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

[animatic]

You can lible or slander people,

But NOT places.

 

The absurdity is beyond words.

 

AKA means " also known as"

Which means it has been heard as this from multiple others.

[JLCrab]

From the Khasod article in Post #1:

“False accusations and distorted news coverage has caused a negative image to the tourism sector in the province,” Uaychai was quoted as saying by Matichon. “As the provincial governor, I represent someone directly damaged by this.”

So the governor I guess says that he is bringing the suit in representing one or more injured persons -- not a 'place'.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts have been removed. 

[ebonykap]

Death Island is nowhere near descriptive enough.

How about "Murder Island", "Serial Killer Island" or "Keystone Cops Island". That would be more to the point!

[JLCrab]

If this lawsuit were in Court today, there would be no way any lawyer for the defense could make the claim that anyone was murdered on Koh Tao except for the late Ms. Witheridge and late Mr. D. Miller.

[snoop1130]

Koh Tao governor threatens legal action over ‘distorted’ website story

 

 

The Surat Thani governor yesterday criticised a local website that branded Koh Tao as an island of death, following the recent death of a Belgian tourist in April.

 

Saying he was seeking to take legal action, Governor Uachai Inthanak said the incorrect, false and distorted report has tarnished the island’s reputation and image.

 

Koh Tao resort island is located off Surat Thani and near Samui Island.

 

The website, Samui Times, based its report on seven deaths that occurred on the island, but the governor said that only one case was the result of a murder.

 

He was referring to a brutal murder of two British backpackers in 2014. Two Myanmar workers were arrested for killing the tourists and now face a death sentence.

 

The latest death of Elise Dallemagne, which Thai police concluded was a suicide, has drawn attention to the island. Her mother told the foreign media that she did not believe her daughter committed suicide and Thai police were trying to cover up the real cause.

 

However, Thai police insisted that the mother, who came to identify the body after it was found in late April, accepted the conclusion that her girl took her own life.

 

The governor said he already assigned his legal team to look into the evidence concerning the website’s report.

 

“I’m the governor and a directly affected party from the report. We will file a police complaint and check whether the website is linked to the Samui Times newspaper that is on sale on the island,” he said.

 

Meanwhile police spokesman Pol Colonel Krissana Pattanacharoen said that the Thai side is confident that Dallemagne died of asphyxiation from hanging.

 

Her body showed no sign of a struggle, the spokesman said, and the tourist had a record of attempting to kill herself.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30319883

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-7-4

[IslandLover]

6 hours ago, BigBadGeordie said:

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.

And don't forget the Daily Mail, New York Times, Time magazine etc, etc. .  This reminds me of when the Thai authorities announced to the world that they were going to sue Laura Witheridge, sister of Hannah, which proved to be just hot air.

[IslandLover]

5 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 !

Yes, let's sue everybody, including most of the posters on ThaiVisa for hurt feelings!  Aww diddums.  The Surat Thani governor sounds a lot like Donald Trump having a tantrum .

[IslandLover]

5 hours ago, ianc66 said:

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?

It's called the Streisand Effect .

[FitnessHealthTravel]

Suing the Press! What's next?

[IslandLover]

4 hours 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?

Need you ask

[sweatalot]

5 hours ago, soalbundy said:

another PR failure.Talk about negative advertising.

Just let them ....

[robsamui]

7 hours 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.

Who on earth is Ian Yarwood?
I have been reading the ST for years and have never seen any writer credits  ascribed to any of their articles.

[DiscoDan]

5 minutes ago, robsamui said:

Who on earth is Ian Yarwood?
I have been reading the ST for years and have never seen any writer credits  ascribed to any of their articles.

He is a property lawyer from Australia who Samui times refer to as a solicitor he has "allegedly" been vigorously promoting death island on Twitter.

 

http://www.samuitimes.com/australian-lawyer-gives-new-hope-to-burmese-men-convicted-of-the-koh-tao-murders/

 

It later to turned out he has sent the letter (which was written by a member of the defence team) without permission from the defence which resulted in a massive bust up between the farang defence and Ian Yarwood and Samui times 

 

 

http://www.yarwoodassociates.com.au/

 

[robsamui]

3 hours ago, animatic said:

You can lible or slander people,

But NOT places.

 

The absurdity is beyond words.

 

AKA means " also known as"

Which means it has been heard as this from multiple others.

I've been living here for ever.

 

I love so many things about this nation and its people.

 

But a government administrator wanting to sue for LIBEL when an ISLAND is given a nickname?

 

With this utterly out-of-touch knee-jerk from the Surat Thani Governor a sudden image spring to mind . . .  the image of a lost tribe of the Amazon which has had no contact with the outside world at all except for the American TV programs it's been picking up.

 

With this classic foot-in-mouth press release a  person of some standing has broadcast to the world that he has no understanding of what LIBEL is or means, while at the same time stimulating the world press by not only embracing this faux pas, but additionally adding fuel to the international fire that is smouldering with regards to the whole ongoing business of Koh Tao.

Be assured that the world media will broadcast this 'libel' intention with amusement and disbelief.. 

It was initially UK's Channel 4 which coined the term. Since when it has entered into the public domain (as in 'the entire world outside of Thailand') in that is has been repeated by a dozen or more mainstays of the international press for a long period of time and is in public usage.

 

The whole world is now watching and waiting for what comes next.

 

Well done that man!

[robsamui]

4 minutes ago, DiscoDan said:

He is a property lawyer from Australia who Samui times refer to as a solicitor he has "allegedly" been vigorously promoting death island on Twitter.

 

http://www.samuitimes.com/australian-lawyer-gives-new-hope-to-burmese-men-convicted-of-the-koh-tao-murders/

 

It later to turned out he has sent the letter (which was written by a member of the defence team) without permission from the defence which resulted in a massive bust up between the farang defence and Ian Yarwood and Samui times 

 

 

http://www.yarwoodassociates.com.au/

 

So Ian Yarwood has never 'libeled' Koh Tao by referring to it as 'Death Island', then?

[bangkokairportlink]

Please all write KOH TAO death island in your forum signature to support them !

[Bigdogfarang]

There are two ways to liberate Ko Toas dark reputation 

 

1) staff the island with a reliable police force free from influence and corruption and make it known that crimes against foreigners will not be tolerated admit things have been done wrong in the past but times have changed and proactively go out and engage with the community and tourists and meticulously investigate any more deaths 

 

2) Agreesively suppress the media and cover up / explain away any further deaths and essentially keep projecting the image there's nothing to see here. And sue anyone who questions the island and how it's policed 

[tukkytuktuk]

Found this whilst surfing.

 

[sn1per]

I'm not sure where I saw this picture before, but I've got a feeling that it's gonna be Samui Times homepage soon

[khunPer]

The first instance of "Death Island" in connection to Koh Tao..?

So many news-stories, and so many recently called Koh Tao for "death island", that it's difficult to recall, who was the inventor of that expression.

 

My friend Google is not extremely friendly with "death island" searches, especially when searching for first instance. However, I'm lazy enough to only look through the first 50 results. But anyway, using the date-tool – i.e. searching for specified periods – and disregarding "fake posts" where "death island" appear, because a news-site may have a up-to-date advertising blocks at bottom with the recent news, I'm for example talking about the articles this thread is based on.

 

So I began with "tao death island", and year 2015:

No results

(which mean, that not within the first 50 search results)

 

"tao death island", year 2016:

Bingo, almost, I got "Island of death"...

British man found dead on Koh Tao - Page 21 - Koh Samui News ...
https://www.thaivisa.com/.../885062-british-man-found-dead-on-k...
8. jan. 2016 - Because they do not go in numbers to Koh Tao, Yes sir it is the island factor apparently now called the "Island of death" Avoid Koh Tao for long life. 2 people like ...

 

When coming to the first few days into 2017 the situation improved for "tao death island":

A Bar Guide Plus Best Restaurants In Koh Tao - Travel Tom Tom
www.traveltomtom.net/.../asia/.../185-best-place-to-go-out-in-koh-...
1. jan. 2017 - Only a couple days on the island and dont know where to go in Koh Tao? ... read here about my experiences in my blog: How to survive the Thai Death Island.

 

But that was not Samui Times...

 

Then I narrowed the search to "samui times death island"
1/1/2017 to 1/31/2017

 

Mystery As Another Woman Disappears On 'Death Island' - Unilad
www.unilad.co.uk/.../mystery-as-another-woman-disappears-on-de...
6. jan. 2017 - Mystery As Another Woman Disappears On Death Island 1449 Valentina 1 ... it's been dubbed by The Samuia Times as 'Death Island' due to the number of ... in the gulf of Thailand near the famed party islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Samui.

 

The Google-date, 6th January, don't seem to fit, as the article talks about the case with the Russian girl in February. The Samui Times article the story is based on is this one, "Hunt for Russian girl missing on Koh Tao sparks intense social media speculation" from probably early March 2017 (no published date in the article), wherein it's said: 

»...Elsewhere on social media many are posting derogatory comments about Koh Tao, that has been dubbed “Death Island”. This developing story has once more brought to light the plight of the two Burmese men who were convicted of the murders of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller...«

 

My little, not scientific correct, search found that – 

first instance of Koh Tao as Death Island, or rather Island of Death is Thaivisa, January 6th 2016.

Second instance is a year later on 1st January 2017 in a travel blog, naming Koh Tao as Thai Death Island.

Third instance is Samui Times at presumable early March 2017 referring that posters has dubbed Koh Tao as Death Island. 

 

Perhaps some other poster can recall, when "death island" appeared first time in connection with Koh Tao..?

[sanemax]

Is it actually legally possible to "libel" an Island ?

[Bigdogfarang]

Also I think the term death island is fairly neutral in that it doesn't imply causation - just the fact there have been a. Disproportionate amount of deaths for such a small island - they didn't call it murder Island for example which may have been a bit more incendiary 

[tukkytuktuk]

Is that Woraphan Tuwichian holding the sign?

 

[tukkytuktuk]

A Couple more photos of today's topic.

 

[tukkytuktuk]

Photos were from http://www.tnamcot.com/view/595b7442e3f8e4d03237589a

[IslandLover]

33 minutes ago, tukkytuktuk said:

Is that Woraphan Tuwichian holding the sign?

 

Dunno, but what's with the basket of flowers?  Oh dear, all those stern faces and tight uniforms.  They never miss a photo opportunity, do they?

[rockingrobin]

1 hour ago, khunPer said:

The first instance of "Death Island" in connection to Koh Tao..?

So many news-stories, and so many recently called Koh Tao for "death island", that it's difficult to recall, who was the inventor of that expression.

 

My friend Google is not extremely friendly with "death island" searches, especially when searching for first instance. However, I'm lazy enough to only look through the first 50 results. But anyway, using the date-tool – i.e. searching for specified periods – and disregarding "fake posts" where "death island" appear, because a news-site may have a up-to-date advertising blocks at bottom with the recent news, I'm for example talking about the articles this thread is based on.

 

So I began with "tao death island", and year 2015:

No results

(which mean, that not within the first 50 search results)

 

"tao death island", year 2016:

Bingo, almost, I got "Island of death"...

British man found dead on Koh Tao - Page 21 - Koh Samui News ...
https://www.thaivisa.com/.../885062-british-man-found-dead-on-k...
8. jan. 2016 - Because they do not go in numbers to Koh Tao, Yes sir it is the island factor apparently now called the "Island of death" Avoid Koh Tao for long life. 2 people like ...

 

When coming to the first few days into 2017 the situation improved for "tao death island":

A Bar Guide Plus Best Restaurants In Koh Tao - Travel Tom Tom
www.traveltomtom.net/.../asia/.../185-best-place-to-go-out-in-koh-...
1. jan. 2017 - Only a couple days on the island and dont know where to go in Koh Tao? ... read here about my experiences in my blog: How to survive the Thai Death Island.

 

But that was not Samui Times...

 

Then I narrowed the search to "samui times death island"
1/1/2017 to 1/31/2017

 

Mystery As Another Woman Disappears On 'Death Island' - Unilad
www.unilad.co.uk/.../mystery-as-another-woman-disappears-on-de...
6. jan. 2017 - Mystery As Another Woman Disappears On Death Island 1449 Valentina 1 ... it's been dubbed by The Samuia Times as 'Death Island' due to the number of ... in the gulf of Thailand near the famed party islands of Koh Phangan and Koh Samui.

 

The Google-date, 6th January, don't seem to fit, as the article talks about the case with the Russian girl in February. The Samui Times article the story is based on is this one, "Hunt for Russian girl missing on Koh Tao sparks intense social media speculation" from probably early March 2017 (no published date in the article), wherein it's said: 

»...Elsewhere on social media many are posting derogatory comments about Koh Tao, that has been dubbed “Death Island”. This developing story has once more brought to light the plight of the two Burmese men who were convicted of the murders of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller...«

 

My little, not scientific correct, search found that – 

first instance of Koh Tao as Death Island, or rather Island of Death is Thaivisa, January 6th 2016.

Second instance is a year later on 1st January 2017 in a travel blog, naming Koh Tao as Thai Death Island.

Third instance is Samui Times at presumable early March 2017 referring that posters has dubbed Koh Tao as Death Island. 

 

Perhaps some other poster can recall, when "death island" appeared first time in connection with Koh Tao..?

First referance I have found is Jan 2016

http://zway2go.com/death-in-koh-tao/

[observer90210]

their lawyers would have a bunch of fine customers here at TV for further libel claims, one could assume....

[DiscoDan]

Samui Times a great place for impartial reporting.