Tourism Minister to visit Koh Tao tomorrow

[rickirs]

I suggest billboards be installed in the beach areas as a security measure that might say:

"If you're not Thai, you're a suspect"

"If you're pretty in a bikini, run for your life."

"Have you checked you DNA lately?"

"Don't be late for your martial arts class!"

"If you're a migrant, migrate out."

"If you see police - you won't."

This will raise foreigner's awareness to help avoid any potential dangers with Thai island vacations.

[matman]

So the only news today about this crime is that this tourist minister lady is visiting the island, Is this the start of less and less police reports, action or information on this horrific crime until it eventually fades from the headlines forgotten about and unsolved

[T_Dog]

Good reporting in the Bangkok Post about all the tourist murders and the poor results in convictions. Worth doing a search on "To protect and to self-serve."

[MikePhuket1970]

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 ...

At least she will be safe if she wears a bikini

[retarius]

Just the sight of Kobkran makes me feel confident....she oozes confidence and inspires it in others...great move to revive tourism....we can only hope that the world's press don't ignore this important event.

[Bung]

This is where it ends. The investigation is over, such a shame what happened, the foreigner who did it has left to his home country, we don't know, these Farangs come here and make trouble for themselves, tourism minister comes to the island for a couple of photo ops and some spin. Carry on.

[TV7]

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.

A Russian woman tourist was raped twice in Karon yesterday. She was courageous enough to report it and so it made the news. Unlike the hundreds if not thousands of women who don't report it. And given the attitude of the Thai police, can you blame them?

[metisdead]

A disrespectful post has been removed as well as a reply. Another post about an event not related to Koh Tao has been removed as well as the reply.

[JoeLing]

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.

1. Out of respect for the families, 3/4 of the posters here should keep their keyboards locked away.

2. Have I been to Koh Tao?

But you're right, compared to over 4000 migrant workers and uncountable tourists,

the Thai community, more or less ALL from Koh Phangan, Surat Thani or Chumporn, is indeed very small.

Now your comment: "I hope they lose everything they have", the first ones to lose everything will be the migrant

workers who already suffer (silently) under the rule of the big bosses. Many myanmar girls are raped daily by

their employers and are to afraid to stand up and now, you want them to suffer even more?

So out of respect and compassion for the latest victims, people forget any respect and compassion for the

most vulnerable people here on the island. Is that what western people call justice?

Believe me or not, but most Thai families who own (lease) property on Koh Tao will not even blink with their

eyes if no tourists arrive anymore. A million baht is peanuts for them.

[umbanda]

People thinking that tourism will go down in the island because this crime are dreaming...That only will happen if all the "attraction" for young people is vanished, like nigh dance bars and disco. Young people do not care about danger..or better...do not think about the consequences of their dangerous behavior. What it is important is to stop the drug dealings in those places, because many times young women are druged without concent trough the non bottled drinks. It is happening in EVERY young tourist spot in the world, and from long time now. If Thailand still cheap for backpackers, they will come. If backpackers and young tourists are important source of income for the islanders business, they will try to keep the status quo and the young's night life. If mature and family tourism can replace the spending loss, a change of environment may happen.

Anyway...More police and security installation, like more lighting and control, may be enough to restrain some people to commit crimes.

[JoeLing]

People thinking that tourism will go down in the island because this crime are dreaming...That only will happen if all the "attraction" for young people is vanished, like nigh dance bars and disco. Young people do not care about danger..or better...do not think about the consequences of their dangerous behavior. What it is important is to stop the drug dealings in those places, because many times young women are druged without concent trough the non bottled drinks. It is happening in EVERY young tourist spot in the world, and from long time now. If Thailand still cheap for backpackers, they will come. If backpackers and young tourists are important source of income for the islanders business, they will try to keep the status quo and the young's night life. If mature and family tourism can replace the spending loss, a change of environment may happen.

Anyway...More police and security installation, like more lighting and control, may be enough to restrain some people to commit crimes.

Although I do rely entirely on tourism and would suffer badly (at least for a while but I’d survive), I sure would support a stop to the parties on Koh Phangan and Koh Tao. I’m convinced that would make local families clean up their Islands from a lot of trash. I feel a warning shot would make some of the “big” local families think twice how to control themselves, their offspring and their community, make them realize, they don’t control the world.

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, without a clue about the country, the culture and customs and getting ripped off wherever they go.

When I first settled here the islands, there was only a hand full of foreigners living here and I do not recall any problems ever with any local people, contrary, the few hundred Island people where the friendliest, most accommodating and generous people I ever met. We were invited to weddings, funerals, festivals, played football on the beach and often sat with half the island getting drunk, singing, joking [mostly taking the piss out of me] or watching fuzzy football at the one and only B/W TV on the Island. Back then, I never experienced any xenophobia or hostilities from the locals here on the islands, contrary. You could sleep with you doors and windows wide open and apart from dogs, no one would ever enter your home without your consent.

The whole s##t only started after the “Full Moon Party”. Hadrin used to be the only place accessible at the time to see the moon rising out of the sea. Just a “coincidental gathering” of some farang and Thais on a tropical beach, watching the full moon rise out of the sea having fun together. There was no electricity on the Island apart from for a couple of hours a day in Tongsala and those gatherings, did not upset or offended anyone here on the island.

Then more and more people started to come over on Longtail boats to party. With Koh Samui Airport being build at about the same time, even more tourists arrived. With it came bungalows, generators, loud music, heavy drugs, prostitution and crime. As Hadrin was easy accessible by longtail boat from Koh Samui, families in Koh Samui realized very quickly the potential of “Sex, Drugs and rock’n Roll” on a remote beach away from authority. Later a road got build to the rest of Koh Phangan and more boats connecting Samui with Phangan and Koh Tao. With it, the party culture, party tourists and of course crime spread northwards, like a cancer.

Now times do have changed, minorities have been pushed out and although the families are still here, they are probably not half as much in control of this paradise as they used to be. Today, the majority of the island population moved here from outside. Be it Thais from the mainland, Burmese or foreigners and with it came money, greed, police and crime.

I could go on about corruption, scams, extortion, saving face or the lucrative business of some people but as my home is here in the tropics, I have no intention to be hanging from a palm tree (no skyscraper here on the island) or drowning in the sea because of some disgruntled Thai

Edited September 28, 2014 by JoeLing

[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.

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

Would I let my teenage daughter walk home from a disco in our up country town? No way. Would I let her take a TUK TUK alone at night? No way? Would I let take a taxi alone? No way.

Would my wife take a taxi in bangkok alone? No way.

Thailand is not safe anywhere for women alone at night. Nowhere. Rape and sexual assault is not rare in Thailand at all and women need to be aware of this.

[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.

1. Out of respect for the families, 3/4 of the posters here should keep their keyboards locked away.

2. Have I been to Koh Tao?

But you're right, compared to over 4000 migrant workers and uncountable tourists,

the Thai community, more or less ALL from Koh Phangan, Surat Thani or Chumporn, is indeed very small.

Now your comment: "I hope they lose everything they have", the first ones to lose everything will be the migrant

workers who already suffer (silently) under the rule of the big bosses. Many myanmar girls are raped daily by

their employers and are to afraid to stand up and now, you want them to suffer even more?

So by enabling them to stay and thus get raped daily, they suffer less?

Let me give that some thought, and I'll get back to you ….

[JoeLing]

So by enabling them to stay and thus get raped daily, they suffer less?

Let me give that some thought, and I'll get back to you ….

I suppose, they accept their personal suffering for the benefit of the families they support back in Myanmar.

No different than many of the other Burmese workers working on farms, building sites and fishing boats

who have a pretty rough deal here in Thailand and all to support and feed their poor families back home.

Edited September 28, 2014 by JoeLing

[metisdead]

A post containing a controversial image has been removed as well as the replies.

[greenchair]

I just saw the video of of the scot. Have a Thai family here but really want to leave now. I just cannot turn back time to love Thailand and Thai the way i did a couple of weeks ago. The trouble with thai is they do not fight with honor the way most foreigner do. They rarely fight one on one ,man to man, size to size, age to age. They pack together just like the dogs in the street. Even when they have all the advantage age, size male over female. Still they group up. What about china. Is that anice foreigner friendly place.

[MJP]

I just saw the video of of the scot. Have a Thai family here but really want to leave now. I just cannot turn back time to love Thailand and Thai the way i did a couple of weeks ago. The trouble with thai is they do not fight with honor the way most foreigner do. They rarely fight one on one ,man to man, size to size, age to age. They pack together just like the dogs in the street. Even when they have all the advantage age, size male over female. Still they group up. What about china. Is that anice foreigner friendly place.

How about your country of origin? What's wrong with there?

[ToddinChonburi]

I said it the first day, they will never solve these murders. All they are doing now is playing cover your ASS !!! The kids will keep coming and the bad will keep happening. A 33 year old women got raped today in Pattaya, during the day !!!

Come one come all to Thailand !!!!!

[mango66]

put this Koh Tao Mafia behind bars,

or kill them like they did,
I mean we know who are all behind this !!

Village HM, the 3 mafia family which controlling all business,

.

Oh sorry,

The Minister just go there to collect his share in cash !!

.

Nothin else will happen there,

hope the minister not carry the drugs now,

like in Cm the police;

[JoeLing]

Maybe on the next Tourist Advert, TAT could put a warning, like on the cigaret packets,
tell people to check before they travel? A big sign about the "Do's and Don't" ?

Trip Advisor, Lonely Planet, Le Routard, Loose, etc.... are full of stories from people
who had bad experiences, not just in Thailand. So why not take advice from others?
Scaremongering? Not cool? Can't happen to me?

Wish travellers, tourists would take their governments Travel advisories more serious,
or at least, just have a quick read before they travel and use the same common sense
as they would at home. Quite a lot of problems could be avoided and not just here in
Thailand.

Australia has even special advice sections for women travellers and party revellers.

Check:

http://smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Thailand

http://smartraveller.gov.au/tips/partying.html

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/safety-and-security

http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/thailand.html

http://travel.gc.ca/destinations/thailand

http://travel.gc.ca/travelling/publications/her-own-way

http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/de/home/travad/hidden/hidde2/thaila.html

http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/DE/Laenderinformationen/00-SiHi/ThailandSicherheit.html

[MJP]

I won't blame the mods for deleting this comment but does anyone else think Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul looks like Ming the Merciless?

[englishoak]

Welcome to Thailand

Tell them you had a great time and felt safe.............. or else

[slipperx]

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.

Things are not always how they seem and how one person sees things is usually quite different from how another sees things. In Thailand everything pretty much is a falsity - it is a place where reality is hidden beneath multiple depths of smiles and deceit all driven by greed, selfishness and jealousy. That is the reality of Thainess.

[metisdead]

A derogatory post commenting on moderation has been removed. Another post linking to the graphic images of the crime scene has been removed. Some people don't seem to have any decency.