Samui Times Faces Libel Charge For Labeling Koh Tao 'Death Island'

[webfact]

Samui Times Faces Libel Charge For Labeling Koh Tao 'Death Island'

By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter

 

A screencap of Samui Times website

 

BANGKOK — Surat Thani governor told reporters Monday he intended to sue an English-language news website for nicknaming Koh Tao “Death Island.”

 

Uaychai Innak said such labeling by Samui Times “distorted” the situation there and damaged the island’s reputation as a tourist destination. A string of foreigners’ death has made the island infamous in recent years – most recently that of a Belgian tourist, ruled by police as suicide.

 

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/2017/07/04/samui-times-faces-libel-charge-labeling-koh-tao-death-island/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2017-07-04

[ezflip]

Good idea. Then he can take the money and pay the police to do their jobs... or maybe not. Never mind.

[Just1Voice]

The Times wasn't the first, or the only ones, to use that moniker.  And likely won't be the last. 

 

[AGareth2]

Streisand effect

[Samui Bodoh]

I am truly amazed that it has taken them so long!

 

While I am not a huge fan of the Samui Times , I give it full credit for their stories about the place. Unfortunately, I think the editor and owners are going into a world of hurt financially and perhaps otherwise. 

 

Keep your head up ST, you did good!

[NCC1701A]

how sad Thailand is.

 

RIP truth, we hardly knew you.

 

and in other news:

 

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/body-found-buried-lamai-beach-koh-samui/#.WVsjixMVrDU.twitter

[Dobredin Ghusputin]

They could always make it a tourist attraction like the "death railway" in Kanchanburi.

[hansnl]

Disgusting!

Don't do anything, just try to kill off the messenger.

The lid is taken off from Pandora's box, and this action will throw the lid far away.

The international press will have a field day.

[Slip]

How do you libel an island?

[DiscoDan]

They had it coming especially with some of the articles written by Ian Yarwood that were not aimed at getting to the truth but at ruining Koh tao's reputation, then you have the owner of Samui times who visited the B2 and took care of their mothers during the trial. So hardly impartial reporting.

 

I wonder how many people would believe what the Koh Tao times if the owner was Mons mum.

[BigBadGeordie]

I assume he will be submiting a similar legal charge against The Telegraph, The Mirror, The Sun, News Com Au and many many other media sources who all use the same phrasiology to describe the island.

 

But then perhaps not.

[Ron19]

A post using foul language has been removed.

[Lupatria]

Now I wonder how long it takes until some will press charges against the TAT labeling Thailand a safe tourist destination.

[Rhys]

Protocol in action... just too funny... Where is the certain ethnic group to take the blame? That follows, right...    OK headlines... How about Negative outcomes at Turtle island?

[sweatalot]

32 minutes ago, DiscoDan said:

They had it coming especially with some of the articles written by Ian Yarwood that were not aimed at getting to the truth but at ruining Koh tao's reputation, then you have the owner of Samui times who visited the B2 and took care of their mothers during the trial. So hardly impartial reporting.

 

I wonder how many people would believe what the Koh Tao times if the owner was Mons mum.

"...some of the articles written by Ian Yarwood that were not aimed at getting to the truth"

 

the articles were aimed to avoid hiding or falsifying the truth. Well done.

 

 

"They had it coming especially " ....  because truth is not welcome over there

 

 

[Just1Voice]

Good luck with this suit.  If you read the article, S.T. did not call it "Death Island".  They reported that some foreigners refer to it as "Death Island".  So, instead of suing the Times, they'll have to sue all those disrespectful foreigners.  Yeah, first thing tomorrow. lol

 

[Lamar]

"The news site often refers to Koh Tao as “Death Island,” though it attributes that nickname to international media reports and expat communities."

Then The Samui Times will be sued because it reported that some international media nicknamed Koh Tao "Death Island"?... But then the Koasod English now must also be sued because it reported that The Samui nicknamed Kho Tao "Death Island"... And so on... Every media that use the words "Death Island" and "Kho Tao" in the same sentence must be sued !

[ianc66]

So the Governor is attempting to make sure the small part of the worlds population who did not now the appellation will now know it?

[ChrisY1]

So..we see that the governor is also part of the problem.....instead of trying to improve the islands image, he chooses suing the whistleblower.....heard this many times before!

[soalbundy]

another PR failure.Talk about negative advertising.

[Oziex1]

Slowly but surely the reputation of this place is getting out into the world, might take a while for the kids to stop going.

 

 

[limbos]

Wonder whom they will actually sue. A paper that is not registered in Thailand with no staff living in Thailand. Interesting.

“As the provincial governor, I represent someone directly damaged by this.” I wonder who that is?

[rickudon]

Can we sue Thailand for defamation for blaming foreigners for everything?

[soalbundy]

48 minutes ago, limbos said:

Wonder whom they will actually sue. A paper that is not registered in Thailand with no staff living in Thailand. Interesting.

“As the provincial governor, I represent someone directly damaged by this.” I wonder who that is?

Himself, he will have his finger in every pie

[steven100]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

damaged the island’s reputation as a tourist destination

are you kidding me .... 

[steven100]

2 hours ago, Lamar said:

"The news site often refers to Koh Tao as “Death Island,” though it attributes that nickname to international media reports and expat communities."

Then The Samui Times will be sued because it reported that some international media nicknamed Koh Tao "Death Island"?... But then the Koasod English now must also be sued because it reported that The Samui nicknamed Kho Tao "Death Island"... And so on... Every media that use the words "Death Island" and "Kho Tao" in the same sentence must be sued !

Be careful ....  you might be sued ...   lol

[whatawonderfulday]

Lets tell the world that a legal charge is better than clearing up the murder problem.  TIT

[cheapcanuck]

3 hours ago, Lupatria said:

Now I wonder how long it takes until some will press charges against the TAT labeling Thailand a safe tourist destination.

Class action should do the trick...but then again Thailand doesn't follow the rules of law.

[khunPer]

A quick google-search today for "death island", reveal no Samui Times, but result in first posts as:

 

Mother of Belgian backpacker found 'eaten by lizards' on Thai 'death ...
www.telegraph.co.uk

 

Tourist who died on Death Island Koh Tao was part of a 'cult'
www.news.com.au

 

'Death Island' mystery deepens after backpacker is found hanged ...
nypost.com

 

DEATH ISLAND STRIKES AGAIN Koh Tao riddle as pretty ... - The Sun
www.thesun.co.uk

 

Dark side of Koh Tao: The seven tourists found dead on Thailand's ...
www.mirror.co.uk
Dubbed 'Death Island', the illusion of a safe haven has since shattered following the brutal deaths of a number of tourists. On tiny Koh Tao, ...

 

–followed by numerous non related "Dead Island", a computor game, and a Danish "Death Island Studio" at a small (for me well known) Danish island in a fjord...

[JLCrab]

"On 27th April 2017 a young girl from Belgium was found dead in Koh Tao, A.K.A Death Island."

http://www.samuitimes.com/yet-another-girl-dies-strange-circumstances-koh-tao-desperate-mother-looking-information/