WILD NIGHT ON KOH TAO
 |
| Pic:Khao Sod |
A 28-year-old man, who was reported to police because he was living in a cave in neighbouring Laem Yai on the island of Ko Samui,
He had worked on tour boats to Koh Tao and was acting suspiciously, was questioned overnight by police on the island but he had denied any connection to the murder.
The man, who worked on local speed-boats, was tested for drugs, having been described as a ‘yaa baa’ (methamphetamine) user. Police have also taken DNA samples. It is understand he is being held on drugs charges.
Yesterday police said they were concentrating on a Thai man and a migrant worker as the main suspects.
Had this not been Koh Tao, last night could have been described as ‘unusual’ one.
 |
| Sean |
He had stated that the killer was the owner of a local bar and then posted a photo of the alleged killer - not the owner of the local bar.
From a rock near where the bodies of David and Hannah were found he also wrote a long message which could have come from Alex Garland’s ‘The Beach’ about a group of backpackers who think they have found paradise but instead found a nightmare.
“ It's not the island I used to know….. But I know Koh Tao will continue to be the paradise island it always was. Especially now.
"I've spoken to girls who are heart-broken about this, but have said that nothing will stop them living the free, island life.
“ And fair play to them, this has been the first westerner's killing in a decade. And will be the last, hopefully.
"It's a life we know and will always attempt to strive for”.
McAnna has since received consular advice. But he is reported to still be frightened. As he has indicated that a local mafia figure was involved this is understandable.
There has always been a fear that if local mafia were involved police would be powerless to do anything. But Thailand's Premier General Prayuth Chan-ocha has promised no cover-up. And even mafia who become high profile have been dealt with in the past - notably on Koh Samui.
His figure of one murder in ten years maybe a romantic fantasy. The last foreigner to be murdered about ten years ago was a confrontational dive resort owner.
But the Samui Archipelago is not exactly positioned in a sea of tranquility as even the Foreign Office points out in its travel advisory.
A short term resident foreigner who had strived for the island life but left Koh Tao somewhat disillusioned and wrote a blog entitled ‘Koh Tao – The Murky Truth’ stating there were several killings..murders.
“After a few weeks on the island, we found out that Koh Tao has a dark underbelly in the form of locally powerful mafia-like families that own many of the businesses and make sure that they get the cream of the profits that tumble into Koh Tao. In the fairly short time we were there, several people were killed - that is, murdered. We even heard the crack of a gunshot on one occasion.
“It seems that on this island you really don't want to say the wrong thing about the family head or sell drugs without their permission. Even people that merely go there and open a shop or cafe that thrives can become a target and, allegedly, new businesses sometimes mysteriously burn down during the night."
And on the neighbouring island of Koh Phangan – the scene for Thailand’s infamous ‘Full Moon’ Parties - an editorial in the Koh Phangan News headed: ‘Koh Phangan – The Island of Natural Born Killers – listing a wide range of people who had been murdered there including foreigners. Plenty reports of murders. No reports of trials except that for the fishermen who murdered and raped Katherine Horton on Koh Samui.
COMMENT:
An interesting day ahead for the boys from London particulary if they have printed out the photo McAnna put on Facebook which features two southern Thai gentlemen with typical 'nak reng' (strongman) moustaches and start asking: "Did you do it?" Police do not appear to be lukewarm yet.