American tourist who died at remote waterfall "insulted the spirits" say Koh Samui locals

 

Picture: Daily News

 

KOH SAMUI: -- A young American tourist who fell to his death at a remote Koh Samui waterfall died because he insulted the spirits of the area, locals told Thai media.

 

Twenty eight year old Geoffrey Maui was found alive on rocks at the Bang Khun Sri waterfall on the border of Maret and Mae Nam sub districts but died shortly after rescuers reached him.

 

Police and foundation rescue staff had to trek three kilometers on foot to reach the victim and other tourists. They were in a steep and rocky area not officially opened for tourism due to its inaccessibility.

 

Locals told Daily News that the tourist had probably insulted the spirit of the land in the area.

 

They said that there was a shrine for "Phor Puu" in the area and there had been cases in the past of tourists urinating where they shouldn't and this had led to accidents.

 

They said that there had been two tourist deaths and three injuries before this latest incident and an insult was the likely cause of death.

 

Source: Daily News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-06-20

As I am not as superstitious as these Thais, I would believe a 'loss of footing; was more of a contributing factor to his death, rather than any 'insults'.

Will "insulted sprits" be the official cause on the death certificate? 

If you put that on your travel insurance claim they''ll start asking for the descriptions

of the 'spirit' it's make model and plate number...

Third world, and always will be!

It is easy to mock the local people for their beliefs, but having spent a long time in rural Asia (outside of Thailand) I have a slightly different take.

 

I always found that the local animism and the concurrent belief in 'spirits' was more a way to try and live in harmony with nature, In olden days, the easiest way to express what we now call environmentalism and common sense in dealings with nature was to ascribe what they saw to a supernatural presence, and by heeding the 'spirits', local people adapted themselves to their local conditions.

 

I think it is true that the guy slipped on a rock. That said. the local belief might actually have been saying "don't go there or you might slip on a rock". It is just expressed in a different manner.

 

Cheers

 

No need for any health and safety checks here. It's clearly annoyed spirits killing disrespectful tourists. 

 

Life's great when you don't have to think or do anything. 

 

 

1 minute ago, Samui Bodoh said:

It is easy to mock the local people for their beliefs, but having spent a long time in rural Asia (outside of Thailand) I have a slightly different take.

 

I always found that the local animism and the concurrent belief in 'spirits' was more a way to try and live in harmony with nature, In olden days, the easiest way to express what we now call environmentalism and common sense in dealings with nature was to ascribe what they saw to a supernatural presence, and by heeding the 'spirits', local people adapted themselves to their local conditions.

 

I think it is true that the guy slipped on a rock. That said. the local belief might actually have been saying "don't go there or you might slip on a rock". It is just expressed in a different manner.

 

Cheers

 

Yes, things like religion were created to control people and for someone reason it's still working. Now we are progressing as societies and we can use law and order to deter people from doing harm. We can use science to to deter people from trying to defy gravity, etc. 

 

Using knowledge we can move forward and progress as a species. Using old nonsensical superstitious claptrap keeps some people in the stone ages. Opinions never change facts. People have the right to believe in whatever they want. Just like other people have the right to think that belief is stupid and detrimental to our well-being and progression. 

The spirit who was offended has now been identified as gravity.

12 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Yes, things like religion were created to control people and for someone reason it's still working. Now we are progressing as societies and we can use law and order to deter people from doing harm. We can use science to to deter people from trying to defy gravity, etc. 

 

Using knowledge we can move forward and progress as a species. Using old nonsensical superstitious claptrap keeps some people in the stone ages. Opinions never change facts. People have the right to believe in whatever they want. Just like other people have the right to think that belief is stupid and detrimental to our well-being and progression. 

 

The lesson from "nonsensical superstitious claptrap" AND science is one and the same: if you go there, you might slip on the rocks and die.

 

 

1 minute ago, Samui Bodoh said:

 

The lesson from "nonsensical superstitious claptrap" AND science is one and the same: if you go there, you might slip on the rocks and die.

 

 

No, it's not. Science doesn't do favours for people who wear amulets. Science doesn't discriminate and it doesn't care about how much money you have or how inflated your ego is.

 

When people understand something properly, they can make an informed decision. 

If only the guy had been wearing his amulets at the time, then everything would have been OK, and he'd still be here to tell his story.

38 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

It is easy to mock the local people for their beliefs, but having spent a long time in rural Asia (outside of Thailand) I have a slightly different take.

 

I always found that the local animism and the concurrent belief in 'spirits' was more a way to try and live in harmony with nature, In olden days, the easiest way to express what we now call environmentalism and common sense in dealings with nature was to ascribe what they saw to a supernatural presence, and by heeding the 'spirits', local people adapted themselves to their local conditions.

 

I think it is true that the guy slipped on a rock. That said. the local belief might actually have been saying "don't go there or you might slip on a rock". It is just expressed in a different manner.

 

Cheers

 

Well spoken, mate. Unfortunally lack of RESPECT for Thais and their culture is pretty common among tourists and expats.

 

Have a nice day :)

How is this any different then Christians saying it was the will of god after an accident or stuff like this. 

 

All these religions are equally funny, no proof for any. He just fell that is all, now if something really strange has happened. Like he fell upwards and hung around mid air levitating (without any machines around) I would hold more credibility to religion after first looking for a good scientific explanation. 

superstition..... but quite harmless and one of the many things that make Thailand a special place.... may it continue and Thailand not become the sterile dull place that Western Europe has become.

6 minutes ago, lemonjelly said:

superstition..... but quite harmless and one of the many things that make Thailand a special place.... may it continue and Thailand not become the sterile dull place that Western Europe has become.

It depends.. like all religions its dangerous.. how about the next step.. guy believes he can't have an accident because of the amulets he wears and drives as a result like a maniac and kills people while doing it.

 

In this case its quite harmless and if it makes locals behave better its good.. kinda like the 10 commandments. But all religion can be used for bad things (and is being used for bad things)

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Locals told Daily News that the tourist had probably insulted the spirit

probably ? as in 'making this up' ?

I will be careful where I relieve myself in the future.

 

RIP young person.

"Two-thirds of global population have a faith but in UK 30% of people are religious compared with more than 90% in countries such as Thailand". 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/12/uk-one-of-worlds-least-religious-countries-survey-finds

LJ,

 

not all superstitions are harmless...can't recall which hilltribe(s) will bury twins/physical deformed infants b/c of the evil spirits they bring to the village.

"live in harmony with nature" ???? Then why do they treat nature like s*&% and leave litter all over the place. I don't call that respecting nature.

Well that sheds more light on things doesn't it !

4 hours ago, rkidlad said:

No, it's not. Science doesn't do favours for people who wear amulets. Science doesn't discriminate and it doesn't care about how much money you have or how inflated your ego is.

 

When people understand something properly, they can make an informed decision. 

 

quote from the OP  " Police and foundation rescue staff had to trek three kilometers on foot to reach the victim and other tourists. They were in a steep and rocky area not officially opened for tourism due to its inaccessibility."

 

So if those highly sophisticated Westerners with all their accumulated scientific knowledge completely ignored the fact that the area was not officially opened for tourism due to its inaccessability, that makes them smarter than the highly suprstitious locals who actually don't go to that area.

 

Westerners are smarter than Thais are they?

4 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

If only the guy had been wearing his amulets at the time, then everything would have been OK, and he'd still be here to tell his story.

I'll take a helmet over and amulet any day!!!

Locals obviously need some consultation in nearby lan ka daeng

4 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

The spirit who was offended has now been identified as gravity.

If he really offended spirits in front of locals, the gravity could be helped.

What to say ??? Only thing left is RIP

  He didn't much care for the local moonshine then.

 

Finally i can tell you why so many suicide farangs in Thailand..

 

They are drunk and pis$ing from the condo balcony and in so doing will grossly offend the balcony spirits

More likely stupid and carelessness 

was more the cause than Spirits!!