found, if you're facing the beach,

a few meters to the right and further up from the water (the guy was found in the water and moved up to the beach).

[Fred Flinstone]

It appears the Man has issues

[KarenBravo]

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.

Edited September 22, 2014 by KarenBravo

[englishoak]

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.

Seeing as there has been ridiculous conjecture of all kinds from the Thai media, and even authorities since day 1 I dont think its strange papers find this newsworthy at all, I do find it strange Thai media isnt covering it at all given they jump on the first comment made by anyone or stories we have heard.

Second point, your on Island and im going to assume youve been around a while here, everything can be just fine here and on a dime it can and does turn, all it would take is a few words and the whole scene goes from easy living to dangerous times.

Just because someones paranoid, even a drunk dosnt mean no ones after them. None of us were there and yet plenty of us know exactly how a great nice guy can suddenly turn.

You mention mean spirited and libelous, no one seems to care about libelous against David his friends or Hannah and the disgusting stories made about them all over the media here and the comments even by officials... thats disgusting my friend and thats more than mean spirited

Im sure the KT community is devastated, it happened on your little bit of paradise but many of us have been to KT and know theres a dark side as there is on all Islands here, KT has its fair share of violent crime, the day before the murders there was a double mugging in the same area by a gang, KP is right next door and its always had murders and plenty of unsavoury characters running the place.

Back in the late 90s a lass I know set up in Koh Lanta she had a Thai BF and for a good 10 mths everything was rosy, until one day she ruffled his hair in others company (thais) when out as shed do on occasion at home with no problems at all... 2 seconds later he had a knife at her throat for disrespecting him... she reported it but witnesses (Thai Islanders ) denied it had ever happened ... scared and totally devastated she had been betrayed by what she thought were other good Thai freinds she left the next day and has never returned to LOS

Islanders close ranks like any small community, its always been this way, there is no choice for most and the risks are too great I understand that but it dosnt make it right.

Someone or some people on your little Island know who did this, nothing goes on that threatens the tourist income there like any Island without the knowledge of those who run it... no way.

Justice can only be served in a balanced and open non corrupt society, Thailand is anything but and especially small communities like the Islands are anything but.

You know it or should by now, Id be very careful until they catch these murderers, if its left unsolved that means they are still out there somewhere and will probably become bold and at some point do something extremely violent again.

Be safe there and all in the KT community.

Edited September 22, 2014 by englishoak

[tartempion]

He did well to take pictures and get by any Thai script to use the apps he needed on a phone he's not used to.

not saying he couldn't have done that.

I doubt I could pick up my TGF's phone and use it,

My 3,5 year young girl can't read nor write but navigates her iPad, takes pictures and mails them to me, 15.000 Km's away right now, she also uses the Face-time button and is proficient in opening, minimizing and maximizing YouTube movies.

Time to buy a smartphone for the TGF?

Incredible how ignorant people are here!

Edited September 22, 2014 by tartempion

[pedro01]

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.

Totally agree.

But now a bunch of posters will come along and ask you how you date doubt Seans integrity like that when you don't know him. On the other hand, it's fine for Sean to accuse someone of rape and murder without presenting a shred of evidence.

We all want to see the murderer caught. How well did Sean really know the male victim? How sure are people he's not just some nutjob seeking attention?

[BuffaloRescue]

sounds like a paranoid nutter tbh

[jacko45k]

Welcome to the land of smiles!

[chiang mai]

I see the usual Thai aplogists are all over this like a tramp on chips.. talk about character assasination when you don't know anything about the guy.. what was it the mods said earlier about defamation laws?? ..

It was perfectly clear from the outset that we didn't need to know much about this guy to know he was barking and time has proven that to be true. Character assassination, what character!