Tourism Minister to visit Koh Tao tomorrow

[Lite Beer]

Kobkarn to visit Koh Tao in bid to revive confidence
The Sunday Nation

Kobkarn

KOH TAO: -- Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul is scheduled to travel to Koh Tao today in the wake of the brutal murders of two British tourists on the resort island earlier this month, in a move that aims to assure visitors that sufficient security measures are in place.

Surat Thani Governor Chatpong Chatphuti said that Kobkarn would hold discussions with state officials and private business operators on Koh Tao to hear their opinions about the island's crime problem and possible solutions, the National News Bureau of Thailand reported yesterday.

The visit is expected to bring about more effective preventive measures against crime following the backpacker deaths, which has put Thai tourism in a bad light in the eyes of foreigners.

The governor said he would request a budget for the installation of additional security cameras and streetlights on the island, as part of increased security measures.

Chatpong said that money would also be spent on a campaign to refresh the image of Koh Tao in preparation for the upcoming high season late this year.

Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai yesterday urged Thais to be good hosts to foreign tourists by helping to ensure their safety.

Don said that Thais should do this by acting as tourists' eyes and ears.

He admitted that the backpacker murders shook the confidence many foreigners had in Thailand as a tourist destination. If tourists are well cared for, they will return home and recommend the Kingdom to others.

In a related development, Pol Lt-General Panya Mamen, chief of the Police Region 8 command, said much progress had been made in the investigation into the murders and police would move swiftly to make arrests when enough evidence had been gathered.

Panya, whose command has jurisdiction over Koh Tao, which is located off Surat Thani, insisted that police already had the names of the suspects.

He vowed that police would not let the public down.

Investigators were zeroing in on two to three issues related to the murder and 355 CCTV images were being closely examined, with the results expected later yesterday.

Panya said that investigators were also looking at every person who was within 600m of the crime scene between 2am and 4am on the night of the murders and police would interrogate anyone found have been in that radius.

"There're no influential people involved in the case and I don't feel pressure in handling the case," Panya said.

"The case is not complicated. Police are doing their best, both in terms of looking for witnesses and evidence and will find the culprit(s)."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Kobkarn-to-visit-Koh-Tao-in-bid-to-revive-confiden-30244298.html

-- The Nation 2014-09-28

[NongKhaiKid]

Of course sufficient security will be in place as she will be surrounded by BIB and a gaggle of officials and hangers on so she has nothing to worry about.

She won't ask searching questions, will get the answers she expects to hear and it will be presented as a raging success.

Once again a Thai official shows the only interest is tourist revenue and no concern for the unfortunates who lost their lives.

It's sad, it's disgraceful but not surprising.

[chooka]

The case is not complicated. Police are doing their best,

We just have no bloody idea what so ever what we are doing. Oh and those bloody Burmese complaining that we tried to beat a confession out of then slowed down our investigation.

[Beng]

Let Kobkarn travel undercover and let him visit Samui and Phangan as well so he can witness the mafia type structures who are running the local transport and other tourist related businesses first hand.

In the mid 90's the locals on the islands were a bunch of friendly fellows. That has changed and is getting worse every year.

[wdr]

Our wishes for the island will be not come up. I arrived yesterday by nearly full flight from K. L. People lining up @Koh Tao/Phangan tourist counter as nothing happened on the drug island - disgusting.

[boomerangutang]

Hopefully Koh Tao gets what it deserves this coming high season

How on earth does the island deserve anything.

None of the locals are guilty it seems.

I agree with the first sentence: Ko Tao (its working folks) don't deserve to suffer

However, I don't agree that "none of the locals are guilty." Far from it.

The TAT minister will be doing all she can to lessen the bad publicity of the unsolved brutal murders, because money is God here in LOS. However, what we'd like to see is some high official(s) going down there with a 200 watt cattle prod to inspire officials to do a professional job of investigating the double murder (and perhaps some other of the slew of other law-breaking incidents).

[daoyai]

What is it that Koh Tao deserves exactly? You sound like an idiot...

Kho Tao deserves to be an abandoned island where tourists used to go, before the brutal rape and murder of 2 young people

Kho tao deserves to be starved of revenue

Kho Tao deserves to be as desolate as the eyes of the mothers of these two young people

Koh Tao deserves to have the bars built on Sai Ree beach sand to be removed, restore the beach. Koh Tao deserves to have the sewage from the thousands of bungalows composted instead of draining directly into the sea. Kt deserves to be left to the mellow friendly hip locals to offer one of the best island experiences in Thailand. 99% of the Thais and Burmese working and living there are lovely people.

[boomerangutang]

Someone needs to dust off 'ol "ear medicine" Chalerm and have him solve this crime. He'd have it done in 3 days.

Yes and no. On the one hand, he'll get things done quickly with large press conferences every day, lots of high profile publicity (it's always about him as much as anything else) and promises of what's going to happen (similar to what's happening now). However, his modus operandi is to mention the first letter of the top suspect's name and leave it at that. If they're VIP's (and/or members of his chummy inner circle), then Chaleum figures mentioning the first initial of their names is punishment enough, and from that point on, they should be chagrined/cowed in to never breaking the law again. I jest not. That's how Chaleum operates. It's mafia mentality.

They are going to installing Toshiba brand CCTVs on the island and to promote Tourism, there is going to be a 3 month 50%off Toshiba Electrical Appliances Sale!

Right. Whatever the cameras might cost for you or me, they'll be bought for 5X that amount by officials - and guess where the 80% over-payment goes.

[SteveFong]

not gonna happen

[metisdead]

Inflammatory posts and replies have been removed.

[Strangebrew]

To insure the security of tourist best to tell them to avoid Thailand all together.Because lack of compassion for those murdered, Let the world know that Thailand only wants your money so stay home just send money. Thais happy and tourist safe.

[Neeranam]

She will be given a glorious tour and told the obligatory lies that there are no drugs or binge drinking going on there, no mafia and underworld. Everything perfect, except for this one "incident". She will leave and everything will be like before, except from a couple of CCTVs here and there operated by the ultra competent local police.

Please prove me wrong!

After that show her this video of how farangs p*ss it up on the holiday island whilst having their fill of freely available yaa. Squirting brain rotting cheap lao khao cocktails. All the lessons of Magaluf transported to the Thai paradise island. Time the good General started to use his broom to clean the stables.

This is getting out of order. A tragic murder for sure but life shouldn't end. That pub crawl looks like fun. I assume you're a n old aged pensioner who came to Thailand for the temples.of Beach Road.

I was young once and went to Magaluf when I was 17 with a bunch of mates - it was great! I was a "hippie' and lived on Koh Pa Ngan in 1990 for a couple of months and witnessed some of the first full moon partied and again they were wonderful. Sure, there was cheap nasty lao kho, magic mushrooms, speed punch, ganja, pills. That's what young people do. If it weren't for the hippies, Thailand wouldn't be as accessible to the retired tax man from Tumbridge Wells, or the butcher from Boston, yet they are the type who criticize the young ones.

Leave the islands alone and if anything clean up places like pattaya which is full of old perverts.

[TV7]

Don't you think it's unwise for her to visit this island at this time to promote tourism? If you can't see this, then we have no common ground. Sorry.

According to the report, her visit is to ensure that the security and safety of tourists on the island is being looked after. There are still plenty of tourists there and many more coming for the next round of parties and diving. She's trying to ensure their safety.

Ensure tourists' safety? By who? The local corrupt Keystone Cops? The local murdering and raping mafia? You are truly sick!

[falangjim]

"How are you? Has everything turned back to normal after last month's murders? You doing okay? Sales okay? "

Thailand disgusts me.

[TV7]

She will be given a glorious tour and told the obligatory lies that there are no drugs or binge drinking going on there, no mafia and underworld. Everything perfect, except for this one "incident". She will leave and everything will be like before, except from a couple of CCTVs here and there operated by the ultra competent local police.

Please prove me wrong!

After that show her this video of how farangs p*ss it up on the holiday island whilst having their fill of freely available yaa. Squirting brain rotting cheap lao khao cocktails. All the lessons of Magaluf transported to the Thai paradise island. Time the good General started to use his broom to clean the stables.

This is getting out of order. A tragic murder for sure but life shouldn't end. That pub crawl looks like fun. I assume you're a n old aged pensioner who came to Thailand for the temples.of Beach Road.

I was young once and went to Magaluf when I was 17 with a bunch of mates - it was great! I was a "hippie' and lived on Koh Pa Ngan in 1990 for a couple of months and witnessed some of the first full moon partied and again they were wonderful. Sure, there was cheap nasty lao kho, magic mushrooms, speed punch, ganja, pills. That's what young people do. If it weren't for the hippies, Thailand wouldn't be as accessible to the retired tax man from Tumbridge Wells, or the butcher from Boston, yet they are the type who criticize the young ones.

Leave the islands alone and if anything clean up places like pattaya which is full of old perverts.

<deleted> are you on? A young woman has just been raped, sodomised and horrifically beaten to death on one of your fun 'Islands'. That's why they cannot be left alone. It is estimated by the Australian embassy that hundreds of Australian women are raped each year at Full Moon parties on your 'fun' Islands. Multiply that by UK and other tourist nations and we could be talking about thousands of women. Thailand is not Magaluf. There may be the same tacky drunken bar activities, but for women there is a much more dangerous and ever present threat on these Thai Islands from men who prey on their vulnerability, and know that whatever happens they are more than likely to get away with their crimes unpunished.

This is why these islands cannot be left alone........not unless Thailand wants to see them, and it's tourist industry, destroyed forever.

[Jimlove]

Does he really want to go to Koh Tao ???.

Have he not been told that Koh Tao is a haunted Island and will bring bad fortune and that all who visit or works there will be haunted by ghosts ( Phi Lok ) the rest of their lives...

maybe someone should tell him or any other Thai friend who plans to visit there...

I heard this from a friend of a friend whos girlfriends friend is a Thai..so it is certainly true so beware of Ghosts on that Island

Ummm... I think the Minister is a woman... or at least described as such in the OP

Is she gonna Wear bikini maybe ...

[Songhua]

Does he really want to go to Koh Tao ???.

Have he not been told that Koh Tao is a haunted Island and will bring bad fortune and that all who visit or works there will be haunted by ghosts ( Phi Lok ) the rest of their lives...

maybe someone should tell him or any other Thai friend who plans to visit there...

I heard this from a friend of a friend whos girlfriends friend is a Thai..so it is certainly true so beware of Ghosts on that Island

Ummm... I think the Minister is a woman... or at least described as such in the OP

Is she gonna Wear bikini maybe ...

That's for the PM to decide.

[stephen terry]

Don't you think it's unwise for her to visit this island at this time to promote tourism? If you can't see this, then we have no common ground. Sorry.

Contrary, it's exactly the right time for her to visit the islands and see for herself, how

"Party Tourism" has <deleted!> up this places. Hopefully she's going back to Bangkok with

the recommendations to stop this huge parties with all the bad side effects and promote

the places as "Holiday destination" and not just three day party frenzy.

With those infamous parties gone, we might eventually even get "real" tourists back

again, people who come to relax and enjoy the beauty of this islands and not just people

rushing from one party ghetto to the next getting ripped off wherever they go.

Sure it would not stop crime completely but be assured, quite a lot of "undesirable people"

(foreigners and Thai) would not be on the islands anymore.

Sure no point of her coming here if tourism would be booming, is there?

Quote from her visit agenda: The visit is expected to bring about more effective preventive measures against crime following the backpacker deaths, which has put Thai tourism in a bad light in the eyes of foreigners. The governor said he would request a budget for the installation of additional security cameras and streetlights on the island, as part of increased security measures. Chatpong said that money would also be spent on a campaign to refresh the image of Koh Tao in preparation for the upcoming high season late this year.

My paraphrase: we'll try and make it harder for the murdering scum to commit more rapes and murders, then we will pronounce KT is safe.

As to your comment: Hopefully she's going back to Bangkok with

the recommendations to stop this huge parties with all the bad side effects

So in your words - murder and rape is only a bad side effect? I think you really ought to understand what 'compassion for the victims' means.

[Oziex1]

When it comes to dealing with people of influence, crooks, mafia whatever you want to call them . Get the army to deal with them, the way armies are trained to deal with enemies.

As for the OP, what on earth is she going to do? Stand by for some more startling figures on tourist numbers, going forward.

[daoyai]

TV7, seriously you think there are THOUSANDS of tourists raped on Thai islands every year? where do you get your information? This recent awful tragedy is a rarity, stop watching those sensationalist "reality" shows and get a life.

[JoeLing]

Don't you think it's unwise for her to visit this island at this time to promote tourism? If you can't see this, then we have no common ground. Sorry.

Contrary, it's exactly the right time for her to visit the islands and see for herself, how

"Party Tourism" has <deleted!> up this places. Hopefully she's going back to Bangkok with

the recommendations to stop this huge parties with all the bad side effects and promote

the places as "Holiday destination" and not just three day party frenzy.

With those infamous parties gone, we might eventually even get "real" tourists back

again, people who come to relax and enjoy the beauty of this islands and not just people

rushing from one party ghetto to the next getting ripped off wherever they go.

Sure it would not stop crime completely but be assured, quite a lot of "undesirable people"

(foreigners and Thai) would not be on the islands anymore.

Sure no point of her coming here if tourism would be booming, is there?

Quote from her visit agenda: The visit is expected to bring about more effective preventive measures against crime following the backpacker deaths, which has put Thai tourism in a bad light in the eyes of foreigners. The governor said he would request a budget for the installation of additional security cameras and streetlights on the island, as part of increased security measures. Chatpong said that money would also be spent on a campaign to refresh the image of Koh Tao in preparation for the upcoming high season late this year.

My paraphrase: we'll try and make it harder for the murdering scum to commit more rapes and murders, then we will pronounce KT is safe.

As to your comment: Hopefully she's going back to Bangkok with

the recommendations to stop this huge parties with all the bad side effects

So in your words - murder and rape is only a bad side effect? I think you really ought to understand what 'compassion for the victims' means.

I'm sorry, where did I say "ONLY bad side effects"?

​If I would be American, I would have said "collateral damage" but they are not.

Now maybe you could teach me a lesson about "Compassion for the victims"?

As there are so many victims of this crime, will I need to prioritise my compassion?

Well, let's just leave it at this, no point arguing. As you said earlier:

If you can't see this, then we have no common ground.

[stephen terry]

Don't you think it's unwise for her to visit this island at this time to promote tourism? If you can't see this, then we have no common ground. Sorry.

Contrary, it's exactly the right time for her to visit the islands and see for herself, how

"Party Tourism" has <deleted!> up this places. Hopefully she's going back to Bangkok with

the recommendations to stop this huge parties with all the bad side effects and promote

the places as "Holiday destination" and not just three day party frenzy.

With those infamous parties gone, we might eventually even get "real" tourists back

again, people who come to relax and enjoy the beauty of this islands and not just people

rushing from one party ghetto to the next getting ripped off wherever they go.

Sure it would not stop crime completely but be assured, quite a lot of "undesirable people"

(foreigners and Thai) would not be on the islands anymore.

Sure no point of her coming here if tourism would be booming, is there?

Quote from her visit agenda: The visit is expected to bring about more effective preventive measures against crime following the backpacker deaths, which has put Thai tourism in a bad light in the eyes of foreigners. The governor said he would request a budget for the installation of additional security cameras and streetlights on the island, as part of increased security measures. Chatpong said that money would also be spent on a campaign to refresh the image of Koh Tao in preparation for the upcoming high season late this year.

My paraphrase: we'll try and make it harder for the murdering scum to commit more rapes and murders, then we will pronounce KT is safe.

As to your comment: Hopefully she's going back to Bangkok with

the recommendations to stop this huge parties with all the bad side effects

So in your words - murder and rape is only a bad side effect? I think you really ought to understand what 'compassion for the victims' means.

I'm sorry, where did I say "ONLY bad side effects"?

​If I would be American, I would have said "collateral damage" but they are not.

Now maybe you could teach me a lesson about "Compassion for the victims"?

As there are so many victims of this crime, will I need to prioritise my compassion?

Well, let's just leave it at this, no point arguing. As you said earlier:

If you can't see this, then we have no common ground.

I'm going to add a response, because all I see is someone who doesn't understand the nuances of English (as in the above). First, 'all the bad side effects', which logically includes murder and rape. My use of 'only' is to emphase that your comment precludes murder and rape as anything other than one of these BSE's.

On the understanding that two victims have been brutally killed, i.e. lost their lives, I would suggest your compassion would prioritise them first.

Finally, I am not arguing. I am suggesting you have misguided direction, which is clearly evident by your responses to my posts. That's not meant to be inflammatory or accusative, or suggesting that none of your points have value, but it is the reality in this discussion.

Good bye..

[SteveFong]

it takes years to acquire the great skills of the above, whereby an insult can be seen as a compliment

[crazykopite]

And meanwhile the killers of these two tourists are free to kill again , as the self elected PM said last week Thailand is not a safe place to come to I hope every tourist listens to him and goes elsewhere !

[MikePhuket1970]

May she will have a chit chat with the perpetrators and their cover up officers

and celebrate the upcomming farang money

from the next high season

[Thai at Heart]

Kobkarn to visit Koh Tao in bid to revive confidence

The Sunday Nation

Kobkarn

KOH TAO: -- Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul is scheduled to travel to Koh Tao today in the wake of the brutal murders of two British tourists on the resort island earlier this month, in a move that aims to assure visitors that sufficient security measures are in place.

Surat Thani Governor Chatpong Chatphuti said that Kobkarn would hold discussions with state officials and private business operators on Koh Tao to hear their opinions about the island's crime problem and possible solutions, the National News Bureau of Thailand reported yesterday.

The visit is expected to bring about more effective preventive measures against crime following the backpacker deaths, which has put Thai tourism in a bad light in the eyes of foreigners.

The governor said he would request a budget for the installation of additional security cameras and streetlights on the island, as part of increased security measures.

Chatpong said that money would also be spent on a campaign to refresh the image of Koh Tao in preparation for the upcoming high season late this year.

Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai yesterday urged Thais to be good hosts to foreign tourists by helping to ensure their safety.

Don said that Thais should do this by acting as tourists' eyes and ears.

He admitted that the backpacker murders shook the confidence many foreigners had in Thailand as a tourist destination. If tourists are well cared for, they will return home and recommend the Kingdom to others.

In a related development, Pol Lt-General Panya Mamen, chief of the Police Region 8 command, said much progress had been made in the investigation into the murders and police would move swiftly to make arrests when enough evidence had been gathered.

Panya, whose command has jurisdiction over Koh Tao, which is located off Surat Thani, insisted that police already had the names of the suspects.

He vowed that police would not let the public down.

Investigators were zeroing in on two to three issues related to the murder and 355 CCTV images were being closely examined, with the results expected later yesterday.

Panya said that investigators were also looking at every person who was within 600m of the crime scene between 2am and 4am on the night of the murders and police would interrogate anyone found have been in that radius.

"There're no influential people involved in the case and I don't feel pressure in handling the case," Panya said.

"The case is not complicated. Police are doing their best, both in terms of looking for witnesses and evidence and will find the culprit(s)."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Kobkarn-to-visit-Koh-Tao-in-bid-to-revive-confiden-30244298.html

-- The Nation 2014-09-28

Simple question. Would she walk home alone in Thailand through the tourist areas at 2am.

Thought not.

Go back to bangkok.

[HeijoshinCool]

Ah, yes. Gotta make sure the money keeps flowing. Absolutely ZERO concern the brutal murderers are still walking around free.

Purely idiotic to think people here don't give a thought about those brutal murders. Just because people are concerned about how they make a living after such a tragedy, doesn't mean they show no concern or sympathy for the families of those victims. Just because people try to get tourists back after such a horrible crime, doesn't mean we forgotten about it already.

Comments like yours show how little concern is given to the thousands of innocent people living here a normal life, often mixed with fear. People who have absolute nothing to do with this incident and could lose their livelihood because of it. The two people killed and their families are not the only victims of this atrocities.

1000's of migrant workers could lose their jobs and can go back home, if no tourists arrive anymore. Multiply that with the people who rely on those migrant workers in order to make a living back home. Pretty cruel to believe we shouldn't worry about our businesses, our work, how we feed our children, how we survive after such a tragedy that will affect us all.

Most likely, those people who try to cover up this crime are the least worried about where the money comes from but everyone else is but that has absolute nothing to do with, ZERO concern for the families of the victims.

.

Okay, then

1. You go without making a big public announcement, one intended only to give you more face, and you do your job quietly, out of respect for the victims' families;

2. Have you been to Koh Tao? I have. It is a very small Thai community. I have no doubt that everyone knows who did it. The local cops most certainly do.

Let 'em all suffer. I hope the ones who know and won't tell, all go out of business. And the cops who take money from them for looking the other way, or from extorting tourists, I hope they lose everything they have.

[brewsterbudgen]

Kobkarn to visit Koh Tao in bid to revive confidence

The Sunday Nation

Kobkarn

KOH TAO: -- Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul is scheduled to travel to Koh Tao today in the wake of the brutal murders of two British tourists on the resort island earlier this month, in a move that aims to assure visitors that sufficient security measures are in place.

Surat Thani Governor Chatpong Chatphuti said that Kobkarn would hold discussions with state officials and private business operators on Koh Tao to hear their opinions about the island's crime problem and possible solutions, the National News Bureau of Thailand reported yesterday.

The visit is expected to bring about more effective preventive measures against crime following the backpacker deaths, which has put Thai tourism in a bad light in the eyes of foreigners.

The governor said he would request a budget for the installation of additional security cameras and streetlights on the island, as part of increased security measures.

Chatpong said that money would also be spent on a campaign to refresh the image of Koh Tao in preparation for the upcoming high season late this year.

Meanwhile, Deputy Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai yesterday urged Thais to be good hosts to foreign tourists by helping to ensure their safety.

Don said that Thais should do this by acting as tourists' eyes and ears.

He admitted that the backpacker murders shook the confidence many foreigners had in Thailand as a tourist destination. If tourists are well cared for, they will return home and recommend the Kingdom to others.

In a related development, Pol Lt-General Panya Mamen, chief of the Police Region 8 command, said much progress had been made in the investigation into the murders and police would move swiftly to make arrests when enough evidence had been gathered.

Panya, whose command has jurisdiction over Koh Tao, which is located off Surat Thani, insisted that police already had the names of the suspects.

He vowed that police would not let the public down.

Investigators were zeroing in on two to three issues related to the murder and 355 CCTV images were being closely examined, with the results expected later yesterday.

Panya said that investigators were also looking at every person who was within 600m of the crime scene between 2am and 4am on the night of the murders and police would interrogate anyone found have been in that radius.

"There're no influential people involved in the case and I don't feel pressure in handling the case," Panya said.

"The case is not complicated. Police are doing their best, both in terms of looking for witnesses and evidence and will find the culprit(s)."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Kobkarn-to-visit-Koh-Tao-in-bid-to-revive-confiden-30244298.html

-- The Nation 2014-09-28

Simple question. Would she walk home alone in Thailand through the tourist areas at 2am.

Thought not.

Go back to bangkok.

Why do you think not? The fact that this horrible murder is generating so much interest is because crimes like this are unusual.

[HaleySabai]

Purely idiotic to think people here don't give a thought about those brutal murders. Just because people are concerned about how they make a living after such a tragedy, doesn't mean they show no concern or sympathy for the families of those victims. Just because people try to get tourists back after such a horrible crime, doesn't mean we forgotten about it already.

Comments like yours show how little concern is given to the thousands of innocent people living here a normal life, often mixed with fear. People who have absolute nothing to do with this incident and could lose their livelihood because of it. The two people killed and their families are not the only victims of this atrocities.

1000's of migrant workers could lose their jobs and can go back home, if no tourists arrive anymore. Multiply that with the people who rely on those migrant workers in order to make a living back home. Pretty cruel to believe we shouldn't worry about our businesses, our work, how we feed our children, how we survive after such a tragedy that will affect us all.

Most likely, those people who try to cover up this crime are the least worried about where the money comes from but everyone else is but that has absolute nothing to do with, ZERO concern for the families of the victims.

ya, Karma is a bitch isn't it

[Carrerakiss]

Koh Tao, KP and Samui have to sink before things get batter.

This is Democrat Party territory from Samui until down to Phuket so nothing will really change and this is really a farce. Suthep himself is known as a god father and controls 3 districts in Samui.

Come on why a Tourism Minister have to to visit Koh Tao?

The reason why aTourism Minister has to visit Koh Tao is to reassure local providers of tourism services that the government is supporting them during a period of adverse publicity and perhaps offer advice on how they might attract more visitors.

Yes, the focus has already moved from crime solving, to how to improve the economic fortunes of Thais impacted by the crime. And it took only two weeks.

I hope I am wrong, but I don't think we are going to hear much about the investigation and it's progress, or lack of it, from here on in. The perpetrators have weathered the storm and things will continue as before.

I just hope the poor families are able to put this behind them and don't relive it every day in anticipation of getting any kind of justice. It ain't gonna happen.