Koh Tao revival planned

[Deli]

Pull the plug and sink the island KT. And hopefully the ruling families can't swim

[englishoak]

Englefield Green boy here. Know Windsor too well. Can get right tasty down at whatever they're calling Mirage now at 3am!!! Maidenhead? People tend to move to Brixton from there for safety reasons. Wife's a Burnham girl....rough streets round there too. I hear somebody did a burnout last year too....

Just be careful who and what you know on KT. Some circles aren't worth it.

I'm from Stoke originally (the Beruit of the North) but I live in Reading, just work in this ghetto as a Tree Officer for the council.

You should be aware m8 that when things go pear shaped in LOS they often end terminally for someone.

if I were you id treat Thailand just like one big council estate, be on your guard at all times

As far as Islands go KT is not that great, its a dive island that churns out more new divers than the rest of Thailand combined... its cheap but the standards are minimal but ok ..... the diving location and nature around is total rubbish,they killed all the corals years ago, very little life around there now. There are much better diving places all over Thailand than KT. Theres nothing particularly outstanding about the Island for anything else tbh...

If I wanted a great time partying and sand and all that I can think plenty other options, more unspoiled, cheaper, more Thai less commercial crap more genuine and more safe ...all in Thailand

I sure wouldnt come all the way from the UK to waste time or money on KT now. If you think that farang were in danger then I can tell you that a lot of locals will be seething inside and holding that anger in, the loss of face is massive, the money they are losing is getting there too ... they wil be hating on one thing for all this blamewise.... the nosey and loud farang.

Enjoy KT, me ? i wouldnt be wasting my memories or money there.

[Frax]

Englefield Green boy here. Know Windsor too well. Can get right tasty down at whatever they're calling Mirage now at 3am!!! Maidenhead? People tend to move to Brixton from there for safety reasons. Wife's a Burnham girl....rough streets round there too. I hear somebody did a burnout last year too....

Just be careful who and what you know on KT. Some circles aren't worth it.

I'm from Stoke originally (the Beruit of the North) but I live in Reading, just work in this ghetto as a Tree Officer for the council.

You should be aware m8 that when things go pear shaped in LOS they often end terminally for someone.

if I were you id treat Thailand just like one big council estate, be on your guard at all times

As far as Islands go KT is not that great, its a dive island that churns out more new divers than the rest of Thailand combined... its cheap but the standards are minimal but ok ..... the diving location and nature around is total rubbish,they killed all the corals years ago, very little life around there now. There are much better diving places all over Thailand than KT. Theres nothing particularly outstanding about the Island for anything else tbh...

If I wanted a great time partying and sand and all that I can think plenty other options, more unspoiled, cheaper, more Thai less commercial crap more genuine and more safe ...all in Thailand

I sure wouldnt come all the way from the UK to waste time or money on KT now. If you think that farang were in danger then I can tell you that a lot of locals will be seething inside and holding that anger in, the loss of face is massive, the money they are losing is getting there too ... they wil be hating on one thing for all this blamewise.... the nosey and loud farang.

Enjoy KT, me ? i wouldnt be wasting my memories or money there.

To be honest I would go somewhere else if I hadn't sold everything I own and paid deposits etc.

With regards to diving, I know what Koh Tao is and how many newly qualified divers it pumps out. I've dived there before and really enjoyed my time on the island. I'm also into the technical side of diving, deep, wrecks, caves etc so the lack of life isn't an issue for me really. We planned to stay there for a year but once I've done what I need to do I can always move on; Fiji or Bali, I also really want to go back to Mexico. I haven't just jumped into this move without thinking, it's been a year in the making; clearing debts, selling possessions, saving money. I can't back out now, I won't!

[fish fingers]

amazed at the tactless timing of this, isn't hannah's funeral today? I wish the two families would speak out. I think they have been under pressure from the self serving UK Foreign Office not to comment...

[CapeThai]

I will never visit that island(nor any other island) .

Just out of protest,hope many thousands feel the same .

5000 illegal immigrants and a dodgy police force on Koh Tao ,

i think the other islands are same same .Stay away,not safe.

Well said lucjoker.... I hope people take note of your posting and put words into action.

This is the spirit mate.. Put the bastards out of business.

[hellyes2oo2]

adamtwilley you say "uk police will know if there is a cover up, if they find more than two sorts of dna on hannahs body". Hate to p**s on your parade mate, but on channel 3 television a few mornings ago the thai pathologists said they found 3 sorts of dna on hannahs body. But as far as i know the police have made no attempt to find out who the 3rd person may be. In fact as the police chief said No need for anymore investigations perfect job done case closed. It couldn't be that the 3rd person could be a son of a certain mafia person could it.

[Johnsen]

Its been leaked to certain international newspapers via e mail from locals on the island that it was Wortat and his friend. Nobody seems to know this friends name. Surely can't be to hard to find out who he was hanging out with that night. I wonder how much money the friend has... They might just throw the friend under the bus...

Edited October 11, 2014 by Johnsen

[phuketandsee]

Here's something the UK government has done:

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

"Western tourists including British nationals have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by individuals and gangs in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao (the Samui archipelago)"

TAT is going to love this!

[jdinasia]

Its been leaked to certain international newspapers via e mail from locals on the island that it was Wortat and his friend. Nobody seems to know this friends name. Surely can't be to hard to find out who he was hanging out with that night. I wonder how much money the friend has... They might just throw the friend under the bus...

Leaked? I think you mean rumors and gossip has spread.

[Wilsonandson]

Here's something the UK government has done:

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

"Western tourists including British nationals have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by individuals and gangs in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao (the Samui archipelago)"

TAT is going to love this!

The British travel advice page with all its different advice topics paints a very negative image of Thailand. Every advice topic points out extreme negative scenarios. For example, overstaying, 20,000 baht fine, incarceration in a detention center, health, dengue fever and air pollution that can cause bronchitis, terrorism, a grenade could go off at any moment whilst out shopping in the city, as day turns to night in Samui and islands close by you've had it, laws and customs, less majeste, prison awaits, mock the military, prison awaits.

I have been in Thailand working as an English teacher for over 10 years and visited many of its islands and witnessed protests, been bitten thousands of times by mosquitoes, sometimes argued with other Thais, but they never got violent. If you use your common sense you'll be okay. The British travel advise to Thailand is right but some of it is common sense and doesn't need to be said. What the travel advice for Thais visiting the U.K? London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, etc. ???

[transam]

Here's something the UK government has done:

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

"Western tourists including British nationals have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by individuals and gangs in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao (the Samui archipelago)"

TAT is going to love this!

The British travel advice page with all its different advice topics paints a very negative image of Thailand. Every advice topic points out extreme negative scenarios. For example, overstaying, 20,000 baht fine, incarceration in a detention center, health, dengue fever and air pollution that can cause bronchitis, terrorism, a grenade could go off at any moment whilst out shopping in the city, as day turns to night in Samui and islands close by you've had it, laws and customs, less majeste, prison awaits, mock the military, prison awaits.

I have been in Thailand working as an English teacher for over 10 years and visited many of its islands and witnessed protests, been bitten thousands of times by mosquitoes, sometimes argued with other Thais, but they never got violent. If you use your common sense you'll be okay. The British travel advise to Thailand is right but some of it is common sense and doesn't need to be said. What the travel advice for Thais visiting the U.K? London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, etc. ???

Don't think your English town list is quite the same as folk traveling to LOS thinking of finding "paradise" eh..

[jdinasia]

Here's something the UK government has done:

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

"Western tourists including British nationals have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by individuals and gangs in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao (the Samui archipelago)"

TAT is going to love this!

The British travel advice page with all its different advice topics paints a very negative image of Thailand. Every advice topic points out extreme negative scenarios. For example, overstaying, 20,000 baht fine, incarceration in a detention center, health, dengue fever and air pollution that can cause bronchitis, terrorism, a grenade could go off at any moment whilst out shopping in the city, as day turns to night in Samui and islands close by you've had it, laws and customs, less majeste, prison awaits, mock the military, prison awaits.

I have been in Thailand working as an English teacher for over 10 years and visited many of its islands and witnessed protests, been bitten thousands of times by mosquitoes, sometimes argued with other Thais, but they never got violent. If you use your common sense you'll be okay. The British travel advise to Thailand is right but some of it is common sense and doesn't need to be said. What the travel advice for Thais visiting the U.K? London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, etc. ???

Don't think your English town list is quite the same as folk traveling to LOS thinking of finding "paradise" eh..

Oh? You don't think tourists go to the UK expecting to be safe from gangs thugs violence graft scams etc?

[Wilsonandson]

Here's something the UK government has done:

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

"Western tourists including British nationals have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by individuals and gangs in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao (the Samui archipelago)"

TAT is going to love this!

The British travel advice page with all its different advice topics paints a very negative image of Thailand. Every advice topic points out extreme negative scenarios. For example, overstaying, 20,000 baht fine, incarceration in a detention center, health, dengue fever and air pollution that can cause bronchitis, terrorism, a grenade could go off at any moment whilst out shopping in the city, as day turns to night in Samui and islands close by you've had it, laws and customs, less majeste, prison awaits, mock the military, prison awaits.

I have been in Thailand working as an English teacher for over 10 years and visited many of its islands and witnessed protests, been bitten thousands of times by mosquitoes, sometimes argued with other Thais, but they never got violent. If you use your common sense you'll be okay. The British travel advise to Thailand is right but some of it is common sense and doesn't need to be said. What the travel advice for Thais visiting the U.K? London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, etc. ???

Don't think your English town list is quite the same as folk traveling to LOS thinking of finding "paradise" eh..

Point taken, though the chances of anything bad happening are slim to nothing if you use your common sense.

[phuketandsee]

Here's something the UK government has done:

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

"Western tourists including British nationals have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by individuals and gangs in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao (the Samui archipelago)"

TAT is going to love this!

The British travel advice page with all its different advice topics paints a very negative image of Thailand. Every advice topic points out extreme negative scenarios. For example, overstaying, 20,000 baht fine, incarceration in a detention center, health, dengue fever and air pollution that can cause bronchitis, terrorism, a grenade could go off at any moment whilst out shopping in the city, as day turns to night in Samui and islands close by you've had it, laws and customs, less majeste, prison awaits, mock the military, prison awaits.

I have been in Thailand working as an English teacher for over 10 years and visited many of its islands and witnessed protests, been bitten thousands of times by mosquitoes, sometimes argued with other Thais, but they never got violent. If you use your common sense you'll be okay. The British travel advise to Thailand is right but some of it is common sense and doesn't need to be said. What the travel advice for Thais visiting the U.K? London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, etc. ???

Don't think your English town list is quite the same as folk traveling to LOS thinking of finding "paradise" eh..

Oh? You don't think tourists go to the UK expecting to be safe from gangs thugs violence graft scams etc?

The big difference is the UK is not marketed as a "land of smiles" with "paradise islands." This causes people to drop their guard with the tragic consequences we've just seen. Even the PM agrees with this, but not you it seems.

[buhi]

Here's something the UK government has done:

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

"Western tourists including British nationals have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by individuals and gangs in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao (the Samui archipelago)"

TAT is going to love this!

The British travel advice page with all its different advice topics paints a very negative image of Thailand. Every advice topic points out extreme negative scenarios. For example, overstaying, 20,000 baht fine, incarceration in a detention center, health, dengue fever and air pollution that can cause bronchitis, terrorism, a grenade could go off at any moment whilst out shopping in the city, as day turns to night in Samui and islands close by you've had it, laws and customs, less majeste, prison awaits, mock the military, prison awaits.

I have been in Thailand working as an English teacher for over 10 years and visited many of its islands and witnessed protests, been bitten thousands of times by mosquitoes, sometimes argued with other Thais, but they never got violent. If you use your common sense you'll be okay. The British travel advise to Thailand is right but some of it is common sense and doesn't need to be said. What the travel advice for Thais visiting the U.K? London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, etc. ???

Don't think your English town list is quite the same as folk traveling to LOS thinking of finding "paradise" eh..

Point taken, though the chances of anything bad happening are slim to nothing if you use your common sense.

If you have lived and worked in Thailand for ten years, then you know the basic rules. Young backpackers here for the first or second time do not!

Same as when I am in the UK I know where to avoid and who to avoid if I don't want a beating.

[SteveFong]

I will never visit that island(nor any other island) .

Just out of protest,hope many thousands feel the same .

5000 illegal immigrants and a dodgy police force on Koh Tao ,

i think the other islands are same same .Stay away,not safe.

Visited Koh Tao and Koh Phangnan recently. You get a nasty feeling arriving on both as soon as you see the horrible characters lurking around the pier to fleece tourists and find the taxis (rusty pick-up trucks) are all controlled by the mafia and charge at least B1,000 for a 5 minute taxi ride. If you have ordered the hotel car to pick you up, it will wait for another couple of ferries until it is full, forcing you to take the mafia taxis. Service in many hotels and restaurants is often very poor because it is provided by untrained illegal immigrants who are obviously poorly paid, treated like shit and can't speak a work of Thai. Better call them slave islands than paradise islands. Such a pity given the natural beauty of the islands. Stay away and spend your money elsewhere.

if they plan to use the internet and social media to promote the island again,

they are walking blindly into a mine field of seasoned internet posters who will destroy all their efforts, starting with reviews posted above.

I too, thought that tourists were continuing to go to the island, unnerved by the recent events, figuring it was never going to happen to them,

it is nice for them to admit that this case is receiving all the attention necessary to create caution,

I can't believe the poster above who said crime was at an all time low,

of course it is,

after you get raped and robbed, you are told to leave for your own safety

[jacky54]

Here's something the UK government has done:

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

"Western tourists including British nationals have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by individuals and gangs in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao (the Samui archipelago)"

TAT is going to love this!

The British travel advice page with all its different advice topics paints a very negative image of Thailand. Every advice topic points out extreme negative scenarios. For example, overstaying, 20,000 baht fine, incarceration in a detention center, health, dengue fever and air pollution that can cause bronchitis, terrorism, a grenade could go off at any moment whilst out shopping in the city, as day turns to night in Samui and islands close by you've had it, laws and customs, less majeste, prison awaits, mock the military, prison awaits.

I have been in Thailand working as an English teacher for over 10 years and visited many of its islands and witnessed protests, been bitten thousands of times by mosquitoes, sometimes argued with other Thais, but they never got violent. If you use your common sense you'll be okay. The British travel advise to Thailand is right but some of it is common sense and doesn't need to be said. What the travel advice for Thais visiting the U.K? London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, etc. ???

Don't think your English town list is quite the same as folk traveling to LOS thinking of finding "paradise" eh..

Point taken, though the chances of anything bad happening are slim to nothing if you use your common sense.

And the chances of the UK Police being paid off to lie and frame, lets say a couple of Romanians for rape and murder to protect some rich Brits is about as likely as the Pope being a rent boy.

[jdinasia]

Here's something the UK government has done:

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

"Western tourists including British nationals have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by individuals and gangs in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao (the Samui archipelago)"

TAT is going to love this!

The British travel advice page with all its different advice topics paints a very negative image of Thailand. Every advice topic points out extreme negative scenarios. For example, overstaying, 20,000 baht fine, incarceration in a detention center, health, dengue fever and air pollution that can cause bronchitis, terrorism, a grenade could go off at any moment whilst out shopping in the city, as day turns to night in Samui and islands close by you've had it, laws and customs, less majeste, prison awaits, mock the military, prison awaits.

I have been in Thailand working as an English teacher for over 10 years and visited many of its islands and witnessed protests, been bitten thousands of times by mosquitoes, sometimes argued with other Thais, but they never got violent. If you use your common sense you'll be okay. The British travel advise to Thailand is right but some of it is common sense and doesn't need to be said. What the travel advice for Thais visiting the U.K? London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, etc. ???

Don't think your English town list is quite the same as folk traveling to LOS thinking of finding "paradise" eh..

Oh? You don't think tourists go to the UK expecting to be safe from gangs thugs violence graft scams etc?

The big difference is the UK is not marketed as a "land of smiles" with "paradise islands." This causes people to drop their guard with the tragic consequences we've just seen. Even the PM agrees with this, but not you it seems.

Oh? No smiles in London?

Yes the UK sells itself on being safe and refined.

Yes tourists are ripped off injured raped and die there. Just like everywhere else that gets tourists

[boomerangutang]

It's odd, after around a half dozen un-resolved deaths of young backpackers on Ko Phi Phi in recent years, there was no campaign by Thai officialdom to paint that island as a safe rosy tourist destination. Incidentally, the police were inept (and possibly covering-up and protecting VIP's) on the Phi Phi investigations also.

What's next? discount Thai Airways fare to Damascus with a promo saying, "Never has it been safer to visit Syria!"

[jdinasia]

Here's something the UK government has done:

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

"Western tourists including British nationals have been victims of vicious, unprovoked attacks by individuals and gangs in Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao (the Samui archipelago)"

TAT is going to love this!

The British travel advice page with all its different advice topics paints a very negative image of Thailand. Every advice topic points out extreme negative scenarios. For example, overstaying, 20,000 baht fine, incarceration in a detention center, health, dengue fever and air pollution that can cause bronchitis, terrorism, a grenade could go off at any moment whilst out shopping in the city, as day turns to night in Samui and islands close by you've had it, laws and customs, less majeste, prison awaits, mock the military, prison awaits.

I have been in Thailand working as an English teacher for over 10 years and visited many of its islands and witnessed protests, been bitten thousands of times by mosquitoes, sometimes argued with other Thais, but they never got violent. If you use your common sense you'll be okay. The British travel advise to Thailand is right but some of it is common sense and doesn't need to be said. What the travel advice for Thais visiting the U.K? London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, etc. ???

Don't think your English town list is quite the same as folk traveling to LOS thinking of finding "paradise" eh..

Point taken, though the chances of anything bad happening are slim to nothing if you use your common sense.

And the chances of the UK Police being paid off to lie and frame, lets say a couple of Romanians for rape and murder to protect some rich Brits is about as likely as the Pope being a rent boy.

Not sure of that... http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/exclusive-more-evidence-of-police-corruption-relating-to-britains-most-notorious-unsolved-murder-mysteriously-missing-9239662.html

[ratcatcher]

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.

An interesting choice of a word. Was it the island that was battered or the victims?

[SteveFong]

Another in depth article here following in detail , Burmese this time.

https://democracyforburma.wordpress.com/2014/09/15/update-710-thailand-2-british-tourists-been-murder-on-sairee-beach-koh-tao/

Yea youd better believe people around the world care whats going on alright

Oaky,

Where are the British Embassy and the FO on this? Two murders, possibly three in the past year, and that's of British people we know about let alone other nationalities and there's no travel warning issued yet?

We are sorry that you didn't get the memo

The UK Gov't is, acting

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

[Fred Flinstone]

I wish the Island luck on their plans-

Though i personally feel its in poor taste.

Brutal murder is not a light matter-

The poor girl wasn't even laid to rest before they were making such plans.

Many feel the murderers and rapists are still at large and any nation wanting to completely destroy tourism would only need a copy cat killing .

But it likely , won't be a copy cat - but the real killers doing what they do (Kill ).

Its actually perhaps even worse than bad timing and poor taste to promote such things so early , but downright irresponsible while the overall perception is the Island has rapists and killers ready to strike again.

Next crime will lay this Islands operations to rest -

And i for one think it will happen again .

Edited October 11, 2014 by Fred Flinstone

[buhi]

Part of the holiday experience is bing "lulled" into a false sense of well being. You are there to relax,enjoy and drop your guard. Who wants to have a holiday where you are always looking out for scams, fights etc. Ok , some idiots do go for the kicks and they tend to be young.

Thailand is as dangerous as many other places if you do not know basic cultural norms.

I have lived here for years and travelled to most parts of Thailand (not Koh Tao), but always, apart from one time, with my Thai wife. Thai scammers quickly note who you are and the warning signs flash when they see a long time expat!

The one time I didn't travel with my wife was when I took my British son to Samui, it was tragic and lasted one day, but that is another story. Just let's say I left him to have a good time and he got more than he bargained for, despite my warnings. He just did not know enough about the place and getting drunk and British bluster does not bode well in places like Samui.

[smokie36]

And the chances of the UK Police being paid off to lie and frame, lets say a couple of Romanians for rape and murder to protect some rich Brits is about as likely as the Pope being a rent boy.

Chances of the UK PM making comments on a criminal case yet to come to court?

Probability of said case never reaching a courtroom due to lack of evidence?

Likelihood that the police would still be properly investigating and turning every stone to find the actual killers?

What's happening in Thailand now is an absolute disgrace.

[SteveFong]

It will be interesting to see how they get out of this

They will have to let these two kids go,

the world is demanding it

but, then how do they backtrack their alleged "findings?"

[jdinasia]

It will be interesting to see how they get out of this

They will have to let these two kids go,

the world is demanding it

but, then how do they backtrack their alleged "findings?"

The world is demanding no such thing.

[SteveFong]

then you havent been paying attention

this is an international fiasco

[Fred Flinstone]

It will be interesting to see how they get out of this

They will have to let these two kids go,

the world is demanding it

but, then how do they backtrack their alleged "findings?"

The kids are done-

Finished -

They will not permit them to loose a nations face-

Thais did not do this ""the mantra""

It will be a suicide in Jail , or beaten to death.

The enormous consequences of being found out to have "protected killers , fabricated evidence to convict others , *(NOT THAI) is far too much .

The so called killers admitted their guilt on video tape.

Paraded for the world.

Get them out the way and just go to the footage whenever the world demands an explanation .

Edited October 11, 2014 by Fred Flinstone

[SteveFong]

I don't believe for a moment that will happen,

There has to have been a warning from the Burmese lawyers