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. Graphic images showing the bodies of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on a beach in Koh Tao have been circulating online. Now I'm aware in Western culture that word is a slur, but it isn't in Thailand. But no suicide note or message were recovered and Michele is desperate for information surrounding the mysterious death. Maybe if it was more common knowledge, the murders wouldn't have happened. KOH TAO MURDERS - DID SCOTLAND YARD AND THE FOREIGN OFFICE SCREW UP? At one point is was extremely hidden and out of nowhere it was out in the open, if you knew where to look. Besides that, islands are like small communities and they all know each other. Be a responsible tourist in the first place. It's dangerous. 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? Investigators will consider whether the depth of the pool which was around 3m on one end may have led to the couples drowning. He was unaware he was arguing with members of the mafia who are all on Meth and got violent with them. Koh Tao Police Major Jiraphob Puridech said the couple had been sitting at the pool bar before hopping into the pool for a swim. I genuinely think she is telling the truth. Click on the link to read my article about it and where to go. The mother told Der Farang magazine that she had been promised an autopsy report - but has still not been delivered. We of course want to see those responsible for the brutal murder of our precious girl brought to justice., Millers family said: The act which ended Davids life devastated our family and his friends. I got a clear view of Hannah's body, but not David's. They were the boat boys, cleaners, shelf stackers, dish washers etc and were treated horrendously by the Thai population. The Davidson County Sheriff's Office has released photos of the Corbett home taken the night Jason Corbett was bludgeoned to death in his bedroom. L&M brand which were found near the crime scene matched samples . 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. 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. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were brutally murdered while staying on Koh Tao. 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. For example, Songkran is the Thai New Year. There were 3 main families that each controlled certain sections of the island. If you buy 2 beers with the equivalent of $10, you aren't getting your $6-7 back. The case has shocked Britain. 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. Westerners were ignored as long as you didn't cause any problems. They might not have even realised what they did was offensive. Her dad Boyne said a toxicology report was not carried out. 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. It just doesn't go away.". Laura Daniels, 30, has died five years after sister Hannah, 23, was. My gf had been on the island 18 months longer than me and is one of those people who just knows everyone. The teen's body was found seven days after the boating accident. Prosecutors alleged that the double murder of Paul and Maggie was part of an effort by Murdaugh to gain sympathy and distract others from his significant financial crimes. 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 . She had medication for a chest infection and was drinking, but the Thai police failed to investigate if the combination was sufficient to kill her.". 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. 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. Of course tourists get drunk and alcohol makes you do crazy things. 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. . Some Koh Tao travel blogs tell you that prices depend on your haggling skills. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. The owner of BAR stepped in, fucked up on Meth. She had also heard it was the owner of BAR who had killed them, from a separate source to mine. Regional Surat Thani governor Chatpong Chatphum said the Koh Tao murders had dealt a serious blow to tourism. I believe they met up whilst drunk at a previous bar. 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. Two migrant workers accused of murdering David Miller and Hannah Witheridge on the Thai tourist . Whatever the reason I didn't see him. But please dont get scared! Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo also known as Win Zaw Htun are 22-year-old bar and restaurant migrant workers from Burma. In January 2016, he was found at the bottom of a swimming pool at the Sunset Bar at Sairee Beach. Although they say that the last casualty (guy found dead in a hotel pool) was a tragic accident, the odds are against Koh Tao. Buying your tickets for boats, trains, flights and busses is the safest and most reliable online. I will reference it further simply as BAR. 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. 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 major problems started when Meth became heavily used. 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. Ortega, 55, is charged . A member of staff told police he heard four to five cries of someone in shock approximately 10 minutes . 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. But they later retracted their confessions, saying they had been tortured and threatened with death by their interrogators. Yes, I have been there and yes I have smoked weed myself multiple times when traveling to Koh Tao. There are three theories, nobody ever got an answer to which is correct and mostly like it's a combination. Their parents must be going through hell just like we are and we have been for the last almost two years. Just simply never accept drinks from strangers and keep your own drink closely. From then on Ko Tao was nicknamed the murder island or the Death Island. Respect the Thai people! She said: "I would tell them to do everything in their power to stop them going. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. She was found dead in her bungalow with a mix of medication and alcohol in her system in 2015 - leading the coroner to ascertain she died of an accidental overdose. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Click here for our ongoing coverage of the killings. Note: in all my continuous travels around the world since December 2012, I have never ran into a bad situation. My passion to inspire other people to travel the world turned into a lifestyle. Aug 10, 2017. The FCO says such attacks are particularly common around the time of Full Moon parties and generally occur late at night near bars in Haad Rin. This is one of the crime scene photos from the attack on Sue White by Gerald Arthur Lee on 11/05/06 in Cherokee County, GA. Christina Annesley, 23, was one of the many young Brits who sadly died in Koh Tao. 2 minutes read. Metropolitan police detectives were sent to Thailand in 2014 to look over the case and report back to officials and the families. Stay away from drugs! 5th Oct, 2014. Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link. I have never seen anyone running around with a gun on the island or heard stories that they knock on your door for a share of your business. Sorry not sorry hostels, but you are. In January 2015, she was said to have died of natural causes after mixing antibiotics with alcohol. Two Burmese bar workers were found guilty of their murders the following year and sentenced to death. My mind boggles when you order a taxi ride that takes about 10 minutes and they charge you $20. Koh Tao was plunged into the spotlight when the semi-naked bodies of backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found on a beach. "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. But keep in mind that Koh Tao is NOT Bangkok. 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. He said autopsies to determine the cause of the deaths were expected in about two weeks. 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. Two Myanmar workers on Thursday lost their final appeal against the death penalty for the 2014 murder of a . 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. Think on forehand where you want your Koh Tao hotel to be. On New Years Day in 2014, he was found floating in a bay beneath a 15m cliff. He had not been questioned by police - even though officers had his name in their files. Members of the mafia admitted to me, my gf and probably numerous others the owner of BAR, also a mafia member, killed them. But trust me if you travel to Koh Tao you dont get involved with daily politics on the island! 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. He said more security cameras would be installed on beaches. Ms Witheridge had been raped. Around 10k people on the island with only 3 corrupt police officers. So how safe is Koh Taoi? The second theory is they were giving abuse to the ladyboys in BAR. Adventurous and want to hike to the best viewpoints? Hannah was missing clothes on her lower body and her head/face had been completely smashed in by a blunt object. 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. Dubbed 'Death Island', the illusion of a safe haven has since shattered following the brutal deaths of a number of tourists. Are you into partying then book your accommodation close to Sairee Beach. Enough experiences to tell you that YES you always have to be aware of what is happening around you and be responsible in what you do. For the entire time I was on Koh Tao, there was one bar you avoided. 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. Complaining about wrongdoing may invite official questions and demands for passports and documentation. There is a big change nothing will ever happen, but a wasted tourist is an easy victim. There is a big chance you will fall in love with this little paradise. Fact is that they found another dead body in Koh Tao under suspicious circumstances. The rest of the week, the island wasn't the same anymore. Elise's heartbroken mother, Michele van Egten, has now proclaimed she does not believe police account of events. After checking into the resort, the couple headed down to the pool for a swim while Ratish went for a walk on the beach. A 198 page appeal on behalf of the accused Burmese defendants in the Koh Tao murder trial has been filed with the Region 8 Court of Appeals on Koh Samui, Thailand. May be it is the truth, may be it is a myth. What To Pack For Thailand | Packing List With 40 Things To Bring. These are the first pictures of the British tourists murdered on a paradise beach in Thailand. 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. "They may be feeling guilty for the crime they have done." The two Burmese men, identified as Saw and Win, were arrested last week and accused of killing David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, on the island of Koh Tao on 15 September. How they decided it was them I'm not sure because there is no evidence it was them. Unfortunately a lot of motorbike accidents happen on the island and it sincerely is a Koh Tao safety issue. Mr Puridech said there were no signs of struggle at the scene and an early examination of the bodies did not suggest foul play. Apologies in advance for spelling/grammar mistakes and rambling, typing this on my phone. Loads of beach bars to choose from and happy hours to get you started. Burmese are treated like shit and no one will miss them, easy target so they chose two random guys. I think one, or both of them said or did something discriminatory to a ladyboy. I believe a decent chunk of ladyboys had mafia ties. While traveling to Koh Tao lately I was in such a good mood and surrounded by good vibes that I forgot about its dark past. With such incredible sunsets on the main party beach, the party starts early. You are the tourist, you are visiting their country so YOU should adapt to their standards and not the other way around! Don't get dodgy boat tickets from street vendors. This search engine for Thailand transportation also shows you all the available options in one overview. The brutality of the killings made headlines worldwide and cast a shadow across Thailands image as a safe and carefree destination for 20 million foreign visitors a year. 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. Photo: CSI LA. Thai police say the man on the left matches the one seen acting suspiciously on CCTV. Most are running guesthouses, eateries and scuba-diving operations or working as diving instructors. Dont waste time, live now! Ratish has told police his father had diabetes, hypertension and obstructive sleep apnoea. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo . It will always be you against the island. 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. I personally think it was a mix or the first 2. They'd start fining people or confiscating bikes in this week to get some extra cash for the holidays. My advice is to rent a motorbike with insurance. Alex was charged with Maggie and Paul's murders days after he was formally disbarred by the South Carolina Supreme Court. "We're more and more thinking that the police information is not the right explanation.". Any reasons to be worried? 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. 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. Police claim two men have admitted killing backpackers on Koh Tao island . Their bodies were found floating in the resorts pool last Friday, just hours after they checked in. I 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. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were sentenced to death for the killings. But also to tell you that NO Koh Tao is not a murder island. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. 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. Mafia ran the place, Meth was becoming a plague amongst them. A cruise employee has had his contract terminated after he was allegedly seen filming women from a female bathroom. RME8CHF9 - Mae Sot, Thailand. 'They have a LOT in common' Helen Skelton grows close to Strictly pro Vito Coppola after bonding on tour bus - almost one year after rugby star husband left mum-of-three, Interactive map shows exactly where snow could fall in UK as mercury nosedives to -7C, Doctor tells Harry he believes Prince has Attention Deficit Disorder in live Q&A, Kate Garraway shares Derek's final words as he believed he was about to die, Spencer Matthews 'furious' after Disney delays Everest doc as it shows dead bodies, 'I DIDN'T BREAK THE LAW' Matt Hancock tells lawyers he wants immunity on care home deaths during Covid pandemic, Matt Hancock plotted to use new Covid variant to 'frighten the pants off everyone' in leaked WhatsApp, Loose Women star Linda Robson's 'marriage crisis' after hitting 'rough patch', Cyclist pavement killer risks losing home as neighbours break silence, Mrs Brown's Boys to return with four-part miniseries as filming begins soon, Kelsey Parker taking kids to see pop star husband Tom honoured on Dancing on Ice, King Charles 'offers Harry and Meghan palace suite' after kicking them out of Frogmore, Subscribe to Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror newspapers. 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. They were at the same party together. A Scottish man is being kept in protective custody in Thailand after a photo he took . With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. They are most likely willing to help out a stranger. Saying not much better than slaves wouldn't be an exaggeration. Need any advice on where to stay in Koh Tao then let me help you book a place on the right side of the island. But remember you are still in Thailand! Yes I know that drinking and driving is totally accepted in Koh Tao, but try to not be one of those diving class students that show up in the morning all bruised because they fell off their motorbike driving drunk back home. 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. I will never forget the day I turned 30 and I cheered with friends until early morning 02.00 am on Sairee Beach. Hi! Thanks a lot! 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. I love Koh Tao, but these guys are a blot on this tropical paradise. Myanmar migrant workers Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo arrive at the Koh Samui Provincial Court. There are serious doubts about the evidence linking Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, both 21, with the brutal slaying of David Miller, 24, and rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge, 23, on the Thai Gulf . I am Tom an avid adventure traveler from The Netherlands. Unfortunately there is a dark side of Koh Tao and some people call it the Wild Wild West Island. The Backpacker Murders of Koh Tao. This led to dozens of charges accusing Alex Murdaugh of stealing nearly $5million in settlement money from lawyers who sued him over the death.. Especially at night just always stay around other people. In case you've missed it. Pool photo, 0130 exhibit 29 This is not a specific safety tip for Koh Tao, but everywhere around the world. A millionaire hotel tycoon and his wife have been found dead in a luxury resort on Koh Tao, colloquially known as Death Island. SUPAPONG CHAOLAN DNA tests have failed to provide a match. Something went wrong, please try again later. They weren't looked down upon or treated poorly at all. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. . They lock them up in a BKK prison and torture them for a confession. For the life of me I can't remember the name of the bar and can find no reference to it on the Internet. In recent years, however, the unexplained deaths and disappearances of many of those tourists have earned it a reputation as a death trap. The bodies were found 100 metres away from the scene of a beach party, according to a local report.It was believed that attackers may have been waiting to target the pair as they walked off at the end of the party, which was attended by a group of international revellers. Burmese migrant workers crossing the Thai-Myanmar friendship bridge in the bordertown Mae Sot, Thailand. Scuba diving is the main tourist drag and when the scuba lessons are over the partying starts. 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. In April 2017, she was found hanged in the jungle. They have been given the death penalty. Its bright coral, sharks and rays bring in divers, hikers enjoy jungle walks and the bar scene 'rages on until dawn'. Also, he noted that the several pieces of rope which were used in the suspected suicide appeared to be different which might suggest that the death was not caused by suicide. House is a generous term, it was a wooden shack. Let me help you as in my article Travel to Thailand or Philippines I compare my two favorites island destinations! 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. But her parents slammed Thai authorities for failing to investigate the death. The rest were mafia. All times AEDT (GMT +11). Questioned by the prosecution, he said he received a call at 6:30am on September 15, 2014 by a fellow officer. 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. A number of possible reasons. I lately traveled to Bangkok and saw marijuana stores everywhere. 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. 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. So how safe is Koh Tao? The pool was also supposed to be empty, because it was closed down due to Covid-19 restrictions.. Just hours before he died, David was talking to us with his usual enthusiasm, describing the beauty of Koh Tao and the friendliness of the Thai people., Over the coming weeks we hope to gain a better understanding as to how such a wonderful young man lost his life in such idyllic surroundings in such a horrible way.. It was something shocking to see. CAUTION, CRIME SCENE PHOTOS! 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. The couple arrived on the island for a holiday on Friday along with their son Ratish, 34, the Bangkok Postreported. 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. The first is they had an intimate moment in public. Of course when splitting with 4 people this is fine. If you caused no trouble, you would have no problems and they didn't seem to have any issues with each other. Matthew McConaugheys wife was among the passengers on board a Lufthansa flight struck by severe turbulence and has described the chaos. On Koh Tao it meant a man living their life as a woman. David was either a distance away or hidden by people or sand. Christina Annesley, 23, from the UK and born in New Zealand. shark tank hamdog net worth SU,F's Musings from the Interweb. I don't remember exactly the time as it varied constantly between 5 and 9am, but I'm fairly sure it was closer to 5am. Check your Thailand routes below and 12Go Asia tells you all the options (bus, boat, train, flights) including time tables and direct booking options. Associate Professor Charnkanit Krittiya Suriyamanee, a criminologist and lecturer at the faculty of social science and humanities of Mahidol University, said he doubted the suicide theory citing some irrelevant evidences, according to Chiangrai Times.