Maybe some of the mafia got involved to get them to back off the ladyboy, who is possibly mafia too, add in Meth, violence escalates and now two are dead. The global pandemic stopped me from traveling to Thailand for a while but I was back recently and added some cool activities to my already long list of the best things to do in Koh Tao. Why are government officials going along with this with no/circumstantial evidence at best? But it was in this idyllic setting that their horribly bludgeoned bodies were discovered, their blood seeping into the sand and staining the water. Tony Witheridge bowed his head as bloody images of. 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. Loads of beach bars to choose from and happy hours to get you started. The circumstances around his death are a mystery. According to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), as many as 11 Britons have been murdered in Thailand since 2009. He said more security cameras would be installed on beaches. Stay away from drugs! 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. Their parents must be going through hell just like we are and we have been for the last almost two years. The families of the deceased both present for the first time at the hearing have asked for privacy. Metropolitan police detectives were sent to Thailand in 2014 to look over the case and report back to officials and the families. Koh Tao Murders March 28, 2022 courtneyjfretwell Uncategorized 1 Comment In September 2014, two European backpackers, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found murdered on Sairee Beach on Thailand's island of Koh Tao. Taking a taxi in Koh Tao is simply very expensive, but if you are ready to pay the hefty rates then there is no safety issue here either. I greet my students and start packing bags as we'll be diving all day. You are the tourist, you are visiting their country so YOU should adapt to their standards and not the other way around! on Koh Tao in September 2014. Of course when splitting with 4 people this is fine. Read my complete guide on where to stay in Koh Tao for more tips. Why they would spout this information, I can only guess. Since then the Samui Times has been inundated with . He also had to track down a man seen on surveillance footage leaving his daughter's flat hours before she was discovered. Passport photos of David William Miller, and Hannah Victoria Witheridge, both 24, were placed on this memorial on Koh Tao on Wednesday. A blood-stained hoe was found near the bodies and was thought to be the murder weapon. There were also other people at the party but I didn't know them well enough to comment on them. After visiting 100 countries by the end of 2019 I felt inspired to visit every country in the world. 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. Click on the link to read my article about it and where to go. Due to how tiny the island is, and the population of people who Westerners would interact with, maybe 1000 people, you formed relationships very quickly. Seeing a high ranking mafia member involved in a fight leads the other members to jump in. Becoming a digital nomad through this blog was a dream coming true, of course supported by my 280K Instagram account @Traveltomtom, more than500K TikTok and 50K Facebook family. But also to tell you that NO Koh Tao is not a murder island. The mother told Der Farang magazine that she had been promised an autopsy report - but has still not been delivered. There will be no jury. Sorry not sorry hostels, but you are. A cruise employee has had his contract terminated after he was allegedly seen filming women from a female bathroom. These and more tips for a Thai domestic flight search in my latest Thailand travel blog, click on the link! Questions surround her death. Members of the mafia admitted to me, my gf and probably numerous others the owner of BAR, also a mafia member, killed them. The story is, they had met at the previous bar and wanted 1 more drink before heading back to a hotel. Police Lieutenant Jakkapan Kaewkao, the second police officer at the scene, said he found David Miller face down in the surf and Hannah Witheridge 12 metres away on the beach. Elise fled 2.5km to through the jungle to Tanote Bay and took a room at the Poseidon Resort where she booked another ticket for Bangkok leaving on April 24. The rest were mafia. I understand that because I am a sporty and fit 1.86 meter (6'1) tall Dutch guy, I might not be the best benchmark for writing an article about how safe it is to travel to Koh Tao. Nick Pearson, from Derby, was found floating in the sea on New Year's Day 2014. Even people you didn't know well, you would know what their reputation was. The vibe on the island was very tense. 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. Blood on the floor of the feedroom where Paul Murdaugh was shot dead. 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. Another thing that should actually be clear is to never walk away from a party alone. It doesn't necessarily mean they are transgender, or that they are doing drag, they just live as women. But her parents slammed Thai authorities for failing to investigate the death. If you caused no trouble, you would have no problems and they didn't seem to have any issues with each other. A British man was found dead on Thailand 's notorious Koh Tao - also known as Death Island - on Wednesday. RME8CHF9 - Mae Sot, Thailand. One of them was at the scene and I went to talk to him. I think one, or both of them said or did something discriminatory to a ladyboy. A team of pro-bono lawyers and human rights activists are working as the defence, wearing black gowns and sitting in the court. Cruise staffer fired after shock bathroom act. The owner of BAR stepped in, fucked up on Meth. It's dangerous. Should I really travel to Koh Tao? The couple arrived on the island for a holiday on Friday along with their son Ratish, 34, the Bangkok Postreported. Elise's heartbroken mother, Michele van Egten, has now proclaimed she does not believe police account of events. The family of Hannah Witheridge, a backpacker who was murdered in Thailand, have had their "hearts broken" by a second death. Note: in all my continuous travels around the world since December 2012, I have never ran into a bad situation. The next night, Archie and his buddies went out in search of victim number one. In recent years, however, the unexplained deaths and disappearances of many of those tourists have earned it a reputation as a death trap. . Nicola Gissing, who was also on holiday with Luke when he died, has claimed her friends death was no accident. Maybe a week before, a Thai guy jumped off a 5ish story building whilst on it and died immediately, no tourist knew about this. 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. Are you into partying then book your accommodation close to Sairee Beach. He arrived at the beach five minutes later and swiftly cordoned off the area. I simply want to give you some more information about the safety issues in Thailand based on my personal experiences as I lived in Koh Tao and traveled around Thailand uncountable times since 2008. The photos show his wife . They later retracted their confession. Click on the picture to read all about it. The Backpacker Murders of Koh Tao. Her dad Boyne said a toxicology report was not carried out. Brits Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered as they walked back to their hotel rooms in September 2014. Now I'm aware in Western culture that word is a slur, but it isn't in Thailand. Mr Puridech said there were no signs of struggle at the scene and an early examination of the bodies did not suggest foul play. With such incredible sunsets on the main party beach, the party starts early. 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. What's so unbelievable about all of this is that Archie actually convinced a group of friends that killing 7 people would bring baby Craig back from the dead! 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? 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. Westerners were ignored as long as you didn't cause any problems. It is not known who released the photos from the crime scene. I dont believe well ever find out what happened to her. That said, it was my second time I lived in Koh Tao and it was the second time there had been a fatal incident. Dimitri Povse, 29, from France. So let's look at the facts which I believe to be true. Adventurous and want to hike to the best viewpoints? Posted on December 5, 2021. 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. Michelle, who says the death would have gone unnoticed if not for her public appeal for help, said: "I do not believe what the police have told us. It was exactly like that for five years. The Thai population were the business owners. But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. Stay safe and always take a taxi at night. All the 'dirty work' was done by the Burmese. This story was huge at the time in the UK as they were both British. 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 has no reason to lie about it. It's pretty common knowledge that torture doesn't get you the truth, it gets you what you want to hear. Elise's death is the latest in a string of seven fatalities in three years on the island. Luke Miller, 24, from the UK. One of the first famous crime scene photos was taken on May 5, 1903, in the home of a Parisian woman named Madame Debeinche who had been murdered. The two people killed were Hannah Witheridge and David Miller. A millionaire hotel tycoon and his wife have been found dead in a luxury resort on Koh Tao, colloquially known as Death Island. Let me help you as in my article Travel to Thailand or Philippines I compare my two favorites island destinations! senseless" photos of the crime scene, they say, which show her body . In January 2016, he was found at the bottom of a swimming pool at the Sunset Bar at Sairee Beach. Due to many many reasons I doubt the definitive version of the story will ever emerge. "In view of what's happened to David Miller and Hannah Witheridge and various other people I've read about, it just all leads to the same thing. Tim Newton talks with Su Buchanan on her new upcoming book The curse of the turtle which writes about some of the true stories behind the backpacker murders and the mystery surrounding this island.Visit our new channel 'Bounce', and don't forget to leave a like and subscribehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXTDH9pVFFKgoWkex7NrhNQYou can purchase the book 'The curse of the turtle' here https://www.amazon.com/CURSE-TURTLE-Thailands-Backpacker-Murders-ebook/dp/B09QH854PC#kohtao #thailand #thailandbackpackmurders #thailandmurders #thailandmystery #thailandtourist// Download Thaiger App==================== MOBILE APP for iOS / Apple users: https://apple.co/3sFqPLU MOBILE APP for Android users: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.TheThaiger.android\u0026hl=en\u0026gl=US// Want more from The Thaiger family?================================ SUBSCRIBE to be notified of new content: https://www.youtube.com/thethaiger?suv_confirmation=1 JOIN to become a member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfyWB_cTvCBWau8mFcMnJkQ/join BROWSE to read the latest news: https://thethaiger.com ADVERTISE on The Thaiger: https://thethaiger.com/advertise THAIGER TALK FORUM to discuss news stories: https://thethaiger.com/talk/ EMAIL for our daily newsletter: https://thethaiger.com/subscribe LIKE and FOLLOW our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/thethaigernews/ FOLLOW us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThaigerNews FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thethaigernews/ Police claim two men have admitted killing backpackers on Koh Tao island . A key issue for the defence is whether DNA samples, taken from sputum and semen, which the prosecution says links the Burmese migrant workers to the murder could be independently checked. Flights are faster, but more expensive, trains more comfortable than busses, but overnight, etc, etc. She had also heard it was the owner of BAR who had killed them, from a separate source to mine. 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". Rumours go that a couple very influential families, kind of like Koh Tao Mafia style, rule the island. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were brutally murdered while staying on Koh Tao. Thai police claim Elise hung herself - but her devastated mother does not believe them, and thinks somebody else was involved. 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. Horrible stories from an island that is well known for its laid-back vibe! The teen's body was found seven days after the boating accident. Her bright future was brutally ended, leaving those who loved her broken with no answers. A corrupt police force was bribed by BARs owner/mafia to lay the blame on anyone else. 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. Interested to see my ultimate Thailand itinerarythen have a read in the link. 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. Eight days later when locals living near the island's idyllic Tanote Bay became suspicious of a monitor lizard going back and fourth into the jungle they discovered Elise's half-eaten body on May 27 among rocks behind the Tanote Family Bay Resort. Follow this journey in the link. Of course tourists get drunk and alcohol makes you do crazy things. This time Ialso got a change to visit Koh Chang and the Golden Triangle up North. They were also asked to recreate the murders, but according to sources on Koh Tao, were unable to do so. 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. With all due respect but I obviously have no idea how a small blonde girl would feel visiting Koh Tao. Alex was charged with Maggie and Paul's murders days after he was formally disbarred by the South Carolina Supreme Court. I'm so desensitised, as gruesome as this one was, to seeing dead bodies at this point that I just get back on my bike and go to work. Having lived on the island for a fair few years at this point, the mafia knew who I was. But an unexplained fire that evening burned down three bamboo huts - including the one Elise had been staying in. Graphic images showing the bodies of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on a beach in Koh Tao have been circulating online. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Investigators were checking CCTV from local bars and restaurants and it was reported people were prevented from leaving the island. 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. Click here for our ongoing coverage of the killings. Buying a Sim Card for Dominican Republic in 2023, Buying a Sim Card at Bogota Airport in 2023, Buying a Sim Card at Lisbon Airport in 2023, Four Seasons Amman | Luxury Experience in an Amazing City, Affordable Villa Mira Apartment near Rainbow Street Amman, best scuba diving destinations in the world, search engine for Thailand transportation, Buying a Thailand Sim Card at Bangkok Airport in 2023, 25 Best Street Food Dishes in Thailand (+printable checklist), 68 Interesting & Funny Thailand and Bangkok Facts. The rise in tourist deaths in Thailand brought more police to the islands and stories of being caught with marijuana are still pretty common. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Myanmar migrant workers Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo arrive at the Koh Samui Provincial Court. They have been given the death penalty. The pool was also supposed to be empty, because it was closed down due to Covid-19 restrictions.. A case of wrong time, wrong place. But keep in mind that Koh Tao is NOT Bangkok. "The embassy are urgently seeking information from the local authorities and consular staff stand ready to provide assistance to friends and family at this tragic time.". Although they say that the last casualty (guy found dead in a hotel pool) was a tragic accident, the odds are against Koh Tao. They have been charged with premeditated murder, among other crimes, and could face execution. 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. Since I found out about 12Go Asia, traveling in Thailand become much more convenient. This led to dozens of charges accusing Alex Murdaugh of stealing nearly $5million in settlement money from lawyers who sued him over the death.. You knew who you could trust, you knew who liked to stir up drama etc. After 2 big trips around the world in my early travel days, I am now already continuously traveling the world for more than 3,700 days! As investigators descended upon the apartment, one of them picked up a camera and photographed the scene. In September 2014, the couple were found bludgeoned to death close to where they were staying. 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. Creepy. 'A perfect job' Authorities remain steadfast in their conviction they've found those responsible. In case you do decide to get your own motorbike don't get drunk and then jump on your motorbike. This bar also was the main hangout of the ladyboys. Although Koh Tao is one of the most beautiful islands in Thailand, it has always been shrouded by a dark mystery. Photograph: PA The island, two hours by boat from the nearest airport, has a low-key, undeveloped feel and. The men, apprehended soon after the pair's bodies were found, initially confessed to the crime only to retract their statements amid claims they were extracted by torture. He didn't get any change, he kicked off wanting his money back. In my time living on Koh Tao there were a lot of stories about spiking drinks. How they decided it was them I'm not sure because there is no evidence it was them. Weve all heard about the 2014 backpacker murders of two British tourists in Koh Tao, Thailand. The 29-year-old Frenchman was found on January 1, 2015, hanging from his balcony ceiling. For a few weeks/months leading up to the murders, violence was getting worse, but it never happened in Westerner hangouts. Regional Surat Thani governor Chatpong Chatphum said the Koh Tao murders had dealt a serious blow to tourism. Picture: Viral Press/Australscope Mr Sachathamakul's wife, Anshoo. 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. All times AEDT (GMT +11). Thailand is very conservative in regards to nudity and sex. (via Kusonsattha Rescue Service) Details are emerging on the tragic drowning death of a billionaire hotel owner and his wife in Koh Tao last week as police investigate further. Whatever the reason I didn't see him. Also, a documentary here: Surviving Evil: Wolves at the Door Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Phone records show that Elise called her mother on Skype on April 17 before leaving on a Ferry April 19 - but it is not known why she alighted on Koh Tao instead of continuing on to the mainland. In March 2015, she vanished from her hostel, with her mobile phone, passport and camera left behind. It's very gruesome.". Post-mortem examinations showed that the young backpackers, who had met on the island while staying at the same hotel, both suffered head wounds and that Hannah had been raped. 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. A number of possible reasons. Koh Tao has long had a reputation as a home for organized crime, corruption and as a place where the police protected local interests. They are also being bribed, they are under intense pressure from the British government for any kind of 'justice', they want it pinned on a Burmese guy so the Thai reputation doesn't plummet, the police have planted fake evidence or they just don't care. They were the boat boys, cleaners, shelf stackers, dish washers etc and were treated horrendously by the Thai population. They were all run by the book. The island became world news when two British backpackers, David Miller and Hannah Witheridge were brutally murdered on the island in 2014.