News Forum - British diver dies in mysterious circumstances on Thailand’s Koh Tao

[Thaiger]

A British man was found dead on Thailand‘s notorious Koh Tao – also known as Death Island – on Wednesday. The circumstances around his death are a mystery. 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 …

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[Shade_Wilder]

  On 1/23/2023 at 3:42 AM, Thaiger said:

A British man was found dead on Thailand‘s notorious Koh Tao – also known as Death Island – on Wednesday. The circumstances around his death are a mystery.

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Another mysterious death on Koh Tao?

Quelle surprise.

How many people have died under suspicious circumstances on the island? One could quibble on the definition of "suspicious circumstances", but over 15 in the last fifteen years isn't an unreasonable number. Why are there so many suspicious deaths there? It is an isolated place, it is a very wealthy place in a country where money is everything, it is a place where local ties/;loyalties supersede everything else, it is a place where niceties such as the Rule of Law haven't taken hold and a place where 'Might makes Right' and family/clan power dominate.

Koh Tao is a textbook example of the old adage that "Power Corrupts, and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely". 

It is also a textbook example of the dangers of sudden wealth.

How many times have we read over the years a sad tale of people who got rich suddenly and their lives fell apart? Lottery winners discovering 'new friends', social idols (movie stars, pop singers, other celebs) having the rapid rise to fame, only to have an equally rapid decline and, on occasion, a brutal ending. What lessons can one take about Saudi oil money? Brunei's oil wealth? Why do many people internationally call it the 'curse of oil'? Koh Tao hit the financial jackpot around fifty years ago with the onset of tourism and, especially, diving and made the local fishermen families hugely wealthy. And, they use that wealth to this day to protect themselves and their kin.

Koh Tao is a tragedy in motion. It is a tragedy for all who visit and lose their lives in "suspicious circumstances". And, it is a tragedy for the people who live there; they'll never have a good life until they get out from the curse of great unearned wealth.

Given the sheer number of deaths on the island, isn't it time for foreign governments to disallow their citizens to visit there? A public safety message? A travel warning? The lessons of the two Burmese lads rotting in jail and the unanswered deaths of the Indian billionaires a few years back is that the island is a potentially lethal place to visit, locals are essentially immune from any sort of accountability, and thus foreigners shouldn't ever go until it is cleaned up.

Koh Tao's only chance for a future is if people stop visiting, stop replenishing the local coffers, and allow a normal life to develop a bit.

[Soidog]

It is indeed strange how many incidents such as this are reported. It would be beneficial to know the data behind this and other similar places. On the one hand I feel it’s an abnormally risky place to visit, while on the other I feel it could be suffering from the Bermuda Triangle syndrome. Every time such an incident happens on Koh Tao it gets lots of publicity and hence high profile, which serves to heighten the suspicion that it is a dangerous place. 

[suz]

The Samui Times did not dub Koh Tao death island. They reported that it was being called Death Island on social media! 

[CockneyGit]

Koh Tao has nothing on Pattaya when it comes to foreigners dying.

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

  On 1/23/2023 at 8:18 AM, CockneyGit said:

Koh Tao has nothing on Pattaya when it comes to foreigners dying.

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In Koh Tao the deaths are a mystery ….. In Pattaya the deaths are attributed to sudden stop syndrome. Everybody loves a mystery. 

[HolyCowCm]

Article quote: Police say that he died from natural causes and there was no sign of struggle, reports The Sun.                                                  “I don’t even think they did an autopsy,” said Giblin’s friend. “Something doesn’t add up.”

Yeah who knows. Wouldn't be surprised they pin it on global warming or say that it was black magic done from the 2 Burmese kids who were by most all people's opinions wrongly accused and incarcerated.

Seems to reason that they close Koh Tao down permanently. I have been to the island a long long time ago, but have no plans on ever going back. If it isn't the local mafia killing you then it quite possibly might be the unrested souls of the angy poltergeists killed there that do.

[robsamui]

With Thailand's at-the-moment anxiety and push to grapple the nation back on the Tourist Track after the pandemic - it wouldn't surprise me at all if someone in Hi-So says "ENOUGH! The clowns on Tao have gone too far now." Time to close them down."

[sangchai]

OMG Death Island

How many people died there, for real? Two people were murdered like 9 years ago?

In USA there's a mass shooting every weekend and everyone is fine.

[Poolie]

  On 1/23/2023 at 12:37 PM, sangchai said:

OMG Death Island

How many people died there, for real? Two people were murdered like 9 years ago?

In USA there's a mass shooting every weekend and everyone is fine.

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Roughly one per year meets their maker on Koh Tao except natural causes. I don't know about that.

However, in the land of the free:

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/01/23/politics/mass-shootings-in-2023-what-matters/index.html

But 'it only takes one good man with a gun.......................'

[js89]

Koh Tao has a registered population of 2,240 people: 

https://www.kohtaocompleteguide.com/fact/people-culture/.

With tourists, this comes to around 8,000 at times.

Considering only one murder per year, based on the registered population, this would put the per capita murder rate at 44.6 per 100,000, immediately ranking Koh Tao as the #2 murder capital of the world, after the US Virgin Islands.

If we consider 8,000 as being the population, they'd still still rank at #31 with a per capita murder rate of 12.5

For comparison, Thailand's per capita murder rate is 2.6

Edited January 23, 2023 by js89

[Marc26]

My wife refuses to let me go to Koh Tao

She said with my hot heart "you will get killed for sure " 5555

[Soidog]

  On 1/23/2023 at 7:09 PM, js89 said:

Koh Tao has a registered population of 2,240 people: 

https://www.kohtaocompleteguide.com/fact/people-culture/.

With tourists, this comes to around 8,000 at times.

Considering only one murder per year, based on the registered population, this would put the per capita murder rate at 44.6 per 100,000, immediately ranking Koh Tao as the #2 murder capital of the world, after the US Virgin Islands.

If we consider 8,000 as being the population, they'd still still rank at #31 with a per capita murder rate of 12.5

For comparison, Thailand's per capita murder rate is 2.6

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That assumes the deaths are murders? 

[js89]

  On 1/23/2023 at 8:11 PM, Soidog said:

That assumes the deaths are murders? 

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Yes, it was making that assumption, mainly as a rebuttal to @sangchai who scoffed at the notion of Death Island. At the very least, many of the deaths are extremely suspicious, such as that of Dimitri Povse.

[Soidog]

  On 1/23/2023 at 9:29 PM, js89 said:

Yes, it was making that assumption, mainly as a rebuttal to @sangchai who scoffed at the notion of Death Island. At the very least, many of the deaths are extremely suspicious, such as that of Dimitri Povse.

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I do agree they are suspicious. As I said earlier in this thread, I do wonder how much of this is what I call the Bermuda Triangle syndrome. Proper detailed analysis of the data would perhaps show that Koh Tao is no more dangerous than anywhere else pro-rata. I’m not about to try and dive in to the numbers, but I just don’t see why this small island should be any more or less dangerous than anywhere else in Thailand? There is clearly an issue with the powerful family who seem to control the island and that may skew the island to be more dangerous? If nothing else, it’s a good story but not one I’m buying just yet

[Marc26]

  On 1/23/2023 at 10:22 PM, Soidog said:

I do agree they are suspicious. As I said earlier in this thread, I do wonder how much of this is what I call the Bermuda Triangle syndrome. Proper detailed analysis of the data would perhaps show that Koh Tao is no more dangerous than anywhere else pro-rata. I’m not about to try and dive in to the numbers, but I just don’t see why this small island should be any more or less dangerous than anywhere else in Thailand? There is clearly an issue with the powerful family who seem to control the island and that may skew the island to be more dangerous? If nothing else, it’s a good story but not one I’m buying just yet

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Well I think you just nailed the reason 

I was involved in a bit if a 15yr old farang girl getting killed by a drunk Thai guy on the back of my gf's MB on Phuket 

The guy had some police connections and the police intimation of my gf, to the point she had to leave the island in fear and just the sheer amusement by the police(I'd call it) that a young farang girl died was sickening

And I'd imagine the people that control Koh Tao have a much bigger hold over that island so I could see how ruthless they could be

[Metoo]

“The Samui Times believes that it is in the best interests of any visitor to the island to be aware of the numerous tourist deaths and the fact that many families of those who died on the island are not satisfied with police investigations.”

https://www.strangeoutdoors.com/true-crime-in-the-outdoors/tag/dimitri+povse+koh+tao

Edited January 24, 2023 by Faz
unnecessary image removed

[Soidog]

  On 1/24/2023 at 12:53 AM, Marc26 said:

Well I think you just nailed the reason 

I was involved in a bit if a 15yr old farang girl getting killed by a drunk Thai guy on the back of my gf's MB on Phuket 

The guy had some police connections and the police intimation of my gf, to the point she had to leave the island in fear and just the sheer amusement by the police(I'd call it) that a young farang girl died was sickening

And I'd imagine the people that control Koh Tao have a much bigger hold over that island so I could see how ruthless they could be

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I watched a programme about a year ago on the killing of the British couple for which the two Myanmar guys are in jail. There were some very concerning links to the main family on the island. The one that showed how much influence they have was during the reenactment of the crime on the beach. The area was supposed to be isolated for forensic reasons and only police investigators and the suspects were allowed in the area. The video clearly showed a key member of the family standing right behind the senior investigating officer. It may have been on Netflix. I’ll see if I can get a link. Worth a watch. 

[Marc26]

  On 1/24/2023 at 7:46 AM, Soidog said:

I watched a programme about a year ago on the killing of the British couple for which the two Myanmar guys are in jail. There were some very concerning links to the main family on the island. The one that showed how much influence they have was during the reenactment of the crime on the beach. The area was supposed to be isolated for forensic reasons and only police investigators and the suspects were allowed in the area. The video clearly showed a key member of the family standing right behind the senior investigating officer. It may have been on Netflix. I’ll see if I can get a link. Worth a watch. 

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The police on Phuket gave the suspect my address

He and his family were showing up to our apartment 

Police were constantly calling my gf pressuring her

It was crazy

[Soidog]

  On 1/24/2023 at 2:12 PM, Marc26 said:

The police on Phuket gave the suspect my address

He and his family were showing up to our apartment 

Police were constantly calling my gf pressuring her

It was crazy

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The less you can get involved with the Thai police the better.  Even when you are the victim of a crime

[Marc26]

  On 1/24/2023 at 3:03 PM, Soidog said:

The less you can get involved with the Thai police the better.  Even when you are the victim of a crime

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I've actually had decent results when dealing with the Thai police in an everyday manner circumstances 

One time a drunk Bar Girl tried to attack me on Bangla Rd because I turned her down politely

I had to sort of bear hug her and put her on the ground because she was trying to hit me with a big beer bottle

And of course all the Thai guys came out of the woodwork trying to gang up on me 

It was a pretty chaotic scene and the policeman listened to witnesses tell him I did nothing wrong and arrested her

Another time I got mugged by 3 LB's outside my hotel in BKK

They were basics men in dresses

And the police took that pretty serious

But once you start dealing with the higher ups, they are ruthless and corrupt 

[Soidog]

  On 1/24/2023 at 5:33 PM, Marc26 said:

I've actually had decent results when dealing with the Thai police in an everyday manner circumstances 

One time a drunk Bar Girl tried to attack me on Bangla Rd because I turned her down politely

I had to sort of bear hug her and put her on the ground because she was trying to hit me with a big beer bottle

And of course all the Thai guys came out of the woodwork trying to gang up on me 

It was a pretty chaotic scene and the policeman listened to witnesses tell him I did nothing wrong and arrested her

Another time I got mugged by 3 LB's outside my hotel in BKK

They were basics men in dresses

And the police took that pretty serious

But once you start dealing with the higher ups, they are ruthless and corrupt 

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I had a very different experience in Pattaya. I needed assistance from the police. Having thought they were on my side, they then tried to embezzle money from me. I won’t go in to details, but had it not been for a lucky call I decided to make to a Thai friend who warned me of the scam, the outcome could have been much worse. 
 

As with all situations involving people, there are always good and bad. I’ve met one or two decent police in Thailand, but overall, I simply wouldn’t trust them. 

[Metoo]

  On 1/24/2023 at 7:46 AM, Soidog said:

I watched a programme about a year ago on the killing of the British couple for which the two Myanmar guys are in jail. There were some very concerning links to the main family on the island. The one that showed how much influence they have was during the reenactment of the crime on the beach. The area was supposed to be isolated for forensic reasons and only police investigators and the suspects were allowed in the area. The video clearly showed a key member of the family standing right behind the senior investigating officer. It may have been on Netflix. I’ll see if I can get a link. Worth a watch. 

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Yes indeed,

I saw a video similar to what you describe.

It was called 'Death on the beach'

Can be viewed on 'IPTV' or 'Cinema HD'

Edited January 25, 2023 by Metoo

[Soidog]

  On 1/25/2023 at 1:10 AM, Metoo said:

Yes indeed,

I saw a video similar to what you describe.

It was called 'Death on the beach'

Can be viewed on 'IPTV' or 'Cinema HD'

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Yes that’s the one. I watched it on IPTV. I have to say that it made me think twice about visiting. The local police and the local mafia style family control everything. The chances of you coming across one of “the family” are obviously very small and you could come across an influential person anywhere in Thailand. The question is, is it really worth it. 
 

The relationship between the utterly corrupt RTP and influential people is a scary prospect in many tourist areas of Thailand. I think if you keep your head down and don’t cause any problems then you are fine. The questions however has to be, is that any place to support with your tourist dollars? 

[Faz]

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