PHOTO: More information is coming out about the deaths of the billionaire couple in a Koh Tao pool. Around 10k people on the island with only 3 corrupt police officers. 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. Another thing that should actually be clear is to never walk away from a party alone. Photo: CSI LA. Check out my Traveltomtom Group Trip page for one of the exciting upcoming group trips. They've gone years doing whatever they want, it doesn't matter who knows. 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. It just doesn't go away.". 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. Investigators will consider whether the depth of the pool which was around 3m on one end may have led to the couples drowning. I greet my students and start packing bags as we'll be diving all day. Members of the mafia admitted to me, my gf and probably numerous others the owner of BAR, also a mafia member, killed them. Burmese people were treated like shit by the Thai. 'A perfect job' Authorities remain steadfast in their conviction they've found those responsible. David was either a distance away or hidden by people or sand. I dont know if that is law in Thailand but on Koh Tao, the police can make their own laws. 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. A corrupt police force was bribed by BARs owner/mafia to lay the blame on anyone else. But please dont get scared! 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. 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. Plus crime scene photos. There are three theories, nobody ever got an answer to which is correct and mostly like it's a combination. They are most likely willing to help out a stranger. Most are running guesthouses, eateries and scuba-diving operations or working as diving instructors. 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. The rise in tourist deaths in Thailand brought more police to the islands and stories of being caught with marijuana are still pretty common. Read my complete guide on where to stay in Koh Tao for more tips. "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. The high-profile deaths of British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller in 2014 resulted in the arrest of two Burmese bar workers who were found guilty of their murders and sentenced to death. Creepy. Be a responsible tourist in the first place. I know this because one of my closest friends, and my neighbour was with them when the murders happened. The judge said on Wednesday the matter would be dealt with on Thursday when the police officer who holds the samples will be present in the court. of brutal murders during press conference today . Apparently a 50,000 THB ($1,400 USD) fine is what can happen and your passport will be taken from you until the fine is paid. "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. British holidaymaker Christina Annesley, 23, died on the island in January 2015 after apparently mixing antibiotics she was taking for a chest infection with alcohol. Valentina was reported to have been visiting the island to go freediving an activity the area is famed for among backpackers. If there really is no other solution just ask the help of an other random group of tourists. 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. Elise's heartbroken mother, Michele van Egten, has now proclaimed she does not believe police account of events. Westerners were ignored as long as you didn't cause any problems. Since I found out about 12Go Asia, traveling in Thailand become much more convenient. In January 2018 a British traveler was found death in a hotel pool along Sairee Beach. And its just claimed another two victims. The rest of the week, the island wasn't the same anymore. 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. 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? But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. The couple arrived on the island for a holiday on Friday along with their son Ratish, 34, the Bangkok Postreported. There was no evidence of a misdemeanour, but the bodies were sent to the police hospital for autopsy. Hannah, 23, from Hemsby, Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey, were found dead on the island of Koh Tao on September 15. The Backpacker Murders of Koh Tao. 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! 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. We all knew who had done it but the police were dragging their feet. A team of pro-bono lawyers and human rights activists are working as the defence, wearing black gowns and sitting in the court. She is still missing. Sadly another case of tourists deaths on Koh Tao. Interested to see my ultimate Thailand itinerarythen have a read in the link. Sorry not sorry hostels, but you are. 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. After visiting 100 countries by the end of 2019 I felt inspired to visit every country in the world. Scuba diving is the main tourist drag and when the scuba lessons are over the partying starts. 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. From then on Ko Tao was nicknamed the murder island or the Death Island. "We're more and more thinking that the police information is not the right explanation.". 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. After checking into the resort, the couple headed down to the pool for a swim while Ratish went for a walk on the beach. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were sentenced to death for the killings. Now onto the mafia. The vibe on the island was very tense. The family of Hannah Witheridge, a backpacker who was murdered in Thailand, have had their "hearts broken" by a second death. Of course when splitting with 4 people this is fine. 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. 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. For the entire time I was on Koh Tao, there was one bar you avoided. Hi! The case has caused Thailands judiciary to be closely scrutinised. . The island is small and gifted with loads of hidden gems and completely deserted bays. Prices for taxi rides in Koh Tao are fixed and they all stick to it. This news blows up in the UK. Use common sense and stay out of trouble in the first place! Koh Tao Mafia truth or myth as a tourist you are not willing to get in touch with any of these things, right? Graphic images showing the bodies of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on a beach in Koh Tao have been circulating online. It was revealed yesterday that on April 28 Elise became the latest tourist found dead on the island of Koh Tao. We ask that the media treat Hannah with dignity in their reporting of the trial., Please allow the police and the court to do their jobs during the coming weeks and months. Even people you didn't know well, you would know what their reputation was. It will always be you against the island. The couple were Thai-Indian nationals Rakeshwar Sachathamakul, 59, and his wife Anshoo, 55. Yes of course! My advice is to rent a motorbike with insurance. Yes go partying, get drunk, play beer-pong, drink buckets, get shit-faced but always make sure you are able to get home properly. Koh Tao is an amazing place to enjoy your holiday and you should be totally fine! Two Myanmar workers on Thursday lost their final appeal against the death penalty for the 2014 murder of a . People speculated that seeing foreign tourists walk around wearing no clothes all day, having sex on the beach etc pushed them over the edge. I have traveled to Thailand almost 20 times. Other than this they had no involvement on the island. Nick Pearson, 25, from the UK. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo also known as Win Zaw Htun are 22-year-old bar and restaurant migrant workers from Burma. The pool was also supposed to be empty, because it was closed down due to Covid-19 restrictions.. Police officer gives testimony about bodies of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller who were found dead on a beach on Koh Tao island in September 2014. If you are a solo traveler, taxi drivers will most likely rip you off. 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. In recent years, however, the unexplained deaths and disappearances of many of those tourists have earned it a reputation as a death trap. There were at that time a lot of rumors going around but no one really knows what happened. 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. Theres no proof because you cant get proof because the authorities are corrupt.. The reason you didn't go there was because it was mafia ran and owned. 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. In September 2014, the couple were found bludgeoned to death close to where they were staying. How they decided it was them I'm not sure because there is no evidence it was them. Photographs of the bodies . In January 2015, she was said to have died of natural causes after mixing antibiotics with alcohol. I know these people. Their bodies were found floating in the resorts pool last Friday, just hours after they checked in. On Koh Tao it meant a man living their life as a woman. Nicola Gissing, who was also on holiday with Luke when he died, has claimed her friends death was no accident. 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. From then on Ko Tao was nicknamed the murder island or the Death Island. Let me tell you where you can book one with insurance, so you wont get scammed. 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. All of the witnesses will be investigated as well. The final theory, is all down to money. Michele claims that Elise used a fake name of "Elise Dubuis" to check into the Triple B Bungalows next to Mae Head Pier on Koh Tao as she travelled via the island on a ferry bound for Chumphon province on her route back to capital Bangkok. But although David's family called the verdict 'justice', the trial. Questions surround her death. Questioned by the prosecution, he said he received a call at 6:30am on September 15, 2014 by a fellow officer. Add in everyone at BAR being on Meth and they took their anger out on them. The photo-shopped picture below is not reflective of anything in the story - rather a hark back to the times . 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 . House is a generous term, it was a wooden shack. 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. They later retracted their confession. I asked what had happened, he wasn't 100% sure but the bar owner had killed them. Her bright future was brutally ended, leaving those who loved her broken with no answers. 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. CAUTION, CRIME SCENE PHOTOS! Simple things your parents would tell you too: dont walk along the beach on your own at night. He said more security cameras would be installed on beaches. Pool photo, 0130 exhibit 29 I Maybe a week before, a Thai guy jumped off a 5ish story building whilst on it and died immediately, no tourist knew about this. Other witnesses to appear will be the doctor who determined the cause of death and a woman who first found the bodies. One of them was at the scene and I went to talk to him. I'm also not a great writer. 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. 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. My beloved Koh Tao felt it had lost its dignity. The island became world news when two British backpackers, David Miller and Hannah Witheridge were brutally murdered on the island in 2014. Koh Tao, Thailand, Serial killers, Unexplained murders WARNING CONTAINS SOME DISTURBING IMAGES OF DEATH The island of Koh Tao, off the coast of Thailand, is often described as a paradise. Laura Daniels, 30, has died five years after sister Hannah, 23, was. 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. Nick Pearson, from Derby, was found floating in the sea on New Year's Day 2014. However, according to Rhys Bonney, an immigration adviser to expats in Thailand, the legality of the businesses are an extremely grey area. "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.". On New Years Day in 2015, he was found hanging in a bungalow. Posted on December 5, 2021. Why they would spout this information, I can only guess. She has no reason to lie about it. 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. It's very gruesome.". 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. Thailand's Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence for two Burmese migrant workers convicted of murdering two British backpackers on a Thai resort island in 2014. Island life is all about flip-flops, bathing suits and funny t-shirts, life is at low pace and many tourists smoke weed. I trusted the people I called friends with my life, literally. The Thai population were the business owners. And insecure residency tends to breed compliance. Thai people are lovely, but just like in any other tourist destination around the world the taxi drivers in Koh Tao are idiots. Some Koh Tao travel blogs tell you that prices depend on your haggling skills. 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. For any of you who have been to Koh Tao, it was the bar on the far end of the yellow brick road, past the Go Pro shop in Sairee. She spoke to police and wasn't given the time of day. But no suicide note or message were recovered and Michele is desperate for information surrounding the mysterious death. Flights are faster, but more expensive, trains more comfortable than busses, but overnight, etc, etc. In case you do decide to get your own motorbike don't get drunk and then jump on your motorbike. The couple tried to escape, hence their bodies being found a short distance away but were chased down, raped and murdered. The Murders The two people killed were Hannah Witheridge and David Miller. Think twice before getting yourself into trouble! If you buy 2 beers with the equivalent of $10, you aren't getting your $6-7 back. Thai police claim Elise hung herself - but her devastated mother does not believe them, and thinks somebody else was involved. On Tuesday, new details emerged as police investigated the death of a wealthy billionaire industrialist and his wife on Ko Tao last Friday. They were also asked to recreate the murders, but according to sources on Koh Tao, were unable to do so. For example we'd always advise people to go home after Fishbowl, which shut at 2am. People from India and China died, mostly drowning, every day and no one gave a shit. Check your Thailand routes below and 12Go Asia tells you all the options (bus, boat, train, flights) including time tables and direct booking options. 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. 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. They were at the same party together. 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! Christina Annesley, 23, from the UK and born in New Zealand. Having lived on the island for a fair few years at this point, the mafia knew who I was. 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. For example, Songkran is the Thai New Year. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. What To Pack For Thailand | Packing List With 40 Things To Bring. 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. The 29-year-old Frenchman was found on January 1, 2015, hanging from his balcony ceiling. Two migrant workers accused of murdering David Miller and Hannah Witheridge on the Thai tourist . She wasn't really friends with them, they were only together due to being friends with someone else who was having a house party. Let me help you as in my article Travel to Thailand or Philippines I compare my two favorites island destinations! I get home at 3ish and my gf and best friend are in our 'house'. When asked why, we'd say, 'you just don't want to end up at BAR' . Don't let your Thailand holiday be ruined by your own stupid mistakes! 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. Matthew McConaugheys wife was among the passengers on board a Lufthansa flight struck by severe turbulence and has described the chaos. All times AEDT (GMT +11). 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. If you were going to find trouble, it was at the bar, though until Meth really became an issue, you'd realistically never have any problems. 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. 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 said, it was my second time I lived in Koh Tao and it was the second time there had been a fatal incident. So let's look at the facts which I believe to be true. 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. It doesn't necessarily mean they are transgender, or that they are doing drag, they just live as women. 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. Any free moment I'm dying to talk to one of my friends to find out if they heard what happened. On 15 September, the bodies of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found on Sairee Beach on the island of Koh Tao, between 4 and 5 am, a few hours after their deaths. I dont believe well ever find out what happened to her. 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! They'd start fining people or confiscating bikes in this week to get some extra cash for the holidays. I am 100% sure about it. 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. It's dangerous. Christina Annesley, 23, was one of the many young Brits who sadly died in Koh Tao. The men, both the smallest in height in the room, wore matching beige outfits. My gf had been on the island 18 months longer than me and is one of those people who just knows everyone. The rest were mafia. A member of staff told police he heard four to five cries of someone in shock approximately 10 minutes . . According to the Lonely Planet travel guides, Koh Tao welcomes thousands of visitors who "come to worship the turquoise waters offshore". Are you looking to stay in remote bays then keep in mind thaT after sunset there is nothing to do. Asking yourself the question is it safe to travel to Thailand, starts with yourself. If you can improve it further, please do so. She had checked into the hostel on February 11 and was due to check out on February 16 but failed to do so. Buying your tickets for boats, trains, flights and busses is the safest and most reliable online. No toxicology report was conducted. These Thai people might seem like little boys to you but they could be ferocious fighters, be careful! 09/23/14 AT 10:48 AM BST. These are the first pictures of the British tourists murdered on a paradise beach in Thailand. Click on the link to read my article about it and where to go. But they later retracted their confessions, saying they had been tortured and threatened with death by their interrogators. How Hannah got involved wasn't mentioned in this theory beyond, they knew they were together. I genuinely think she is telling the truth. Elise's bags mysteriously appear to have been loaded onto the ferry she was due to take, and arrived at Chumphon province where she should have caught a bus to the capital. A few days later, staff checked her room to discover her mobile phone, passport and camera had all been left behind. The official story is they were walking back to their hotel at night and were jumped by 2 Burmese men. What really happened there? But Koh Taos reputation for crime has already earned it global notoriety, with the couples death the latest on a long death toll. But don't worry I am not here to promote Koh Tao as a tourist destination or telling youisland hopping in Thailandis completely safe. But trust me if you travel to Koh Tao you dont get involved with daily politics on the island! Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link. 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. Interested to join me on one of my trips? 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. A number of possible reasons. 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. Horrible stories from an island that is well known for its laid-back vibe! Unfortunately a lot of motorbike accidents happen on the island and it sincerely is a Koh Tao safety issue. Dont forget that Thailand is still ruled by a Military regime. Three judges sat high above the small court room on Koh Samui, a larger island near Koh Tao, where witnesses will testify over the next three days. 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. 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A Scottish man is being kept in protective custody in Thailand after a photo he took . 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. The Koh Tao Murders may have been a fatal incident on its own, but people got murdered. A millionaire hotel tycoon and his wife have been found dead in a luxury resort on Koh Tao, colloquially known as Death Island. His parents believe he was murdered - despite police claims he fell 50ft and drowned. Fact is that they found another dead body in Koh Tao under suspicious circumstances. It's not like I could do anything but get in the way anyway. 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.
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