Koh Tao: Murder in Paradise, Channel News Asia documentary With exclusive images, never-before-seen evidence and interviews with key figures on the island, Murder in Paradise sheds new light on a global news story, putting Thailand under the spotlight and asking whether this is still the travel destination from heaven, or hell? Apologies in advance for spelling/grammar mistakes and rambling, typing this on my phone. They walked together into the court on Wednesday shortly after it started, escorted by British consular officials and sat a few metres from the defendants. Andy Hall, a migrants rights activist from Britain who is working for the defence, told the Guardian outside the court: Recently in the last few weeks weve got some significant information from the UK side and its raises a lot of very important inconsistencies between the Thai evidence and the the evidence from the UK. He did not give details on what evidence UK authorities had provided. They were planning on going back to her hotel to have sex and decided on one more drink. His family has accused police of a cover-up. Unfortunately there is a dark side of Koh Tao and some people call it the Wild Wild West Island. Maybe it's because we didn't want to ruin the image our home had of a paradise island, or maybe it was an unsaid threat, I don't know. Yes, I have been there and yes I have smoked weed myself multiple times when traveling to Koh Tao. But although David's family called the verdict 'justice', the trial of the two Burmese migrant workers was plagued by accusations of human rights abuses. Note: in all my continuous travels around the world since December 2012, I have never ran into a bad situation. Photograph: PA The island, two hours by boat from the nearest airport, has a low-key, undeveloped feel and. Hotel owner Rakeshwar Sachathamakul has been found dead along with his wife in a luxury resort on Koh Tao. His parents believe he was murdered - despite police claims he fell 50ft and drowned. However you are on holiday and partying, things can ugly go wrong, so please be aware that these things can happen and protect yourself from it. The photos show his wife . Scuba diving is the main tourist drag and when the scuba lessons are over the partying starts. Check your Thailand routes below and 12Go Asia tells you all the options (bus, boat, train, flights) including time tables and direct booking options. Once youve been living there for a while, youll turn a blind eye to some pretty sketchy stuff, says Mike Earley, 30, from New Zealand, who spent six months on the island working as a DJ. Flights are faster, but more expensive, trains more comfortable than busses, but overnight, etc, etc. of brutal murders during press conference today . Who instigated the violence first will never be known and doesn't really matter. Now I'm aware in Western culture that word is a slur, but it isn't in Thailand. At one point is was extremely hidden and out of nowhere it was out in the open, if you knew where to look. Horrible stories from an island that is well known for its laid-back vibe! The two people killed were Hannah Witheridge and David Miller. Think on forehand where you want your Koh Tao hotel to be. They were at the same party together. If Koh Tao is part of your Thailand itinerary there are a couple things you have to keep in mind, but this basically counts for every tourist destination in Thailand and in the world. The population of Koh Tao was around 1300, which did not include the hundreds of Westerners living on the island or the thousands of Burmese, or the hundreds arriving everyday. But human rights groups have called the mens convictions profoundly disturbing amid allegations of mishandled forensics and claims by the men Thai police had tortured them into confessing. UPDATE: Attempted murder by Thai diving instructor, Santi Khokpool in the Fishbowl Beach Bar, Koh Tao on 28-year-old British tourist on 15 August 2020. The island is very challenging to navigate as there are a lot of dirt roads and some are really steep. More info here: Mother vs. vicious rapist. Matthew McConaugheys wife was among the passengers on board a Lufthansa flight struck by severe turbulence and has described the chaos. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. In January 2015, she was said to have died of natural causes after mixing antibiotics with alcohol. She said: "I would tell them to do everything in their power to stop them going. Between 1-5 days later, I can't remember exactly, Thai police show up in large numbers and stop anyone from entering or leaving the island. Around 10k people on the island with only 3 corrupt police officers. Could this have happened on any other island in Thailand as well? 2 minutes read. Elise's heartbroken mother, Michele van Egten, has now proclaimed she does not believe police account of events. Luke Miller, a bricklayer from the Isle of Wight, was found dead in a swimming pool at the Sunset Bar at Sairee Beach on January 8 2016, with an inquest earlier this month finding "no evidence" he was murdered. Expats dont want to lose their time in paradise, Earley tells Time, as its cheap, its nice living, and its very easy to ignore what happens". senseless" photos of the crime scene, they say, which show her body . A couple hours later a British couple got brutally murdered and left behind only two hundred meters away from where I had been drinking beers and having fun with my friends. But in this article I express my personal opinion on the safety issues in Koh Tao island based on my own experiences. She had also heard it was the owner of BAR who had killed them, from a separate source to mine. They drive like maniacs, think they are untouchable, are often rude and over charge tourists any time they can! In January 2016, he was found at the bottom of a swimming pool at the Sunset Bar at Sairee Beach. House is a generous term, it was a wooden shack. Defense lawyers for the two men later alleged that police had rushed the investigation to . The family of some of the deceased - including three more Brits - have accused local cops of not investigating the deaths of their loved ones. If you caused no trouble, you would have no problems and they didn't seem to have any issues with each other. Different place, different rules. Especially at night just always stay around other people. The young backpacker had been living at a yoga and tantra retreat, which neighboured the party island of Koh Phangan, in between travelling round Asia, for two years. Ive never been happier than here, David, a 24-year-old on holiday with friends, told relatives in Jersey in what was to be his last phone call home. This led to dozens of charges accusing Alex Murdaugh of stealing nearly $5million in settlement money from lawyers who sued him over the death.. Almost every tourist that visits Koh Tao is not yet ready to leave at the end of their trip and sails away with mixed feelings: happy to have experienced this little paradise, but sad they have to go already! She wasn't really friends with them, they were only together due to being friends with someone else who was having a house party. The police took the Burmese guys to Bangkok and they eventually confessed. Myanmar migrant workers Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo arrive at the Koh Samui Provincial Court. They raped and killed Hannah, and killed David who was attempting to fight them off. Loads of beach bars to choose from and happy hours to get you started. Christina, from Orpington, South East London, died shortly after arriving on Koh Tao. This story was huge at the time in the UK as they were both British. I had no issues with them, they had none with me, but a few of the individuals were friendly enough. Fire show boys were named notorious, however I never ran into anyone that this actually happened to. Weve all heard about the 2014 backpacker murders of two British tourists in Koh Tao, Thailand. Picture: Viral Press/Australscope shark tank hamdog net worth SU,F's Musings from the Interweb. But trust me if you travel to Koh Tao you dont get involved with daily politics on the island! My gf had been on the island 18 months longer than me and is one of those people who just knows everyone. This article is of interest to the following WikiProjects : This page is a joke. Since I found out about 12Go Asia, traveling in Thailand become much more convenient. Pool photo, 0130 exhibit 29 Was everyone on Meth in a mafia? The Koh Tao murdersinvolved the death of two British tourists in Thailand in 2014. In my time living on Koh Tao there were a lot of stories about spiking drinks. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. But an unexplained fire that evening burned down three bamboo huts - including the one Elise had been staying in. The Burmese men initially admitted to the murder of Miller, who suffered head injuries and drowned in shallow water, and the rape and murder of Witheridge, who died from severe head injuries. But remember you are still in Thailand! The Foreign Office said: "We are aware of the death of two British nationals on September 15 on the island of Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand. Traveling makes me a better person with ever day I am on the road. Very much not true I can tell you! solve a crime that made global headlines . Will Koh Tao ever be able to get rid of that negative image? The only reason I can think for her to lie is to get some media attention, but that seems more likely to go badly than positively when the truth came out. Killed: Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found on a beach in Thailand this morning, Body Found: 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge is from Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, Tragic Loss: David Miller, 24, is from Jersey in the Channel Islands, Island Paradise: Koh Tao island is an increasingly popular tourist destination. Or want to know the best hidden bays or a secret sunrise spot? Seeing a high ranking mafia member involved in a fight leads the other members to jump in. People speculated that seeing foreign tourists walk around wearing no clothes all day, having sex on the beach etc pushed them over the edge. They raped and killed Hannah, and killed David who was attempting to fight them off. Due to many many reasons I doubt the definitive version of the story will ever emerge. I will never forget the day I turned 30 and I cheered with friends until early morning 02.00 am on Sairee Beach. You are the tourist, you are visiting their country so YOU should adapt to their standards and not the other way around! Death Island or Murder Island Koh Tao has already been struggling with a very bad reputation after the Koh Tao murders in September 2014 when a British couple was killed and left behind on Sairee Beach. This is just a backup page for the Youtube channel, plus some stuff that I would like to share. I'm also fairly sure that a majority had mafia ties, though this is the one thing me and my friends never spoke about so is pure speculation on my part but makes sense in the context of the murders. They accuse Thai police of improperly collecting evidence at the crime scene, intimidation and abuse of witnesses and suspects which the police deny and not sharing key forensic evidence with the defence, a move they say seriously impedes a fair trial. Nick Pearson, 25, from the UK. I think one, or both of them said or did something discriminatory to a ladyboy. A corrupt police force was bribed by BARs owner/mafia to lay the blame on anyone else. Of course tourists get drunk and alcohol makes you do crazy things. 5th Oct, 2014. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Hannah, 23, from Hemsby, Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey, were found dead on the island of Koh Tao on September 15. The bar owner was fairly high up in one of the mafias and had killed a few Burmese people previously so it didn't surprise me. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. But they later retracted their confessions, saying they had been tortured and threatened with death by their interrogators. But it was in this idyllic setting that their horribly bludgeoned bodies were discovered, their blood seeping into the sand and staining the water. So how safe is Koh Taoi? Saying not much better than slaves wouldn't be an exaggeration. Police chief Apichart Boonsrirote said he assigned teams to check all surveillance cameras around the hostel and on the island to find out where she was last seen, The Phuket News reported. Fears over the safety of idyllic Koh Tao were heightened after the killings of Brits Hannah Witheridge and David Miller in 2014. My advice is to rent a motorbike with insurance. But remember this only hurts your wallet! The vast majority of the hundreds of thousands of tourists that visit Koh Tao every year never have any issues or whatsoever. Like I touched upon, ladyboys were not looked down upon and it was disrespectful to do so. To get around Koh Tao at night you should have your own motorbike or take an expensive taxi ride. Police ruled out foul play but his family believe he was murdered. Murder On Koh Tao: The Untold Story - Crime Documentary | Real Life Stories Documentaries Reality TV - Real Life Stories Documentaries 677 subscribers Subscribe 79 views 9 months ago Show. She was part of the sect of the Sathya Sai Baba cult movement, and lived with a self-proclaimed "guru", and left the island on April 17 to return home. It mostly depends on how you behave yourself. The rest of the week, the island wasn't the same anymore. Buying your tickets for boats, trains, flights and busses is the safest and most reliable online. If you are a solo traveler, taxi drivers will most likely rip you off. The Koh Tao Murders happened just a couple hours after I was celebrating my birthday on the same beach in the very early morning of September 15, 2014. This search engine for Thailand transportation also shows you all the available options in one overview. With crystal clear water and stunning greenery, the Thai island of Koh Tao is seen as a backpacker haven. I As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Click on the link to read my article about it and where to go. Something went wrong, please try again later. They were escorted into the court by police, shackled hands to feet by chains. I am Tom an avid adventure traveler from The Netherlands. In recent years, however, the unexplained deaths and disappearances of many of those tourists have earned it a reputation as a death trap. Due to not remembering the name, I will refer to it as BAR. The second theory is they were giving abuse to the ladyboys in BAR. Nicola Gissing, who was also on holiday with Luke when he died, has claimed her friends death was no accident. In April 2017, she was found hanged in the jungle. This time was different. The crime's brutality amid Koh Tao's insular, backpacker charm caused an international sensation and threatened to further weaken a tourist industry already reeling from the military coup of. The father of murdered British backpacker Hannah Witheridge has wept as graphic photos of her body lying on a Thai beach were shown in court. Investigators will consider whether the depth of the pool which was around 3m on one end may have led to the couples drowning. With all due respect but I obviously have no idea how a small blonde girl would feel visiting Koh Tao. It is not known who released the photos from the crime scene. After weeks of investigations, Thai Police have arrested three Burmese man in relation to the murder of two British tourists David Miller and Hannah Witheridge on the holiday island of Koh Tao.The Burmese migrant worker community is on high . As always you can unsubscribe at any time. I have lived on the island for more than 7 months in total and traveled there uncountable times on top of that. Take a look at my suggested Thailand island hopping toursor check out which islands to go in Thailandfor your purpose of travel or read here all thethings I miss about Thailand. May be the significant drop in tourists because of the Corona pandemic in 2020 and 2021 made these taxi drivers charge more sane prices, but I doubt it. There were 3 main families that each controlled certain sections of the island. The Murders The two people killed were Hannah Witheridge and David Miller. Westerners were ignored as long as you didn't cause any problems. The body of 48 year old diving instructor Neil Giblin, from Birmingham, UK, was found dead in his rented bungalow on the island after he failed to turn up to a diving . Koh Tao has long had a reputation as a home for organized crime, corruption and as a place where the police protected local interests. According to the Lonely Planet travel guides, Koh Tao welcomes thousands of visitors who "come to worship the turquoise waters offshore". In a statement following his hearing, James Gissing, who was in Thailand with Luke, said he felt police were covering up as it was the death of another foreigner on Koh Tao, referring to the Witheridge and Miller murders. A millionaire hotel tycoon and his wife have been found dead in a luxury resort on Koh Tao, colloquially known as Death Island. Maybe if it was more common knowledge, the murders wouldn't have happened. Add in everyone at BAR being on Meth and they took their anger out on them. Questioned by the prosecution, he said he received a call at 6:30am on September 15, 2014 by a fellow officer. Although I was living on the island at the times of the murders and even celebrating my birthday on the same beach a couple hours before the Koh Tao Murders happened, I never ran into any issue on the island ever. I get home at 3ish and my gf and best friend are in our 'house'. Blood on the floor of the feedroom where Paul Murdaugh was shot dead. Cruise staffer fired after shock bathroom act. Their bodies were found floating in the resorts pool last Friday, just hours after they checked in. A cruise employee has had his contract terminated after he was allegedly seen filming women from a female bathroom. Investigators were checking CCTV from local bars and restaurants and it was reported people were prevented from leaving the island. According to the Daily Mail, the District Attorney publicized the gruesome photos a week after they were presented to a jury. Disturbingly, police on the island have said CCTV cameras at luxury Jamahkiri Resort and Spa werent working on the day the couple died, fuelling mystery around what happened to the wealthy pair. Having lived on the island for a fair few years at this point, the mafia knew who I was. The photographer focused on a few key details, like a tilted painting on the wall, disheveled . How Hannah got involved wasn't mentioned in this theory beyond, they knew they were together. If you buy 2 beers with the equivalent of $10, you aren't getting your $6-7 back. Police colonel Prachum Ruangthong said: "The man was chopped in the back and on the side of his head, while the woman was chopped in her face. Before I begin, this will get long and there are lots of things I need to explain about the island before I can get into the story. Tips for Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur by Train | Worth it? Simple things your parents would tell you too: dont walk along the beach on your own at night. These Thai people might seem like little boys to you but they could be ferocious fighters, be careful! But behind paradise lies a grubby underbelly where, according to one report, there are "enough suspicious disappearances to warrant the island its own CSI franchise". Photo: CSI LA. on Koh Tao in September 2014. Stay safe and always take a taxi at night. I lately traveled to Bangkok and saw marijuana stores everywhere. A short time later, Ratish returned to the resort to find the bodies of his parents floating in the water. It's very gruesome.". The owner of BAR stepped in, fucked up on Meth. A small thing for you to do, but it can make a big difference for me. Something went wrong, please try again later. May be it is the truth, may be it is a myth. The investigation will cover the depth of the swimming pool, their health conditions and possible foul play, Mr Puridech said. The murders on the popular dive island of Koh Tao drew intense media attention from across the world. Even now that in 2023 things have drastically changed and that weed and smoking marijuana is pretty much decriminalised in Thailand, it still is a grey area. Her family are suspicious. All times AEDT (GMT +11). Picture: Viral Press/Australscope Mr Sachathamakul's wife, Anshoo. He said at the time: "We don't know how or why she died. On the 29th of August 2019 the Thai supreme court upheld the death sentence for the two Burmese men who allegedly are guilty for the Koh Tao Murders which happened on my birthday September 15th in 2014. Adventurous and want to hike to the best viewpoints? A case of wrong time, wrong place. If you can improve it further, please do so. I'm also not a great writer. Complaining about wrongdoing may invite official questions and demands for passports and documentation. Think twice before getting yourself into trouble! I believe they met up whilst drunk at a previous bar. Elise Dallemagne, 30, of Belgium. Although Koh Tao is one of the most beautiful islands in Thailand, it has always been shrouded by a dark mystery. Thai police say the man on the left matches the one seen acting suspiciously on CCTV. Koh Tao Mafia truth or myth as a tourist you are not willing to get in touch with any of these things, right? Maybe a week before, a Thai guy jumped off a 5ish story building whilst on it and died immediately, no tourist knew about this. She has no reason to lie about it. Disturbing online photos leave family of backpacker Hannah Witheridge disgusted By Sophie Goddard 9 Oct 2014 Rex Features Last month, the tragic revelation that backpackers Hannah Witheridge, 23,. Koh Tao has already been struggling with a very bad reputation after the Koh Tao murders in September 2014 when a British couple was killed and left behind on Sairee Beach. Taking into account the multiple eye witnesses saying it, the guys reputation and history and aliases for the Burmese guys it's hard to see any other possibility. May you have any additional questions please leave me a comment below and I am happy to help you out with everything you want to know about Koh Tao island. What To Pack For Thailand | Packing List With 40 Things To Bring. Aug 10, 2017. Two Burmese men, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun, were arrested over the crime. The case has caused Thailands judiciary to be closely scrutinised. Valentina Novozhyonova, 23, from Russia. They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. Some Koh Tao travel blogs tell you that prices depend on your haggling skills. I drove to work and on the way saw a small crowd of people gathered to the side of BAR, on the beach. I love Koh Tao, but these guys are a blot on this tropical paradise. The rise in tourist deaths in Thailand brought more police to the islands and stories of being caught with marijuana are still pretty common. The family of New Zealand-born British tourist Christina Annesley, who died on the island in 2015, dont believe polices insistence she died after mixing antibiotics with alcohol. Secret Thailand travel tip: did you know that flying from either Phuket or Krabi towards Chiang Mai is 50% cheaper than the other way around. The CCTV in the area had not been working for several months due to lack of maintenance but officers are now collecting evidence from the cameras installed in other parts of the hotel, he said. Thai police said a post-mortem examination showed he drowned. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Russian tourist Valentina Novozhyonova, 23, vanished from her hostel on Koh Tao in March and has still not been found. It's dangerous. She had checked into the hostel on February 11 and was due to check out on February 16 but failed to do so. Even people you didn't know well, you would know what their reputation was. For a few weeks/months leading up to the murders, violence was getting worse, but it never happened in Westerner hangouts. Read my complete guide on where to stay in Koh Tao for more tips. This time Ialso got a change to visit Koh Chang and the Golden Triangle up North. Neill Fronde Wednesday, June 9, 2021. On Thursday, the New York District Attorney released crime scene photos showing blood spatter and the knife allegedly used by nanny Yoselyn Ortega to kill two young children in her care. There are three theories, nobody ever got an answer to which is correct and mostly like it's a combination. The victims have been named by Thai authorities as 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, and 24-year-old David Miller from Jersey, in the Channel Islands. Hannah was also revelling in her time staying at Sairee Beach with another group of travelling companions. Since then the Samui Times has been inundated with . There were at that time a lot of rumors going around but no one really knows what happened. If it no longer meets these criteria, you can reassess it. This news blows up in the UK. That sounds like an obvious thing, but on islands where the atmosphere is so extremely chilled it is a very tempting thing to do. This story was huge at the time in the UK as they were both British.
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