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[george]

Britons avoid Surat Thani after killing

SURAT THANI: -- The brutal rape and murder of 21-year-old Welsh student Katherine Horton on Koh Samui has caused a 30 per cent drop in the number of British tourists visiting Surat Thani province this year, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

The TAT’s southern office director Pramote Sapyen said even though the crime was solved quickly and two fishermen convicted and sentenced to death, it was obvious the incident had affected tourism.

The case was heavily reported in the United Kingdom, and that had frightened tourists, with more than 30 per cent cancelling their trips to Koh Samui and Koh Pha-ngan during the high season.

“This will affect overall tourism for the year as normally 150,000 British tourists visit Thailand a year. A tourist stays on average one week and spends Bt4,000-Bt5,000 a day,” Pramote said.

On that basis, the two islands had lost between Bt100 million and Bt150 million in income.

Initially, the tragic incident had also affected tourists from other countries such as the Netherlands, but the situation had since improved. Asian tourists were still travelling to the region as usual.

Ruangnam Jaikwang, president of Surat Thani’s Tourism Association, said it would take some time for the situation to return to normal. It was important for tourism companies to cooperate with police officers for the safety of tourists, he said.

Surat Thani provincial police chief Maj-General Voravate Vinitnatyanon said police have been planning stricter safety measure to prevent crime and are assigning officers who speak English to warn tourists about going to risky places.

Anan Chusak, president of the province’s fisherman’s association, said the brutal crime had given fishing boat crews a bad image and the association had urged boat owners to be more careful about who they hire.

--The Nation 2006-01-30

[Misplaced]

Shame, It takes a few idiots to runied it for everyone. Lets hope the people change their mind and comes back to LOS.
However, It will not stop us from visitng koh' Phangan, samui and Tao in late April.

[Khun Jean]

I think it is a good thing. Hope tourist visits will drop by 90%. Sorry for the tourist related businesses but it gives the government some reason to do something about it.
When something is done, they can have a second try to establish a tourist center worth going to.

[Padkapow Guy]

I for one will not be going to southern thailand on my trip.Not because of the muslims or rash of murders but because my wife is afraid of the ghost. It's a shame because it is such a beautiful place.

PKG

[Misplaced]

Padkapow Guy, on 2006-01-29 13:40:59, said:

I for one will not be going to southern thailand on my trip.Not because of the muslims or rash of murders but because my wife is afraid of the ghost. It's a shame because it is such a beautiful place.

PKG

Since I will be there in a couple of weeks, I hope I see one in person. I really need to ask for the winning lottery numbers.

[Padkapow Guy]

The wife said, give it a couple of years and the ghost will be gone and we can go back there.
I hope so. Ao nang bay in Krabi is one of my favorite places in the world.

26 days and counting til I arrive in the LOS.

PKG

[Misplaced]

Misplaced, on 2006-01-29 14:01:37, said:

Padkapow Guy, on 2006-01-29 13:40:59, said:

I for one will not be going to southern thailand on my trip.Not because of the muslims or rash of murders but because my wife is afraid of the ghost. It's a shame because it is such a beautiful place.

PKG

Since I will be there in a couple of weeks, I hope I see one in person. I really need to ask for the winning lottery numbers.

Correction, I will be there in a couple of month not weeks. PKG got me laughing and forgot how to spelled

[taxexile]

Quote

I think it is a good thing. Hope tourist visits will drop by 90%. Sorry for the tourist related businesses but it gives the government some reason to do something about it.
When something is done, they can have a second try to establish a tourist center worth going to.

agreed.

it needs a complete overhaul.

i know two large family groups from the uk , they visited samui early january for two weeks , stayed at a large resort hotel , they said they would never go back. the hotel experience and the beach were wonderful , but once they stepped outside of the hotel the enjoyment ended.

the public transport system
the taxi drivers
the dump that is called chaweng.
the bigger dump that is called lamai
the scruffiness and filth
the poor service
the surliness and unfriendliness of the thais in the street markets and the shoddy tat they try to sell.
the total lack of any sense of aesthetics about development.
the car hire company that tried to charge them for the repair to the car when it failed to start.
the dangerous driving and road system
the padding of bills on three occasions restaurants , and the problems in correcting the restaurants mistakes.

these people like to spend and enjoy , but check all bills and will not tolerate sleazy rip offs.

that's 12 high end tourists who wont return , and you can bet that they will tell many many others about their thai samui experience.

its not only the crime that will make people wary of visiting.

[simcity]

Significant drop in tourist numbers
THAI cancels direct flights


The murder of Welsh tourist Katherine Horton on Thailand's holiday island of Koh Samui has led to a significant drop in the number of foreign tourists, including Australians, to the province.

Two Thai fishermen have already been sentenced to death for the rape and murder of the 21-year-old British backpacker on New Year's Day.

The tourist island was shocked by the murder of Horton, whose body was found in the ocean after she was last seen strolling alone on a beach on the evening of January 1.

According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, visitor numbers to the southern province of Surat Thani, which includes Koh Samui, fell by 30 per cent in the first month of 2006.

Spokesman Pramote Spyen said it was obvious Horton's murder had affected tourism, even though two men had been quickly arrested, tried and sentenced.

Australian visitor numbers had been affected, dropping an estimated 10 per cent, but British tourist numbers were the worst hit, he said.

A third of the expected visitors to Koh Samui and nearby island Koh Pha-ngan had cancelled high-season trips to the islands, he said.

Australians are estimated to spend about $A250 a day each on holidays in Thailand and on that basis the islands had already lost millions of dollars so far this year, the spokesman said.

Police said they were introducing stricter safety measures on Koh Samui and neighbouring islands to protect tourists.

This included assigning English-speaking officers to warn foreigners against going to what he described as "risky places".

Meanwhile, falling tourist numbers have prompted Thai International to cancel direct flights from Sydney and Melbourne to the southern resort town of Phuket from February 1.

Tourism companies are to ask the airline to reconsider its decision.

--AAP 2006-01-30

[sriracha john]

george, on 2006-01-29 23:17:47, said:

Britons avoid Surat Thani after killing

SURAT THANI: -- The brutal rape and murder of 21-year-old Welsh student Katherine Horton on Koh Samui has caused a 30 per cent drop in the number of British tourists visiting Surat Thani province this year, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

The TAT’s southern office director Pramote Sapyen said even though the crime was solved quickly and two fishermen convicted and sentenced to death, it was obvious the incident had affected tourism.

The case was heavily reported in the United Kingdom, and that had frightened tourists, with more than 30 per cent cancelling their trips to Koh Samui and Koh Pha-ngan during the high season.

“This will affect overall tourism for the year as normally 150,000 British tourists visit Thailand a year. A tourist stays on average one week and spends Bt4,000-Bt5,000 a day,” Pramote said.

On that basis, the two islands had lost between Bt100 million and Bt150 million in income.

Initially, the tragic incident had also affected tourists from other countries such as the Netherlands, but the situation had since improved. Asian tourists were still travelling to the region as usual.

Ruangnam Jaikwang, president of Surat Thani’s Tourism Association, said it would take some time for the situation to return to normal. It was important for tourism companies to cooperate with police officers for the safety of tourists, he said.

Surat Thani provincial police chief Maj-General Voravate Vinitnatyanon said police have been planning stricter safety measure to prevent crime and are assigning officers who speak English to warn tourists about going to risky places.

Anan Chusak, president of the province’s fisherman’s association, said the brutal crime had given fishing boat crews a bad image and the association had urged boat owners to be more careful about who they hire.

--The Nation 2006-01-30

Directly below the above article in The Nation provides more scary news of the same province that surely can't go far to restore tourist's confidence in the area:

Murder victims likely related
Published on January 30, 2006

The mass murder of what appears to be members of the same family has police in Surat Thani worried as they have few clues to go on and no indication of whether more bodies might turn up.

They have refused to speculate on whether the execution-style murders were drug- or business-related until they have gathered more evidence and identified the six bodies found so far.

The bodies of four men and two women were found floating in the sea off Surat Thani and Chumphon over the past week. The latest victim, believed to be a man aged between 25 and 30, was recovered off Surat Thani’s Kanchanadit district by Marine Police yesterday.

The body was clothed only in underwear, the eyes were blindfolded with a cloth and the face was covered with a loincloth. Like the others, the man’s hands were tied behind his back and there was a gunshot wound in the forehead. Police estimated he had been dead for more than a week.

Pol Colonel Sompong Thechasomboon, superintendent of the region’s Marine Police, said the six bodies were believed to be from the same family. They were killed in a group and their bodies thrown into the sea, he said.

The Nation

[Einstein]

I think it is not only the murder case that they lost 30%. Whole Thailand lost many tourists because of there greediness and lack of knowlegde.

Also every year many tourists die in a car or motorbike crash. A few weeks ago a young Italian man died and he was just here for one day. If you rent a motorbike and the rental knows that he or she has no driving license, then they send him/her indirectly also to heaven.

[robsamui]

Don't forget that the Horton murder follows close behind the rape of the 26 year-old British woman at the end of October inChaweng. This was widely reported in the UK too.

It doesn't add to the long-distance attraction of Samui as a holiday desination.

R

[Foggy Bottom]

george, on 2006-01-30 00:17:47, said:

Britons avoid Surat Thani after killing

The case was heavily reported in the United Kingdom, and that had frightened tourists, with more than 30 per cent cancelling their trips to Koh Samui and Koh Pha-ngan during the high season.

“This will affect overall tourism for the year as normally 150,000 British tourists visit Thailand a year. A tourist stays on average one week and spends Bt4,000-Bt5,000 a day,” Pramote said.

On that basis, the two islands had lost between Bt100 million and Bt150 million in income.


--The Nation 2006-01-30

Spread the additional effect across other destinations in the kingdom
Then factor in the general loss of income, plus the redundancies with total loss of income
On top of that add the cumulative lost revenues through tsunami, SARS, Bird Flu, 9-11, seperatists etc

Then ask yourself ...... if you had the chance to sell off a luxury goods/service company at this time (take the money and run), would you do so?

Obviously Dr T thought now was a good time to bale out of a "toys" industry that might not sustain itself under the current environment.

Or, did he do so to remove the brakes from the consistent stream of farang-persecuting legislation that TRT have introduced since coming to power - whatever policies he now throws out will not affect his families business or his personal income (look out everyone).

--------

On a lighter note - Chiangmai certainly seems to be getting more Caucasian tourists this year than since before the Millennium ...... even seen a few Thais smiling on the streets recently - must be making some money after a long period of low visitor arrivals.

[Maejo Man]

robsamui, on 2006-01-30 12:29:34, said:

Don't forget that the Horton murder follows close behind the rape of the 26 year-old British woman at the end of October inChaweng. This was widely reported in the UK too.

It doesn't add to the long-distance attraction of Samui as a holiday desination.

R

The British would seem to be getting more than their fair share on violent crime, from Chiangmai through Kanchanaburi to Samui, Now with the re opening of the Kirsty Jones murder the press are having a field day, no wonder tourism is down.
You can forget the muted closure of Beer Gardens, it's the threat of violent crime that repels tourists.

[Lord Toad]

Bluntly it could not happen to a better bunch of a...hole

It would serve the Thai's on Samui right if nobody ever went there again!!!!!

I used to live there!

[charlesfrith]

Samui is a law unto itself. When Starbucks/MacDonalds arrived it was time to stop going. Spain and Greece are considerably more attractive and support the all humans are born equal under the EU constitution. It becomes more evident that British or indeed any long haul tourists are first class citizens when spending money, but third class citizens victims when it comes to pursuing criminal accountability . It's good that the British Embassy know when to prod the tabloids. The family of the girl should be in our thoughts.

[Joey Boy]

Khun Jean, on 2006-01-30 00:36:06, said:

I think it is a good thing. Hope tourist visits will drop by 90%. Sorry for the tourist related businesses but it gives the government some reason to do something about it.
When something is done, they can have a second try to establish a tourist center worth going to.

yep

[charlesfrith]

Incidentally has anyone heard evidence that Thaksin Shinawatra supported building an airport on Koh Pang Nang to circumvent the resistance from the cartel/mafia that control the BKK/SAMUI route?

[gisele]

I was just talking to a friend of mine who owns a restaurant in Chaweng, he's lived in Samui since the early 90s and he says this month has been one of the best ever, even better than last year post Tsunami.

and he's not the only one who has told me the same.

Go figure!

maybe less Britons but more of every body else??

[Joey Boy]

People generally dont book last minute christmas/new year trips to thailand, the 30% drop will be due to Britons avoiding Samui and visiting other parts of the country.

What real effect all these murders/rapes are having will be shown in 6 months time

[eljeque]

but once they stepped outside of the hotel the enjoyment ended.

the public transport system
the taxi drivers
the dump that is called chaweng.
the bigger dump that is called lamai
the scruffiness and filth
the poor service
the surliness and unfriendliness of the thais in the street markets and the shoddy tat they try to sell.
the total lack of any sense of aesthetics about development.
the car hire company that tried to charge them for the repair to the car when it failed to start.
the dangerous driving and road system
the padding of bills on three occasions restaurants , and the problems in correcting the restaurants mistakes

The Hotel is nice, and the shopping Centers are nice in this country because they are Privately Owned!!! Once the general (non-paying) public might receive benefit from something like good roads and sidewalks, etc., it is in a terrible state of disrepair. Why? Because it is for the general welfare!!! There is no Collective Social Responsibility here. NOt here, not in Cambodia, Vietnam, the Middle East, Turkey, India, Africa, or or or or. It does exist, although not perfectly, in the US, Europe, Japan and Singapore.

Thailand is the epitome of "screw the public." There are other places that are worse, but this country is rather high in the rankings in relation to the money that it has to spend to imporve the lives of the general public.

The sex-tourists are the repeat visitors, because of what they get for the price here and also because they are not getting involved in the other facilities to the extent that other tourists are.

They general populace really does deserve better.

I have not visited Phuket or Samui, but have lived in Pattaya on-and-off since 1988. There are so many small cities around this country which do not have a fraction of Pattaya's revenue, but are able to have good sidewalks and electrical wires, streets that do not flood or have holes in them. I must say the same for the people in the many smaller towns. I really do prefer them to the general PattayaThai.

[castelleone]

remember folks: nobody is as forgettable as a tourist. And if the flightprice is ok, they will come again. It has been like this with all the desasters before... Som nam na

[Samui Coconut]

Lord Toad, on 2006-01-30 13:45:23, said:

Bluntly it could not happen to a better bunch of a...hole

It would serve the Thai's on Samui right if nobody ever went there again!!!!!

I used to live there!

Looks like you had a bad experience on Samui There are countless other nationalities to feed the island.......and forcast looks good ! Though agree with taxis and infrastructure...THAT'S the main problem...NOT a bunch of (hopefully soon literally)stoned fishermen....

[seonai]

QUOTE(robsamui @ 2006-01-30 12:29:34)

Don't forget that the Horton murder follows close behind the rape of the 26 year-old British woman at the end of October inChaweng. This was widely reported in the UK too.

It doesn't add to the long-distance attraction of Samui as a holiday desination.

R

Yes Rob and the 12-year-old Swede and the 44-year-old Swede - raped as well.

[Wingnuts]

Considering the number of tourists that vist Thailand each year, together with the Thai population ( about 70 million I believe) ...and the fact that many are living around the poverty line, the crimes affecting tourists seem to be small to me. There seem to have been as many or more tourists murdered in Australia in the last few years as there has been in Thailand... and our population is oly 18 million and the majority are well above the poverty line.

As for accidental deaths, quite a few tourists drown here in Australia each year, or get eaten by crocodiles or sharks ....or die or are seriously injured in car and bus crashes.

I have never been to the south of Thailand but have spent many excellent vacations in Bangkok and the Chiang Mai area.... (and I'm going there again in 2 days time). I have never yet had a bad experience but i usually avoid areas frequented by western tourists if i can.