Koh Tao revival planned

[JenniferSG]

I got one thing to say....These arnt the only murders

Koh Tao Thailand beach death: Parents convinced son murdered – and his killing on new years day covered up to protect tourism. http://1clicknews.com/thailand-beach-death-parents-convinced-son-murdered-and-his-killing-covered-up-to-protect-tourism/

stick that in your revival.

!!!

It would be interesting to find out specifically which people threatened the younger brother, telling him his family should leave due to the powerful people on the island.

[thequietman]

I got one thing to say....These arnt the only murders

Koh Tao Thailand beach death: Parents convinced son murdered – and his killing on new years day covered up to protect tourism. http://1clicknews.com/thailand-beach-death-parents-convinced-son-murdered-and-his-killing-covered-up-to-protect-tourism/

stick that in your revival.

Wow. Just wow.

When the family, of the Mickleover suburb of Derby, brought Nick’s body home a week later, a post-mortem revealed he had drowned. The coroner opened an investigation, on the grounds it was a suspicious death.

Tracy said: “Nick had no broken bones which seemed strange for someone who’d fallen all that way. The postmortem report said the possibility he was assaulted before death could not be excluded.” Their demands for answers are being backed by British police who are working with the Foreign Office to try to question the Thai authorities ahead of a UK inquest in December.

Well played, Englishoak. Well played, indeed, sir.

Truly unbelievable. I am dumbfounded and sickened.

[daveAustin]

Time for the UK Foreign Office to grow a pair and issue a much more severe travel warning for Thailand.

Indeed, they seriously need to put the boot down and also bypass that useless prat in the embassy... but I don't think they know how far the deception goes. I guess you wouldn't unless you'd lived in this feudal society.

[gwenvo]

They have no shame...

[kalbo123]

Thailand is free of Ebola. This is the place that Western tourists should come to," he said.

And if it get's here.....we have the cure.....

[daveAustin]

Message to both the tourism authorities, the government, and the army:

How to fix the most serious problems on Koh Tao.

1. The most important factor in addressing the rampant crime, drugs, and lack of law enforcement on Tao is to revoke the land leases of the five families, effective immediately. They have been nothing but a problem for this island, ever since the people who completely lacked vision, granted them these leases. They continue to behave in a completely irresponsible manner. They continue to commit crimes and continue to live above the law, in the land of the untouchables, due to the massive wealth these leases have bestowed upon these terribly unworthy families.

2. Seize their illegal wealth, which is in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Use that for some good and purposes.

3. Arrest, convict, and imprison most of the family members who have brought this island to it's knees, through abuse of the system, and decades of illegal land sales.

4. Replace the entire police department. They have shown how compromised they are, with this latest fiasco.

5. Figure out a way to get the central government to show the slightest bit of concern for the islands of Tao, Phangan, and Samui. The forgotten islands of the south.

I could go on, and on, and on. But, that would be a good place to start. And stop jawboning about the islands recovery, without addressing any of the fundamental issues. The authorities are sounding sillier and sillier by the day.

I wish I could 'like' this twice.

[WhizBang]

The problem is that the real killers have NOT been caught and still remain free on Koh Tao. It is even starting to look as though they may in fact be serial killers. If true, Koh Tao is NOT safe for any tourist and should be avoided like the plague.

In fact, it might not be such a bad idea to start a BOYCOTT KOH TAO campaign.

[recycled]

What is needed now is an A team (arsonists) on holiday to pay a visit to certain establishments, then follow it up with a couple of plane loads of drunken football fans. Should fix the problem once and for all. I grew up in the 50/60's where revenge was expected and warranted, but I presume times have changed.

[jomcondo]

Welcome to the lawless fiefdom of koh Tao

[wackybacky]

The problem is that the real killers have NOT been caught and still remain free on Koh Tao. It is even starting to look as though they may in fact be serial killers. If true, Koh Tao is NOT safe for any tourist and should be avoided like the plague.

In fact, it might not be such a bad idea to start a BOYCOTT KOH TAO campaign.

Or at the very least BOYCOTT Koh Tao until the islanders come forward en masse and speak up about what they know about who did this deed and all the other deeds in the past and speak out against the mafia families, their ties with local police corruption and everything else negative about their island.

But because they are too afraid of 'consequences' and prefer to allow this to persist, then really they don't deserve a tourist industry at all and should wear their badge of shame for all to see.

[joedot]

I'm waiting for a vigilante to go there and make sure justice is done. Push people long enough and eventually someone will crack

[samuibruno]

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The problem with Koh Tao isn't so much the murders, but how they have been subsequently handled. The only way to restore confidence is to make sure the correct people are arrested and dealt with in accordance with the law.

As long as it is felt by tourists that there are people on the island (or anywhere else in Thailand) that feel confident enough to commit murder without fear of prosecution, tourism will suffer.

dealt with in accordance of the law ???

very few laws are followed in thailand

[AGareth2]

explains why the Sean fellow was scared

maybe he knows too much

[Bluespunk]

"Thailand is free of Ebola. This is the place that Western tourists should come to," he said."

Erm, say what?

[balo]

Who wants to visit a tourist infested island in the first place ? Young party goers and drug addicts I guess. Stay home or try something different.

[MJP]

Who wants to visit a tourist infested island in the first place ? Young party goers and drug addicts I guess. Stay home or try something different.

Young party goers are not necessarily drug addicts.

The young people who were murdered were very decent people.

[Toscano]

If Koh Tao can only operate by employing primitive immigrant cheap labour , who might endanger the safety of tourists ; perhaps Koh tao should be closed down as a residential holiday island .

Trips for diving could go by boat from the mainland . Full Moon Parties on Koh Phangan should be stopped too , drink , drugs and sex are OK in Thailand if it makes lots of money !

Travel agent around the world should advise tourists of a correct code of behaviour in Thailand and of transgressions that may risk and danger to life .

The problem is that islands such as Koh Phangan and Koh Tao offer tourists the possibility to " Let it all hang out " , that anything goes .

[Thaddeus]

Is there going to be a renaming ceremony for Koh Tai.

เกาะตาย

[yellowboat]

This is so cheap and tacky. On the day before the funeral of one of the victims and in the context of very widespread doubt about the events/perpetrators, a bureaucrat announces to the media about plans to "lure" more tourists to KT.

Of course it makes sense for them to plan: many innocent victims in this case will end up losing their jobs in addition to the real tragedy. But public pronouncements of plans are really ill-timed and disrespectful. This kind of planning is best done quietly and to give at least the appearance that Thailand is not simply obsessed with revenue from tourism but has a genuine concern for the welfare of visitors

Sadly, this sort of tacky reaction will reflect on other places in Thailand and hurt tourism in neighboring countries. Countries and some places in Thailand where tourists are not preyed upon. I just cannot get the label "tacky Thailand" out of my head.

I work with some wonderful Thai people, and they deserve so much better than this.

[worgeordie]

Will TAT be promoting tours to the "murder site",?

regards Worgeordie

[Gunna]

I got one thing to say....These arnt the only murders

Koh Tao Thailand beach death: Parents convinced son murdered – and his killing on new years day covered up to protect tourism. http://1clicknews.com/thailand-beach-death-parents-convinced-son-murdered-and-his-killing-covered-up-to-protect-tourism/

stick that in your revival.

I would say the international community should be announcing a boycott of Koh Tao until the locals hand over the real killer.

If it is a serial killer then any new visitors will be at risk until the real murderer is arrested

[draftvader]

My daughter is only 3. I can picture a day when she will be 18. I imagine that being now and she is talking about visiting Koh Tao. I know I would be on my knees begging her to reconsider. Today, with Hannah's funeral, we can only hope that the UK votes with its feet and asks its European brothers and sisters to do the same. With the news that they are discussing "suicide" for the suspects I think that everybody can now see that even the RTP don't believe that they have the right people!

As that family go through the trauma, that today will certainly be, you have to wonder if Thailand cares at all about the tourists that make up their tourist industry or whether they just want the cash (for those with English as a 2nd language please look up "rhetorical").

[Pundi6446]

Looks like with the other article, the two guys waiting in prison, might commit suicide, sounds like a reality, stage a suicide, case finally closed forever, then push high season promotions for Koh Tao, that make going there too hard to resist.

[chainarong]

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I'd rather spend an all-inclusive fortnight in a Liberian pop-up Ebola clinic than visit Thailand right now.

Na Na, It is not that bad, Just ask P.M. Prayuth, after he returns from he's morning Bike ride down around victory monument.

[ParadiseLost]

How many ways is it possible to be tasteless, tacky and so misguided in their thinking and message formation?

BANGKOK: -- The TOURISM Council of Thailand plans urgent measures to restore tourism on Koh Tao, which has been battered by the case surrounding the murder of two Britons.

Hmm - you really used the word "battered". The deceased are not even both buried and you use that word. In case you forgot, it was the tourists who were battered, to death. So sorry for your precious tourism numbers - which nobody believes anyway.

The council has also devised a strategy to bring visitors back to Bangkok and other provinces in the coming high season.

They went away because it is low season - they always come back in high season. Perhaps the numbers will be less but that is because your press releases and the police have scared, insulted and/or offended them.

Ittirit Kinglake, the new president of the TCT, said yesterday that the association would ask the government and local administrative bodies to launch an intensive recovery campaign specifically to rebuild tourism on Koh Tao, where a couple of British tourists were killed on September 15.

Oh dear - "a couple of British tourists"? I sincerely hope you meant to say "a British couple". There is a very big difference, but it takes an understanding of English nuance and tact. Something you should be aware of, communicating with English speakers.

The council wants to move quickly move to refurbish the island's security image now that homicide suspects are in custody.

Yes, we know you bought the whole sad excuse of a murder investigation, you have made that very clear. Nothing to see here, move on...

The TCT will ask airlines operating flights to the South and hotels on the island to offer special packages at attractive prices to lure visitors to the island.

How about challenging Samui airport's Bangkok Air monopoly and give the island a state owned airport?

The local administrative office will soon organise beach guard teams to take care of tourists and beach-goers. A grand event is also being planned for Koh Tao. Some authorities are now starting rebuilding efforts through online and social media.

Stop the criminals peddling drugs and get decent, honest police. The tourists already love the island - it is the hosts causing the problem. Tourists certainly don't want it to be turned into a bizarre 'summer camp'!

"These are immediate measures set to be done this month in a bid to rebuild tourism on the island. The key targets are Westerners and tourists from neighbouring countries," Ittirit said.

Again, it is low season. Do you expect to see any great influx at least until Dec/Jan? Wait - shouldn't you know this?

He will ask for help from the central government if regulations need enforcement.

How about law and order enforcement?

The TCT is considering establishing a special team to run campaigns especially for Koh Tao.

It is also planning to revive tourism in Chiang Rai in the North, which was hit hard by an earthquake months ago.

The council also aims to launch attractive promotions to boost tourism in Bangkok during the peak season. Forward bookings at hotels in the capital have been slow because tourists feel wary of visiting the city while martial law has been prolonged.

Got your dig in there I see; why 'prolonged' and not 'in place'? Is that not your personal opinion?

"Tourists' confidence can be rebuilt by providing information that the tourism business is running normally in Bangkok," he said.

So just say it is so?

For long-haul markets, especially the United States and Europe, where people fear an Ebola outbreak, the TCT will seek a short-term marketing blitz to lure tourists to Thailand.

Oh great - now when you search 'Ebola outbreak' you will get TAT articles coming up in the results - never heard of guilty by association?

"Thailand is free of Ebola. This is the place that Western tourists should come to," he said.

Ebola again! Oh yes, isn't it only African countries which "have Ebola"?

Apologies if I seem pedantic this morning but the TAT articles are becoming such a joke I just felt I had to...

Edited October 10, 2014 by ParadiseLost

[Suffinator]

Horse - Barn - Bolt - Door

That's the trouble with the Thai authorities... more concerned about retaining the income from tourism and expats than they are about safety. They couldn't care less if thousands died every year providing the money didn't dry up.

When will the expat community learn that they hold the key... if they leave in protest then change could be demanded for it's unlikely the economy could take a massive financial hit through masses of expats heading to the border.

I, and a few of my friends, left... none of us are willing to support such a regime. It's a shame the bulk of the expat community doesn't have the spine to do the same... I guess sitting on a bar stool moaning at least gives you something to do.

[canuckamuck]

Love it. Come Koh Tao, we don't have Ebola!

That is the top of the list of pros, I would hate to see the list of cons.

[jaywalker]

'Thailand is free of Ebola.'

Now that is catchy?

Run with it guys, as you would have to be <deleted>##ing geniuses to come up with that one.

Yeah! Reminds me of Thaksin saying Thailand was "Drug Free" years ago.

I hope the Yo-Yo that said that about Ebola was knocking on his head (knocking on wood) when he said it.

[Oziex1]

Rename to

• Koh Murder
• Koh Corrupt
• Koh Evil
• Koh You cant touch me I'm too Rich and Self Important
• Koh Police Circus

Anyone care to find a new name.

[Oziex1]

Thailand is free of Ebola. This is the place that Western tourists should come to," he said.

And if it get's here.....we have the cure.....

So there competing for the West African Countries tourist dollar, well I'm sure literally dozens of people travel to West Africa for tourism.

Oh Thailand you are Amazing.