Will you go to Koh Tao?

[julemanden]

Not go somewhere because murders have happened there?

Now I have to cross off most of my bucket list places.

Good luck with it!

[SoiBiker]

So if we're avoiding everywhere anyone was murdered, where is left?

[thatswhatuthought]

I think this mafia hype is BS. Mafia is organized crime. As we can see from recent events nothing is organized there. At least not well anyway. Ok, some of the dive trips might be.

[transam]

I think this mafia hype is BS. Mafia is organized crime. As we can see from recent events nothing is organized there. At least not well anyway. Ok, some of the dive trips might be.

The word "mafia" is applied to many forms of skulduggery, big or small......

[lovelaos]

So if we're avoiding everywhere anyone was murdered, where is left?

For me, it isn't the fact that these poor people were brutally bludgeoned to death that puts me off going there (kind of). That can indeed happen worldwide. It is the fact that the people who would benefit from my hard earned cash, have the poor victim's blood on their hands. I have morals!!

[fish fingers]

Grow up, drama Queens.

Koh Tao is no more corrupt or dangerous than any other Thai destination.

yeah you've missed the point, and something else by the looks of things

[SoiBiker]

So if we're avoiding everywhere anyone was murdered, where is left?

For me, it isn't the fact that these poor people were brutally bludgeoned to death that puts me off going there (kind of). That can indeed happen worldwide. It is the fact that the people who would benefit from my hard earned cash, have the poor victim's blood on their hands. I have morals!!

Do they? You seem pretty sure you know who's responsible. Based on what?

[Saan]

It is not the fact that murders have occurred, but it appears the mafia operation there operates with more than the usual hubris and impunity. Visiting would be equivalent to endorsement.

Are you stating that these things do not happen in CNX? Etc??

Where is CNX?

[jdinasia]

It is not the fact that murders have occurred, but it appears the mafia operation there operates with more than the usual hubris and impunity. Visiting would be equivalent to endorsement.

Are you stating that these things do not happen in CNX? Etc??

Where is CNX?

Chiang Mai

[louse1953]

Anywhere foreign tourist go,i avoid,not only for the inflated prices,but the type of people these areas attract.I go where the Thai tourist abound.

[louse1953]

why not? no more corrupt or dangerous than any other thai resort

By thai resort,do you mean a place where thai people holiday,or thai resort where farangs gather for a 2 week binge.I prefer the former.

[louse1953]

That's why I'm in Bali....Thailand will get very little of MY CASH.

55555,another paradise ruined,i did the reverse,Bali is stuffed,Thailand is where i lay my pack,now.

[BigBadGeordie]

I plan to send my ex-wife for a holiday there

[lovelaos]

So if we're avoiding everywhere anyone was murdered, where is left?

For me, it isn't the fact that these poor people were brutally bludgeoned to death that puts me off going there (kind of). That can indeed happen worldwide. It is the fact that the people who would benefit from my hard earned cash, have the poor victim's blood on their hands. I have morals!!

Do they? You seem pretty sure you know who's responsible. Based on what?

Based on facts, common sense and evidence. Do you really think the 2 arrested suspects are guilty???

[CapeThai]

Hell NO !! I posted this earlier today and will repeat it here as well.

Make them pay the price..... International Tourist should stay away and avoid Koh Tao all together....

Hit the Bastards where it hurts the most until they deliver the real goods......

David and Hannah along with their loved ones at least deserves real justice.... ??????

Be careful with this one LOS..... stop the BS and do the right thing for once...

[Shaunduhpostman]

Ko Tao is mostly good for diving/snorkelling. Compared to most places in Thailand it isn't bad, but if you are really keen, Indonesia and Philippines are where it is at. It doesn't cost you that much more money to go to those places and the attitudes of the locals and the quality of the underwater experience are leagues beyond anything Thailand has to offer.

Not a good move at all by the Ko Tao locals to say they are going to charge people money. There was already not many good reasons to go to Ko Tao for most. By simply threatening to charge people entrance fees, they just turn people's heads in other directions and help them discover that there are actually much better places for diving and snorkelling anyway.

Edited October 4, 2014 by Shaunduhpostman

[kurnell]

Hand over the real killers and people might go back. Why should tourists visit if they risk being murdered if they upset the wrong person?

[fgmr]

for all the people that i love, for my family, for my family friends, i will lobying against taking their holiday in thailand.

Because i do care for them! And now nothing disgust me more than a thai with a sneaky/crocodile/psychotic smil

As you do not seem to trust the natives I presume you do not live in Thailand, if you do why dont you get on your bike and return from whence you dragged yourself away? Meanwhile have a nice stay and return those unwanted smiles with a an even broader grin,

[crazykopite]

Those arrested have been made scapegoats no doubt big money has been passed along in big bundles of cash . If I remember the last murder on the island was in broad daylight for all to see but yet the killer walks free. I hope that when these guys are brought to trial outside agencies from abroad will be allowed to attend but as the Country is under martial law those charged will no doubt be found guilty by a military court behind closed doors . There are a number of killers walking free on Tao why would anyone with an ounce of sense go to this Island knowing this !

[thatswhatuthought]

Upwards of 65% of voters won't go now. 54% Will try to convince others to avoid. Well done. Koh Tao will suffer from this and Thailand tourism will drop. Mostly due to what seems to be an effort to save tourism/face.

[Smurkster]

I'd like to live in a ScandInavian country...no murders? not sure about that, but very little...plus every Swede, Dane or Norwegian I have ever met has been civilised, polite and well spoken....sometimes I wish I was from one of those countries....I would give my left nut for a passport from any of them...

Edited October 4, 2014 by Smurkster

[Amavel]

They allowed an environment where this could have happened. They allowed an environment where police mishandled the investigation. An environment where the DNA and other evidence was compromised. They allowed an environment where taxi drivers coerced witnesses. They allowed police to announce no Thai could have done this. They could have precluded the Brit suspects with the DNA but arrested them anyway. They allowed the immuneyyyÿyyvillage headman to dictate terms of the investigation and his family, one of the prime suspects being his son. They refused to give their DNA. And gave a weak alibi.

No, I would never return there. It is an illicit place without trust and it will suffer badly from sad police.

[thatswhatuthought]

I think I like Suzy. What's ur problem guys? Don't like a woman on a forum full of many sexpats and 90-99% men Are u intimidated by a woman u can't buy for the night in pattaya?

[thatswhatuthought]

They allowed an environment where this could have happened. They allowed an environment where police mishandled the investigation. An environment where the DNA and other evidence was compromised. They allowed an environment where taxi drivers coerced witnesses. They allowed police to announce no Thai could have done this. They could have precluded the Brit suspects with the DNA but arrested them anyway. They allowed the immuneyyyÿyyvillage headman to dictate terms of the investigation and his family, one of the prime suspects being his son. They refused to give their DNA. And gave a weak alibi.

No, I would never return there. It is an illicit place without trust and it will suffer badly from sad police.

#1Rape and murder can happen anywhere in the world.

#2A taxi driver was possible offered a bribe to be a witness not coerce witnesses.

#3 Who is "they" and how are "they" responsible for th actions of others?

[Carrerakiss]

why not? no more corrupt or dangerous than any other thai resort

With the downturn in tourism, the crack down on corruption, there are fewer targets tourists to be prayed upon.

I would avoid all popular tourist resorts as well.

Since I have been reading threads about these horrific murders, or incident as some refer, one thing I have learned about Koh Tao (not having been there) is that locals and foreigners seem to mix in the same bars.

I've only been in Thailand for 8 years, but one of the things I have always been told and which has always made sense to me, is stick to farang only bars and let Thais stick to their own bars. I live in Isaan and have seen more than my fair share of locals drunk and the sense of not mixing with them has often been demonstrated.

I don't know about other small islands, but mixing with locals when either or both parties may be drunk, doesn't seem that safe to me. So Koh Tao wouldn't be ideal in that respect.

This is not to say that farangs don't get drunk and beat on other farangs, of course they do, and if drunk or in the company of drunks, things can go pear shaped pretty quickly, no matter what nationalities are involved. But some red flags exist in terms of personal safety and not mixing with Thai males in bars when drinking is one of mine.

It's a jungle out there and the male of any species can be dangerous if slighted or challenged in any way, intended or otherwise.

[Greg Nixon]

Where ever tourists gather in large numbers, those are good places to avoid. Tourists come to avoid stress not to add to it. The prices in Pattaya and Phuket for example are greater and the crimes there are frequent. I like to holiday in places as yet relatively undiscovered and peaceful. I can watch people anywhere so why on a holiday? The value to me of these tourist hot spots is that they attract all the numbskulls too dumb or too lazy to look for better places. That leaves me in relatively calm waters

Why would I go to a beach with 7000 prostitutes ? Do you think that there might be drugs there ? Do you think there might be crime there ? And some people go there with young children. I cannot fathom it.

[starkey_rich]

Went there a few years ago.Caught dengue fever.

Never wanted to go back.

[SaintLouisBlues]

I never bother going outside central Bangkok. To borrow from Dr. Johnson, writing of 18th century London, "for there is in London all that life can afford" - and there's nothing more like 18th century London than 21st century Bangkok.

[mrtoad]

The thought if one satang going into the pockets if the local mafia scum has convinced me to never go there.

[Strangebrew]

I wouldn't go there if they paid me too They will never see one satang from me I feel there is no one on that island I would piss on to put out fire on them. The police village headmen and there entire family aren't worthy of breathing the same air as me. God help them if they ever get in a accident and need my help cause they won't get it.