Koh Tao tourism tumbles

[arthurwait]

I think the word they are looking for is 'Finished' !

[Ryans]

I think it is really sad to see whats happening here. The BIB know exactly who did it and not done anything about it. They and the perpetrators from AC bar have only themselves to blame. Boycott the Island and hit them in the pockets where it hurts.

[mataleo]

They deserve to go out of the business.

[JustAnotherFarang]

I think it is really sad to see whats happening here. The BIB know exactly who did it and not done anything about it. They and the perpetrators from AC bar have only themselves to blame. Boycott the Island and hit them in the pockets where it hurts.

Ryan Just a word to the wise. Do be careful what you say here as the libel law is very strong in Thailand. Without knowing all of the facts it is not wise to accuse a thai national or a business as they can lodge a complaint with the police and this website maybe forced to disclose your ip address.

JAF

[angsta]

Kho Tao: Taking the V out of Dive since 2014.

If TAT need any marketing help all they have to do is PM me.

They really don't give a sh&t, do they?

[angsta]

I think it is really sad to see whats happening here. The BIB know exactly who did it and not done anything about it. They and the perpetrators from AC bar have only themselves to blame. Boycott the Island and hit them in the pockets where it hurts.

Ryan Just a word to the wise. Do be careful what you say here as the libel law is very strong in Thailand. Without knowing all of the facts it is not wise to accuse a thai national or a business as they can lodge a complaint with the police and this website maybe forced to disclose your ip address.

JAF

Highly unlikely because:

1) He's right.

2) They really want MORE publicity on this case.

[Greeen]

If the world saw the photographs of the injuries inflicted on the victims by those scumbag murders, then I'm sure no one would ever go to Koh Tao again!

The general should send in the army to all three of those islands and clean up the place so it's safe for everyone...

[tbthailand]

I won't be going back to Koh Tao any time soon. It's not that I think other island destinations are any better with regards to corruption and mafia types. It's just that I can't go there in good conscience after seeing how such a tragic situation is being handled.

that would effectively be punishing the wrong people (economically).

The people who have their businesses on Koh Tao are not the ones who messed up the investigation or were unprofessional in their reporting.

In other words, it's not Koh Tao's fault.

[tbthailand]

If the world saw the photographs of the injuries inflicted on the victims by those scumbag murders, then I'm sure no one would ever go to Koh Tao again!

The general should send in the army to all three of those islands and clean up the place so it's safe for everyone...

this was a tragic murder - no doubt.

but Koh Tao is safe and always has been.

Bangkok is much more dangerous. Heck, just driving on Thai highways is much more dangerous.

with regards to Koh Tao or any other island where this tragedy could have happened, people need to get a grip on reality. A motorbike taxi in Bangkok is 1000 times more dangerous than a vacation on Koh Tao

Edited September 29, 2014 by tbthailand

[tbthailand]

This has made me so angry! Yes I know this kind of thing can and does happen across the world but it's how it's been and is being dealt with.

If the two young kids being horrifically murdered wasn't enough, the families have to now endure the complete incompetence and lies of all involved! Inremembervthem saying at the start of all this that a Thai couldn't do such a thing! It was a European, then it must be a Burmese and now finally after all this time, it's a thai!

Get your heads out of the sand and crack some skulls!

People need to at the very least boycott this island, hit them in the pockets!

They say money talks! Well let's see how long it takes when the takings start to dwindle!

please listen carefully - I understand your anger

It ... is ... not ... the ... island's ... fault

[Triplebank999]

Seems to me that the PM is getting some heat from abroad... think he will realise that the bad guys need to be caught. I'm expecting him to toss the old ledger in the fire, and start from scratch. Think we'll see some credible justice yet in this case. (I LOL'ed Regarding increasing patrols, that would not be hard... they'd only have to do one for any kind of increase. In 30 years, I have never seen a police party patrolling the beach, other than hiding in the bushes to bust someone smoking pot.

"In 30 years, I have never seen a police party patrolling the beach, other than hiding in the bushes to bust someone smoking pot."

As they should be, of course, enforcement should apply to all laws.

[littlebw]

i think all this is about funding the so called mafia and corrupt police

if this corruption was removed then surely the locals would make more money

once the corruption has been removed then tourism would most likely rise

[Triplebank999]

Just feel ashamed on behalf of the victims parents and relatives.

What a shambles and what an unprofessional handling of the situation.

Thailand should be ashamed also.

Costas can I remind you of a very nasty case back in the UK at the moment. A missing, presumed dead 14 year old young girl where the police know everything about the prime suspect. Even down to he has already served a prison sentence for murder in his home country of Latvia yet was allowed to simply walk into the UK and stay. The head of Scotland Yard has just admitted they are clueless as to where the man is and that if he has left the UK he is virtually a free man. For some bizarre reason they haven't even issued an EU arrest warrant either.

Crime detection, especially murder isn't so easily solved like it is on the TV and incompetent police are worldwide and not just here in Thailand as most people are alluring to.

Yes mistakes have been made but that may just be because this type of crime is a rarity here.

I'm still hoping for a good outcome and am not ready to start Thai bashing just yet

Firstly, they have no evidence that she hasn't run away. Secondly, they have no evidence that she has been abducted. Thirdly they have walked that area where she may have gone missing with a huge search and discovered absolutely nothing.

This bloke has disappeared, so there is a good chance he may have something to do with it. He has left the UK, but the police want to see him and I would imagine that in time he will at least be questioned and then they take it from there.

So, I fail to see the comparison with what has gone on in the UK despite your effort to excuse what has happened in Thailand.

The connection is that a murder investigation in Thailand and a suspected murder investigation in England both remain unsolved, to date. The other connection is that both incidents are still under investigation.

These connections are relevant when posters here continue to slag off the Thai police as though they are the only forces in the world not to be able to solve crimes as easily as it is made out to be on television and in films.

[JOC]

Koh Tao tourism tumbles.

It should not only tumble, it should disappear completely!

Especially after reading in BP today, that Royal Thai Police advisor Jarumporn Suramanee thought , that spending 860k on DNA-test was too expensive. According to him "way too many" tests were conducted!

So about 13.000 $ per victim is considered too expensive to solve those brutal murders.

Forum rules are preventing me from using the language needed after such an insensitive statement!!

Let's just say it proves again, that it is all about money in Thailand. Hardly a surprise to any posters here!

[Triplebank999]

I think it is really sad to see whats happening here. The BIB know exactly who did it and not done anything about it. They and the perpetrators from AC bar have only themselves to blame. Boycott the Island and hit them in the pockets where it hurts.

"...the perpetrators from AC bar..."

Maybe you should go to the world's media with your evidence.

[Iumentum]

"The investigations are now focusing on Thai suspects."

​Maybe they shouldn't have ruled out that possibility to begin with!

[rgrdns]

While the killers are still loose I for one won't be going there.

I join the club!

[ToddinChonburi]

Why was I not polled ? I demand a repoll !!!!

What a bunch of sh....t tommorrow we will read that there has been no affect on tourism.

[transam]

Just feel ashamed on behalf of the victims parents and relatives.

What a shambles and what an unprofessional handling of the situation.

Thailand should be ashamed also.

Costas can I remind you of a very nasty case back in the UK at the moment. A missing, presumed dead 14 year old young girl where the police know everything about the prime suspect. Even down to he has already served a prison sentence for murder in his home country of Latvia yet was allowed to simply walk into the UK and stay. The head of Scotland Yard has just admitted they are clueless as to where the man is and that if he has left the UK he is virtually a free man. For some bizarre reason they haven't even issued an EU arrest warrant either.

Crime detection, especially murder isn't so easily solved like it is on the TV and incompetent police are worldwide and not just here in Thailand as most people are alluring to.

Yes mistakes have been made but that may just be because this type of crime is a rarity here.

I'm still hoping for a good outcome and am not ready to start Thai bashing just yet

Firstly, they have no evidence that she hasn't run away. Secondly, they have no evidence that she has been abducted. Thirdly they have walked that area where she may have gone missing with a huge search and discovered absolutely nothing.

This bloke has disappeared, so there is a good chance he may have something to do with it. He has left the UK, but the police want to see him and I would imagine that in time he will at least be questioned and then they take it from there.

So, I fail to see the comparison with what has gone on in the UK despite your effort to excuse what has happened in Thailand.

The connection is that a murder investigation in Thailand and a suspected murder investigation in England both remain unsolved, to date. The other connection is that both incidents are still under investigation.

These connections are relevant when posters here continue to slag off the Thai police as though they are the only forces in the world not to be able to solve crimes as easily as it is made out to be on television and in films.

Eeeeer, perhaps because here cash comes into the equation................

[A1Str8]

First they said, there was no decrease in the number of visitors. Now they state the opposite.

Besides the close friend of the guy who was murdered didn't leave the island for no reason after telling who was behind the murder. Then they tried to blame things on social media like it held back the investigation. When they don't want to tell the world what really happened, they do it in such a transparent way that it becomes amusing.

[Upset]

Yeap,,,but still at yesterday's Thai News on TV news.....they showed stupid farangs still patronising the island and worst still again pics of overweight farang females wearing bikinis on the piers! (this has been done deliberately by the thai media a few times to reflect poorly on the farangs!).

Please all you decent foreigners and expats out there, really spread the word around to make sure no foreigners come to patronise the island and those that do despite the warnings, should never be provided with any assistance by their consulates or embassasies or other foreigners if ever they are in trouble in the future as they deserve it for not event maintaining the pride and dignity of foreigners as a whole since they still patronise an island full of local inhabitants who regard foreigners very lowly. All that photo-ops showing the locals there feeling remorse and doing their so called prayers etc were just bullshit....they all know yet they conspire to keep quiet.

Really pray that the island and all the local inhabitanst perish in something soon.

[Greeen]

If the world saw the photographs of the injuries inflicted on the victims by those scumbag murders, then I'm sure no one would ever go to Koh Tao again!

The general should send in the army to all three of those islands and clean up the place so it's safe for everyone...

this was a tragic murder - no doubt.

but Koh Tao is safe and always has been.

Bangkok is much more dangerous. Heck, just driving on Thai highways is much more dangerous.

with regards to Koh Tao or any other island where this tragedy could have happened, people need to get a grip on reality. A motorbike taxi in Bangkok is 1000 times more dangerous than a vacation on Koh Tao

some people try to paint this cozy picture of Koh Tao being safe and that all the people on the island are really nice...

it's not safe at all, two people were violently clubbed to death by some crazy animals who are still on the loose

and there are always robberies by gangs at night on KT, KPN and Samui

I for one will never visit those 3 islands ever again, horrible places!

[huawei]

Just feel ashamed on behalf of the victims parents and relatives.

What a shambles and what an unprofessional handling of the situation.

Thailand should be ashamed also.

Costas can I remind you of a very nasty case back in the UK at the moment. A missing, presumed dead 14 year old young girl where the police know everything about the prime suspect. Even down to he has already served a prison sentence for murder in his home country of Latvia yet was allowed to simply walk into the UK and stay. The head of Scotland Yard has just admitted they are clueless as to where the man is and that if he has left the UK he is virtually a free man. For some bizarre reason they haven't even issued an EU arrest warrant either.

Crime detection, especially murder isn't so easily solved like it is on the TV and incompetent police are worldwide and not just here in Thailand as most people are alluring to.

Yes mistakes have been made but that may just be because this type of crime is a rarity here.

I'm still hoping for a good outcome and am not ready to start Thai bashing just yet

Firstly, they have no evidence that she hasn't run away. Secondly, they have no evidence that she has been abducted. Thirdly they have walked that area where she may have gone missing with a huge search and discovered absolutely nothing.

This bloke has disappeared, so there is a good chance he may have something to do with it. He has left the UK, but the police want to see him and I would imagine that in time he will at least be questioned and then they take it from there.

So, I fail to see the comparison with what has gone on in the UK despite your effort to excuse what has happened in Thailand.

The connection is that a murder investigation in Thailand and a suspected murder investigation in England both remain unsolved, to date. The other connection is that both incidents are still under investigation.

These connections are relevant when posters here continue to slag off the Thai police as though they are the only forces in the world not to be able to solve crimes as easily as it is made out to be on television and in films.

The difference is the police know who did it? If it was on an island in the uk you think the same procedures would be in place.Not about tv but the reality of life as I have experienced it and seen it over 30+ years.

[Cuchulainn]

While the killers are still loose I for one won't be going there.

While the killers are still loose I for one won't be going there FULL STOP

[CockneyGit]

While the killers are still loose I for one won't be going there.

I think some people on here need to get a grip.

Koh Tao is probably the safest place in the country now. There's more police, army and journalists there now than just about anywhere outside BKK.

Yes, this is a very tragic episode, however this was (as is genrally the normal with Thai crime) a one off incident. You don't hear of serial killers in Thailand, they are a reactive people and the red mist flashes up with terrible consequences.

There are no ''rampaging killers'' on the loose conducting a murder spree.

We need to remember that 2 innocent, adventurous young people have lost their lives. The sooner the murderers are caught, the better for everyone of course. This was a despicable act and should carry the harshest of punishments.

[Suffinator]

Certainly the authorities have taken a fair amount of flak and abuse from TV users and indeed on the world's press where commenting is allowed. I won't argue that the investigation has been a farce from day one but anyone living in Thailand is acutely aware of the problems and yet refuses to do anything about it.

Think how many of you complain about they way you are treated... from the noodle stand to immigration; you all complain about being ripped off, treated like second rate human beings and the list goes on but still you do nothing but complain. Think how many foreign nationals live and visit Thailand; I can assure you change could be affected by you... all you need to do is vote with your feet.

You could take a trip to Langkawai; get a three month visa on arrival and spend your money there. Now if 10's of thousands of you actually put your money where your mouth is do you honestly think the Thai authorities would merely do nothing when vast sums of money start leaving the country.

The murders of those two young British nationals was without question horrific but I didn't merely moan about the incompetence I took action and I'm now spending my money in Malaysia. How many of you can say that you've taken action; well any action other than sitting in the bar to piss and moan about the situation?

You call for change, you demand change, you moan and berate the Thais but frankly you are just as culpable for if thousands of you walked out the international press would pick it up and publish the reasons why you left... you watch what would happen, either the Thais would change their ways or they'll watch their economy plummet into the abyss.

Stop moaning ... get off your lazy backsides and put your words into actions. Either that or shut the <deleted>.

[kkup]

As soon as the Tuwichian's get arrested and charged they can call it a safe island again.

[traviss]

Good. If only tourism on Koh Tao would stay down. Year after year after year.

Trip Advisor has been mentioned on a few of the relevant Koh Tao threads as of lately. There was, now closed thread "Should We Still Go", with negative reviews removed. I was not quick enough to have seen the negative reviews "Should We Still Go" but one TV poster has confirmed their existence in an earlier post. Some question Trip Advisor and even laugh it off as no surprise. I do...

I Just identified a new Trip Advisor thread "Is Koh Tao Open" I will also post this on the other active Koh Tao threads here on TV.

Many, TV members that have posted on the relevant Koh Tao murder threads have claimed the need to warn and educate the uninformed tourist of potential or realized safety concerns of/on the island. It is a need, same as any other destination. I could care less if the island economy is booming or in decline. However, I am curious to see if any one here takes two minutes to sign up, sign in, and post there opinions on the relevant Trip Advisor thread.

Should be interesting...Should also be interesting to see how quickly Trip Advisor closes the thread.

The above is my reply/post on the "Grand Travel". Just to be clear, I will not be taking the time to create a Trip Advisor account and post my two cents as I do not care how the island is impacted by good or bad press and find that any effort is a waste. I do not have a dog in the fight as I have no good or bad experiences associated with the island. Ethical and moral issues with how the situation, involved parties and their actions and how the case has been handled, yes.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g303910-i9415-k7837351-Is_ko_Tao_open-Ko_Tao_Surat_Thani_Province.html

[Suffinator]

Thainess, It's All about the Money Only

So what have you done about it? Still here I guess?

[mojorison]

Seems to me that the PM is getting some heat from abroad... think he will realise that the bad guys need to be caught. I'm expecting him to toss the old ledger in the fire, and start from scratch. Think we'll see some credible justice yet in this case. (I LOL'ed Regarding increasing patrols, that would not be hard... they'd only have to do one for any kind of increase. In 30 years, I have never seen a police party patrolling the beach, other than hiding in the bushes to bust someone smoking pot.

"In 30 years, I have never seen a police party patrolling the beach, other than hiding in the bushes to bust someone smoking pot."

As they should be, of course, enforcement should apply to all laws.

Whilst allowing the thieves, robbers, murderers and rapists to run amok all up and down the beach and all over the island...(does that explain it a bit better for yer? )