Parents of Nick Pearson convinced their son's death on Koh Tao was murder

[jonesthebaker]

Murders, rapes, robberies happen all over the world.. Cover up too.. Iv seen this in Greece, from local police, and Italy as well.... Hopefully the truth comes out... Why hasn't their lawyers, taken and shown pics of the beaten bodies and scolding marks from hot water being poured in them.. Surly if they were tortured, pics would prove so ???

there are well established methods of torture that leave no visible marks. you are very naive.

[bongoz]

Boycott Koh Tao. Stop giving money to these horrible mafia families and the 'police' that they control.

True - Koh Tao needs the tourists more than the tourists need that island. A lot of other beautiful, less "infested", islands and places in Thailand.

A lot of other beautiful, less disgusting countries than THAILAND!!!

[soalbundy]

Boycott Koh Tao. Stop giving money to these horrible mafia families and the 'police' that they control.

True - Koh Tao needs the tourists more than the tourists need that island. A lot of other beautiful, less "infested", islands and places in Thailand.

A lot of other beautiful, less disgusting countries than THAILAND!!!

Not in Asia

[wilcopops]

Murders, rapes, robberies happen all over the world.. Cover up too.. Iv seen this in Greece, from local police, and Italy as well.... Hopefully the truth comes out... Why hasn't their lawyers, taken and shown pics of the beaten bodies and scolding marks from hot water being poured in them.. Surly if they were tortured, pics would prove so ???

This is a rather facile comment - just because something happens elsewhere, it doesn't mitigate it when it happens here. you also seem to be ignorant of how torturers are very skilled in inflicting maximum effect with minimum evidence.

Furthermore your comments would indicate that you don't appreciate the significance of this as it reflects on the world image of Thailand and Thai society.

The situation with corruption, graft, nepotism leads to incompetence in government institutions and in Thailand this has been permitted or even encouraged to run unchecked for years - this is not necessarily UNIQUE to Thailand but it is significantly different from countries in Europe and the west where these events are exposed and heads roll...in Thailand people get pay-outs and bonuses and innocent people are imprisoned or executed.....this is not a one off in Thailand in the way it has been handled, but it is a one-off in the way the social media etc has kept the rest of the world looking critically on.

[cardinalblue]

Just b/c it happens elsewhere in the world means it shouldn't be thoroughly investigated in Thailand?

What is known is LOS always makes the top ten corrupted countries list so yes red flags should be raised more here than your ave country....

Image protection should not drive finding the truth out but the culture isn't interested in finding the truth only image or a sub population...

Complete lack of due process and accountability...

CB

[ChrisY1]

Depending how all this pans out over the next few days....and certainly before any sign of a trial starts for these 2 guys.......western embassies, and in particular the UK, must produce serious travel warnings about this region of Thailand.

There's obviously some extremely serious issues down there...whether it's a mafia type organisation that's ruling the area....corrupt politicians, kamnans....whatever..........it seems that the entire southern island region is in big trouble.

Travel warnings have great effects on governments........and Thailand is very sensitive to them.......!

[johninengland]

I salute the Pearson family for speaking up and for not buckling under pressure! It needs more parents like this of kids who were killed, raped and beaten here in Thailand to stand up and scream, "FOUL PLAY!" so the whole world wakes up to the truth that this country is corrupt to the core and that justice being served in Thailand means, "Find patsies and frame them asap to wrap up the case and keep tourism going!"

It is time for the parents of David and Hannah now to say something and I have to admit that I find it rather irritating that tens of thousands of Thais and foreigners fight to find out the truth in forums and other social media and being threatened by the RTP for speaking up, while all they hear from David's and Hannah's families is a deafening silence. Why are the people that should be most concerned so damn quiet, what is wrong with these people? Were they perhaps advised by british officials to stand back, or what the heck is going on over there? Anyone?

may be Hannah's family are waiting for today to end? it is Hannah's funeral!

hopefully they will begin to demand some answers from the relevant people with the assistance of the prime minister of England? something like the

macann campaign? would be a good start? but in this case, involving world leaders?

the mafia must be defeated!! and the real murderers brought to justice..........

[Sheryl]

I salute the Pearson family for speaking up and for not buckling under pressure! It needs more parents like this of kids who were killed, raped and beaten here in Thailand to stand up and scream, "FOUL PLAY!" so the whole world wakes up to the truth that this country is corrupt to the core and that justice being served in Thailand means, "Find patsies and frame them asap to wrap up the case and keep tourism going!"

It is time for the parents of David and Hannah now to say something and I have to admit that I find it rather irritating that tens of thousands of Thais and foreigners fight to find out the truth in forums and other social media and being threatened by the RTP for speaking up, while all they hear from David's and Hannah's families is a deafening silence. Why are the people that should be most concerned so damn quiet, what is wrong with these people? Were they perhaps advised by british officials to stand back, or what the heck is going on over there? Anyone?

I think you need to consider the immensity of the grieving process they are going through. It has not been that long since the deaths. In the throes of acute grief just getting through each day is a major struggle and dealing with the overwhelming loss takes precedence over anything else. I think it is too much to ask of them at this point that they be activists. Have some compassion.

The Pearson's have had more time than they. Not that their grief is (or ever will be) past, but the immediate shock and severe reaction has somewhat subsided making it possible for them to start thinking about action.

[khunjamesjohnson]

The only thing we know for certain is that nobody trusts the police.

[givenall]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

"As soon as I saw the news about Hannah and David I cried for them and their parents because I know how hard it is to get the truth out of Thailand."


Corrected her quote for you.

I think all European and American, Canadian, etc. should completely bypass Koa Tao till police comes with some good data. They probably already know who has done the crime and just protecting them

[allan michaud]

Murders, rapes, robberies happen all over the world.. Cover up too.. Iv seen this in Greece, from local police, and Italy as well.... Hopefully the truth comes out... Why hasn't their lawyers, taken and shown pics of the beaten bodies and scolding marks from hot water being poured in them.. Surly if they were tortured, pics would prove so ???

Dont even need that. The police claims/evidence/lies has been refuted and exposed by Thais on social media. For example the claim that one of the suspect was not DNA tested with other AC bar workers, CCTV however show he was tested. This raise the question how the police could claim that non of the DNA tests on AC bar workers match the DNA found at the scene only later to claim one of these workers was the killer. The planting of the phone etc etc etc. They are covering for the mafia and in the process a foreigner got away with murder. If they arrested him (the foreigner) he would have spilled the beans and the mafia would have been implicated. So he was allowed to escape and scapegoats was found.

Eh? A foreigner got away with murder, what are you on about? The one thing I do trust in all the BS that has been stated by the RTP is that DNA evidence proved it was Asian's that raped the girl.

[chickenslegs]

I have direct personal knowledge of this tragedy.

There was not even a pretense of an investigation by police, nor an autopsy performed until the parents at their own expense got the body back to England.

Let's hope that the autopsy included taking of DNA samples from Hannah's body.

I also hope that there are steps being taken by UK authorities to obtain DNA samples from the parents of the 2 accused men (as I'm sure the Thai police will not permit them to take new samples from the men themselves).

I think this would clear up, once and for all, whether the two Burmese men raped Hannah.

[englishoak]

Island of Death

Heres the thing thats really sad... had Nicks case had the same coverage and attn maybe Hannah and David would have passed on going to KT and still been alive today.

Sobering thought

My heart goes out to the Pearsons and applaud them for speaking out.

RIP Nick

[Jonmarleesco]

Not satisfied with digging themselves into a hole, the Thai police have seemingly filled it with quick-setting cement.

And they claimed he fell 50 feet, or 50 metres?

[ClutchClark]

Me think they should clean out and get rid of the local Mafia than things will clear up.

Everyone wants Thailand to have the Justice system of the West and then comments like this are made.

Justice does not involve punishing people without Due Process...unless you are a lynchmob.

There are correct ways to pursue crime and entitlement on KT or anywhere else in the country but it involves the creation of a national investigative agency that is beyond the influence of a mafia on a small island. The obstacle to this is an ancestral "tribal" mentality--by no means unique to Thailand--but systemic here.

As for the young man in the OP, based on recent events it is not unreasonable to think it might have been murder. Unfortunately, at this late date, it can not be established with certainty.

Personally, I now discourage everyone back home to avoid Thailand. Not as a method to penalize the Thai people but simply because there is no safety net here. This is a concept most Westerners cannot grasp.

[ClutchClark]

I have direct personal knowledge of this tragedy.

There was not even a pretense of an investigation by police, nor an autopsy performed until the parents at their own expense got the body back to England.

Let's hope that the autopsy included taking of DNA samples from Hannah's body.

I also hope that there are steps being taken by UK authorities to obtain DNA samples from the parents of the 2 accused men (as I'm sure the Thai police will not permit them to take new samples from the men themselves).

I think this would clear up, once and for all, whether the two Burmese men raped Hannah.

You're on the wrong page.

[chickenslegs]

I have direct personal knowledge of this tragedy.

There was not even a pretense of an investigation by police, nor an autopsy performed until the parents at their own expense got the body back to England.

Let's hope that the autopsy included taking of DNA samples from Hannah's body.

I also hope that there are steps being taken by UK authorities to obtain DNA samples from the parents of the 2 accused men (as I'm sure the Thai police will not permit them to take new samples from the men themselves).

I think this would clear up, once and for all, whether the two Burmese men raped Hannah.

You're on the wrong page.

You are correct. My mistake.

[Feesbay John]

I have direct personal knowledge of this tragedy.

There was not even a pretense of an investigation by police, nor an autopsy performed until the parents at their own expense got the body back to England.

This is so sad,,, That just maybe if the police had investigated this,,, maybe David and Hannah could be still alive today. The police need to look into this more as it was at the same place as the double murder and only a few months apart... Was the 2 Burmese men here at that time,,, was the head mans boys in the area at the same time,, They have to give DNA stop asking and get it,, there is a lot of work to do here for the police, to see if they are related in anyway... To fall 50ft and have know broken bones,, just not right to me.. My praise go out to all the family's involved ,,, May Buddha and God be-with you all,,,

[ClutchClark]

Tourists are victim to poisoning, vehicular accidents, robberies, diseases, rape and murder on a daily basis in Thailand and tourist numbers have never been stronger.

There is absolutely no reason to believe that had this young mans death been reported as a murder that David and Hanna would not have each independently visited KT.

[mdmayes]

Boycott Koh Tao. Stop giving money to these horrible mafia families and the 'police' that they control.

Who should boycott Koh Tao? The tourists?

This is a record I'll keep playing... don't ask others to do what you won't do yourself. If the expats here want to show Thailand and the world just how disgusted they are then they need to get off their bar stools and walk. I did because I will not be part of something so disgusting and to a country devoid of any humanity.

We've all said it for years... the only thing they care about is money which a fair amount comes from tourism and the expat community. It would be great if the tourists boycotted Thailand but imagine the scene of 100,000 expats all at the Had Yai border - the international press would be quick to pick it up and if you all gave the reason why then maybe the Thai authorities will sit up and take notice.

This murder should be the catalyst .... if you can't do it for yourself then do it for the families who have lost everything; their children.

For those of you who would berate me... I just hope you are not parents and I hope that those of you that are will never have to face such a loss.

I'll do it...i will not visit Thailand for two years.

[joecoolfrog]

I have personal ties to Thailand and will return, though not to Koh Tao. I would however feel uneasy if my son were to visit , as previously stated there is no safety net and first time visitors are seldom aware of the dangers.

[ggt]

Sad...but predictable investigative work...sucks...

Some low life is getting away with multiple murders...

This is the Land of Lies...really...

[EnglishJohn]

This is great : I can see those queues at immigration getting shorter and shorter in future ....

[flyingdoc]

So many unanswered questions. This cannot be allowed to continue.

[umbanda]

Boycott Koh Tao. Stop giving money to these horrible mafia families and the 'police' that they control.

What makes you think it's any different anywhere else in Thailand?

Or in many other countries?

[irishsmile]

It was murder.... I love Thailand .... I love most of the culture and I love most of the people BUT I hate the greedy corrupted government and equally scum so called police!

[somchai jones]

I salute the Pearson family for speaking up and for not buckling under pressure! It needs more parents like this of kids who were killed, raped and beaten here in Thailand to stand up and scream, "FOUL PLAY!" so the whole world wakes up to the truth that this country is corrupt to the core and that justice being served in Thailand means, "Find patsies and frame them asap to wrap up the case and keep tourism going!"

It is time for the parents of David and Hannah now to say something and I have to admit that I find it rather irritating that tens of thousands of Thais and foreigners fight to find out the truth in forums and other social media and being threatened by the RTP for speaking up, while all they hear from David's and Hannah's families is a deafening silence. Why are the people that should be most concerned so damn quiet, what is wrong with these people? Were they perhaps advised by british officials to stand back, or what the heck is going on over there? Anyone?

Engaging your brain before posting whilst hunched, impotently raging over your computer might be a good idea. What a despicable post........

[phanangpete]

I have direct personal knowledge of this tragedy.

There was not even a pretense of an investigation by police, nor an autopsy performed until the parents at their own expense got the body back to England.

Everyday i go out this tradgedy is being talked about, this time i think the Thai's are in for a shock , the truth is being demanded, i have baited breath, but each day that goes by, i feel the cover up will be revealed.

Now the Burmese Govt is asking questions, the World press, this is the pressure that is required and all who have posted on here from day one , it has made a change , believe !

[huawei]

I have direct personal knowledge of this tragedy.

There was not even a pretense of an investigation by police, nor an autopsy performed until the parents at their own expense got the body back to England.

Everyday i go out this tradgedy is being talked about, this time i think the Thai's are in for a shock , the truth is being demanded, i have baited breath, but each day that goes by, i feel the cover up will be revealed.

Now the Burmese Govt is asking questions, the World press, this is the pressure that is required and all who have posted on here from day one , it has made a change , believe !

My experience of a "suspect" death is the same as Sheryl . Totally indifference by the police and the American embassy staff . Attitude seemed to be "just another one".

It is the way it is here.

[spidermike007]

Boycott Koh Tao. Stop giving money to these horrible mafia families and the 'police' that they control.

I am doing this with all my heart and soul. And am encouraging everyone with any interest in that rat infested, crime infested, corrupt and criminal island. I will never set foot on that piece of crap again.