While most of the millions of tourists who flock to the island for its world-class scuba diving opportunities, lavish resorts and unending sunshine have the time of their lives, a disturbingly high number who visited the island never came home. A Thai police officer who was called to the scene of the killing of two British tourists on Koh Tao island in September 2014 testified on Wednesday, the first of dozens of witnesses who will appear in court during a three-month trial of two Burmese men. So the answer to who is the murderer is the owner of BAR, the same one their bodies were found the closest to, and a known mafia hangout. The Backpacker Murders of Koh Tao. They were at the same party together. 09/23/14 AT 10:48 AM BST. Police told Elise's mother Michele that her daughter had committed suicide by hanging herself from a tree around three days before she was found. It could mean I have been lucky, but please travelers: USE COMMON SENSE and your intuition and be aware that traveling involves risks! Alex was charged with Maggie and Paul's murders days after he was formally disbarred by the South Carolina Supreme Court. Posted on December 5, 2021. It was exactly like that for five years. Dont forget that Thailand is still ruled by a Military regime. Click on the picture to read all about it. If this Koh Tao blog about safety issues was helpful for your trip please pin it on Pinterest, share it in a Facebook Group or tweet it on Twitter. I greet my students and start packing bags as we'll be diving all day. If it no longer meets these criteria, you can reassess it. Could this have happened on any other island in Thailand as well? They lock them up in a BKK prison and torture them for a confession. 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. He was unaware he was arguing with members of the mafia who are all on Meth and got violent with them. A British man was found dead on Thailand 's notorious Koh Tao - also known as Death Island - on Wednesday. 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. A team of pro-bono lawyers and human rights activists are working as the defence, wearing black gowns and sitting in the court. One of them was at the scene and I went to talk to him. I dont believe well ever find out what happened to her. Island life is all about flip-flops, bathing suits and funny t-shirts, life is at low pace and many tourists smoke weed. He said more security cameras would be installed on beaches. RME8CHF9 - Mae Sot, Thailand. Interested to see my ultimate Thailand itinerarythen have a read in the link. The publicity about their allegedly botched investigation began in 2014 with the brutal murder of two British tourists, David Miller and Hannah Witheridge, on Koh Tao island off Surat Thani. Aug 10, 2017. I They raped and killed Hannah, and killed David who was attempting to fight them off. 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In the court, a supermarket trolley held other pieces of evidence, including a guitar wrapped in plastic and said to be owned by the defendants and rolls of paper. 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. That DNA should by all rights be either that of the real murderers or someone who has messed up the crime scene, which, Dr. Porntip said, was what happened. We all knew who had done it but the police were dragging their feet. But Koh Taos reputation for crime has already earned it global notoriety, with the couples death the latest on a long death toll. What really happened there? This bar also was the main hangout of the ladyboys. It reminded me again of the horrible scenes that took place on this pristine island and that will forever be engraved in people's minds. Apologies in advance for spelling/grammar mistakes and rambling, typing this on my phone. They are most likely willing to help out a stranger. The couple were Thai-Indian nationals Rakeshwar Sachathamakul, 59, and his wife Anshoo, 55. The teen's body was found seven days after the boating accident. Fire show boys were named notorious, however I never ran into anyone that this actually happened to. The family of Witheridge said in a statement on Wednesday: Hannah was a beautiful person, inside and out, she brought a room alive just being there. His family has accused police of a cover-up. Complaining about wrongdoing may invite official questions and demands for passports and documentation. For the around 10k people on the island a day, there were 3 police officers who only appeared around holidays. 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. Creepy. She said: "I would tell them to do everything in their power to stop them going. Revealed on Thursday, Elise Dallemange, 30, was found dead in the jungle on the island in April, having been half-eaten by lizards, eight days after she said she was leaving to return to her native home in Belgium. Of course when splitting with 4 people this is fine. The island became world news when two British backpackers, David Miller and Hannah Witheridge were brutally murdered on the island in 2014. of brutal murders during press conference today . She spoke to police and wasn't given the time of day. A member of staff told police he heard four to five cries of someone in shock approximately 10 minutes . This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. The 2 Burmese guys confessed to the crime and have been given the death penalty. Resting in the Gulf of Thailand, a two-hour ferry ride north of Koh Samui, Koh Tao is best known for its incredible marine life, which over the years has attracted a small but buoyant expat. The couple arrived on the island for a holiday on Friday along with their son Ratish, 34, the Bangkok Postreported. Now onto the mafia. They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. Graphic images showing the bodies of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on a beach in Koh Tao have been circulating online. A common Koh Tao scam occurs with renting motorbikes. This appears to be a situation where the accused had been tortured to confess to the crimes, said lead defence lawyer Nakhon Chompuchat said in a statement before the trial started. Its bright coral, sharks and rays bring in divers, hikers enjoy jungle walks and the bar scene 'rages on until dawn'. Defense lawyers for the two men later alleged that police had rushed the investigation to . Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. He was discovered floating in the water by a member of hotel staff, with his death coming just days after a tragic final Facebook post on New Year's Eve, in which he said: "Can honestly say this new year I am living the dream". I have lived on the island for more than 7 months in total and traveled there uncountable times on top of that. Tips for Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur by Train | Worth it? On Thursday the 29 th of August 2019, the Supreme Court of Thailand handed down its decision to uphold the death penalties for Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo, the Burmese migrant workers found guilty of the rape and murder of British holidaymaker Hannah Witheridge and the murder of fellow countryman David Miller in September 2014 on Koh Tao in Thailand. Two Burmese bar workers were found guilty of their murders the following year and sentenced to death. There is a big chance you will fall in love with this little paradise. 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. Get all the info about prices, time tables, company reviews and trip duration through 12Go Asia. With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. Think on forehand where you want your Koh Tao hotel to be. This story was huge at the time in the UK as they were both British. The photo-shopped picture below is not reflective of anything in the story - rather a hark back to the times . She had checked into the hostel on February 11 and was due to check out on February 16 but failed to do so. Five more three-day sessions will be staggered over the next few weeks, ending on 25 September, after which the judges will rule on the verdict. The family of Hannah Witheridge, a backpacker who was murdered in Thailand, have had their "hearts broken" by a second death. For example, Songkran is the Thai New Year. I lately traveled to Bangkok and saw marijuana stores everywhere. Police claim two men have admitted killing backpackers on Koh Tao island . The murders on the popular dive island of Koh Tao drew intense media attention from across the world. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. If you would like to be prepared for your trip to Thailand then have a look at my guide telling you everything you need to know when you travel to Thailand: visas, safety issues, scams, the culture, things to do and things NOT to do, the best national parks, about the street food, the travel adapter you need, the vaccinations and many more things. Thanks a lot! If you are a solo traveler, taxi drivers will most likely rip you off. 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. The reason people went to that bar is it was still open after everywhere else shut. 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. The other question is why were they killed. Unfortunately more tragic news from the so called Death Island of Koh Tao occurred recently when on June 4th 2021 the 2 lifeless bodies of a Thai/Indian billionaire couple were found dead in the Jamahkhiri Resort & Spa hotel pool. Since then the Samui Times has been inundated with . It was revealed yesterday that on April 28 Elise became the latest tourist found dead on the island of Koh Tao. Investigators will consider whether the depth of the pool which was around 3m on one end may have led to the couples drowning. Two Burmese men, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun, were arrested over the crime. After living through it for months, I think this conclusion, which was agreed on by many on the island at the time, is the closest to the truth that will ever appear. It was well known by us who lived on Koh Tao, if you did go to that bar, don't expect change. If you can improve it further, please do so. In my time living on Koh Tao there were a lot of stories about spiking drinks. Two migrant workers accused of murdering David Miller and Hannah Witheridge on the Thai tourist . 0. Mafia ran the place, Meth was becoming a plague amongst them. The body of his 55-year-old mother was only found later when rescue services arrived at the scene. Use common sense and stay out of trouble in the first place! Had he hanged himself, the professor pointed out that the bruises should have appeared on the neck than on his wrists. senseless" photos of the crime scene, they say, which show her body . I had woken up between 4:30-5:30, as my day at work started at either 5 or 6. This article is of interest to the following WikiProjects : This page is a joke. Of course tourists get drunk and alcohol makes you do crazy things. The victims of the attack in Koh Tao have been named as 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge from Great Yarmouth and 24-year-old David Miller from Jersey. Mr Sachathamakul was the co-owner and chief executive officer of the Novotel Phuket Kamala Beach hotel and owned the Bangkapi Mansion apartments in Bangkok. Two Myanmar workers on Thursday lost their final appeal against the death penalty for the 2014 murder of a . 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. Luke Miller, 24, from the UK. Christina Annesley, 23, from the UK and born in New Zealand. 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. Koh Tao murders: suspects in killing of David Miller and Hannah Witheridge say they were framed. Yes, I have been there and yes I have smoked weed myself multiple times when traveling to Koh Tao. Asking yourself the question is it safe to travel to Thailand, starts with yourself. And the pain felt by many of their loved ones has been made worse by suspicions of cover-ups in investigating their deaths and disappearances, and that powerful mafia families have tightened their grip on the 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. 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. But it was in this idyllic setting that their horribly bludgeoned bodies were discovered, their blood seeping into the sand and staining the water. Some Koh Tao travel blogs tell you that prices depend on your haggling skills. The 23-year-old had tweeted this picture on Monday, revealing she was on the island of Koh Tao in Thailand 'I have found an affordable bungalow to move to. Especially at night just always stay around other people. All the 'dirty work' was done by the Burmese. Make sure you have a seat by buying your ticket online and safe a lot of hassle. The Koh Tao Murders may have been a fatal incident on its own, but people got murdered. A young backpacker has become the latest tourist found dead on Thailand's notorious 'death island', Tanote Bay in Koh Tao where a backpacker was found dead on April 27, Sairee beach where Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found bludgeoned to death, Chillingly, the death of Elise appears to have been suppressed by Thai authorities, Elise Dallemange, 30, here pictured with mum Michele, had been living at a yoga and tantra retreat, Elise had been travelling around Asia for the last two years, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered in September 2014, Hannah is pictured (right) with her sister Laura, Luke Miller was found dead in a swimming pool in Koh Tao, Thai police have been accused by his family for not investigating the murder fully, Christina Annesley, 23, died on the island in January 2015, Christina's parents slammed Thai authorities for failing to investigate the death, Nick Pearson's parents are convinced their son was murdered in Koh Tao, Valentina Novozhyonova, 23, vanished from her hostel on Koh Tao in March, She had checked into the hostel on February 11 and was due to check out on February 16, Frenchman Dimitri Povse, 29, was found hanged in a bungalow on the island. He said that the victim had been drunk to the extent that he was unable to control himself, he would not have been able to tie himself up so tightly that he died of suffocation. Prices for taxi rides in Koh Tao are fixed and they all stick to it. The owner of BAR stepped in, fucked up on Meth. 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. There were also other people at the party but I didn't know them well enough to comment on them. Flights are faster, but more expensive, trains more comfortable than busses, but overnight, etc, etc. Click on the link to read my article about it and where to go. Something went wrong, please try again later. The rest were mafia. Adventurous and want to hike to the best viewpoints? Another thing that should actually be clear is to never walk away from a party alone. Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link. The 25-year-old's mum Tracey told a documentary about the island she would warn parents not to allow their children to travel to the island. This goes on all day, trying to talk to each other but not wanting the tourists to hear about it, at least not from us. I will reference it further simply as BAR. One of the many tourist deaths in Thailand per year. I am Tom an avid adventure traveler from The Netherlands. 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. Hannah was also revelling in her time staying at Sairee Beach with another group of travelling companions. They drive like maniacs, think they are untouchable, are often rude and over charge tourists any time they can! There was also a photo floating around on WhatsApp that spread across the island like wildfire. Very much not true I can tell you! Something went wrong, please try again later. Think twice before getting yourself into trouble! It just doesn't go away.". Passport photos of David William Miller, and Hannah Victoria Witheridge, both 24, were placed on this memorial on Koh Tao on Wednesday. Rumours go that a couple very influential families, kind of like Koh Tao Mafia style, rule the island. Why they would spout this information, I can only guess. Burmese people were treated like shit by the Thai. Picture: Viral Press/Australscope Mr Sachathamakul's wife, Anshoo. Pool photo, 0130 exhibit 29 It's not like I could do anything but get in the way anyway. It's very gruesome.". Her bright future was brutally ended, leaving those who loved her broken with no answers. The pictures, which News Corp Australia will not reproduce, were taken on the beach at Koh Tao, where the pair was hacked to death with a garden hoe, allegedly by two Burmese men who confessed to the bloody crime then withdrew their confessions. 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 . I had no issues with them, they had none with me, but a few of the individuals were friendly enough. Fears over the safety of idyllic Koh Tao were heightened after the killings of Brits Hannah Witheridge and David Miller in 2014. Photo from Sept 15 showing a police officer questioning Christopher Alan Ware, who has re-emerged as a leading suspect in the murder of a young British man and woman on Koh Tao on Monday in. Dont argue with them for too long, dont feel too cool to say sorry and walk away from the scene. May be it is the truth, may be it is a myth. He didn't get any change, he kicked off wanting his money back. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were brutally murdered while staying on Koh Tao. Thai people are lovely, but just like in any other tourist destination around the world the taxi drivers in Koh Tao are idiots. Yes of course! 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. They were escorted into the court by police, shackled hands to feet by chains. Scuba diving is the main tourist drag and when the scuba lessons are over the partying starts. This is not a specific safety tip for Koh Tao, but everywhere around the world. The photos show his wife . 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. They've gone years doing whatever they want, it doesn't matter who knows. Police ruled his death a suicide but couldnt explain why his hands were tied behind his back. Will Koh Tao ever be able to get rid of that negative image? Members of the mafia admitted to me, my gf and probably numerous others the owner of BAR, also a mafia member, killed them.

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