It has emerged that the Russian Intelligence Service FSB has warned Thailand, that terrorists could have arrived in Phuket and travelled on to other places in Thailand. According to FSB 10 Syrians connected to Islamic State (IS) entered the Kingdom in October with a possible plan to attack Russian interests, reports The Nation. Thaiöands security authorities boosted safety measures in the capital and many provinces. PM's Office Minister Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana said that Russia had exchanged information with Thailand and wanted the Thai side to check the accuracy of the information on whether the Syrians had entered Thailand. "Thai authorities looked into the information and as of yesterday, we found no clues on Russia's concerns," he said.
The Governor of Phuket, Jamleran Tipayapongtada, said that all military, police and other authorities were aware of the reports and had intensified security precautions, as phuletwan.com reports. "Everybody who lives on Phuket or is visiting Phuket can help," he said. '"Please let police know if you see something that is not quite right."
Also in Malaysia police have beefed up security, particularly around places associated with Russian and Western interests, which the reports indicated the militants were likely to target, writes Thai PBS.
Friday, December 4, 2015
Thursday, January 29, 2015
British Women, reported missing on Ko Tao, has been found
The website missingabroad.org is looking for the British women Lauren Hebden (27) from Bradford. She is missing since 22nd December 2014. According to the site she went travelling in September 2013 and kept in touch regularly via email and Skype. She stopped in September 2014, apart from one email in December 2014. Missingabroad.org says that "she is last believed to have been in Ko Tao".
A Facebook page with the name Lauren Hebden seems to show, that this person started for a holiday in Thailand in September 2013. According to the Facebook page she worked as Scuba instructor on Ko Tao, first at Roctopus Dive from October 2013 until January 2014, later at Mojo Divers. The two dive shops did not confirm that she worked there. But on the Facebook page of Lauren Hebden you see her with T-Shirts of Roctopus. And Roctopus posted this picture with her. The last post on her page here is from March 2014. A friend uploaded a picture of her on april 29.
Update on 28.1.2015
People living on Ko Tao say on Facebook that Lauren Hebden was seen on Ko Tao in the last days (here). Especially Thelma Mc Nelly is saying this. It could be that Lauren Hebden is just refusing to call her parents. As everywhere else in Thailand some foreigners are working without work permit also on Ko Tao. This makes it difficult to find out the truth.
Update on 29.1.2015
"We are happy to report that Lauren Hebden has been found safe and well, thanks for your great support". This is a Tweet of @MissingAbroad published today. This organisation had published before, that she was missing.
Read more:
Ko Tao เกาะเต่า - a Hotspot for Diving
A Facebook page with the name Lauren Hebden seems to show, that this person started for a holiday in Thailand in September 2013. According to the Facebook page she worked as Scuba instructor on Ko Tao, first at Roctopus Dive from October 2013 until January 2014, later at Mojo Divers. The two dive shops did not confirm that she worked there. But on the Facebook page of Lauren Hebden you see her with T-Shirts of Roctopus. And Roctopus posted this picture with her. The last post on her page here is from March 2014. A friend uploaded a picture of her on april 29.
Update on 28.1.2015
People living on Ko Tao say on Facebook that Lauren Hebden was seen on Ko Tao in the last days (here). Especially Thelma Mc Nelly is saying this. It could be that Lauren Hebden is just refusing to call her parents. As everywhere else in Thailand some foreigners are working without work permit also on Ko Tao. This makes it difficult to find out the truth.
Update on 29.1.2015
"We are happy to report that Lauren Hebden has been found safe and well, thanks for your great support". This is a Tweet of @MissingAbroad published today. This organisation had published before, that she was missing.
Read more:
Ko Tao เกาะเต่า - a Hotspot for Diving
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
British Woman found dead on Ko Tao:
What happened
A young British woman, Christina Annesley (23), was found dead on the night of January 21 on Ko Tao in Thailand - on the same island where Britons Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered in September 2014. This led to speculations.
But the Daily Mirror reports, citing Christina’s mother, Margaret, that Annesley died of “natural causes". On January 19 Christina Annesley had tweeted, that she needed antibiotics.
According to her tweets Christina Annesley was travelling alone. Before arriving on Ko Tao she had stayed on Ko Samui. Annesley had been in a relationsship with Olly Neville, former youth leader of UKIP party in Great Britian. UKIP party leader, Nigel Farage, tweeted: "Very sad and shocked to hear of the death of Christina Annesley. Thoughts and prayers with her family and friends."
Update on 23.1.2015
As Bangkok Post reports, Christina Annesley suffered from a chest infection during her holiday in Thailand. As documented on her Twitter-Account she drunk a lot of alcohol, what is not recommended during chest infections. Police said the body of Christina Annesley was discovered inside a bungalow room at the InTouch Resort on Sai Ree beach.
Christina Annesley took antibiotics to fight her chest infection. Drinking alcohol then can be dangerous. Read more: Can I drink alcohol while taking antibiotics?
Update on 27.1.2015
Autopsy by Thailands police found Valium and alcohol in the body of Christina Annesley, as The Nation reports. A combination of alcohol and Valium can lead to death, as it is explained here. In her Twitter-Account Annesley posted about consumation of both.
But the Daily Mirror reports, citing Christina’s mother, Margaret, that Annesley died of “natural causes". On January 19 Christina Annesley had tweeted, that she needed antibiotics.
According to her tweets Christina Annesley was travelling alone. Before arriving on Ko Tao she had stayed on Ko Samui. Annesley had been in a relationsship with Olly Neville, former youth leader of UKIP party in Great Britian. UKIP party leader, Nigel Farage, tweeted: "Very sad and shocked to hear of the death of Christina Annesley. Thoughts and prayers with her family and friends."
Update on 23.1.2015
As Bangkok Post reports, Christina Annesley suffered from a chest infection during her holiday in Thailand. As documented on her Twitter-Account she drunk a lot of alcohol, what is not recommended during chest infections. Police said the body of Christina Annesley was discovered inside a bungalow room at the InTouch Resort on Sai Ree beach.
Christina Annesley took antibiotics to fight her chest infection. Drinking alcohol then can be dangerous. Read more: Can I drink alcohol while taking antibiotics?
Update on 27.1.2015
Autopsy by Thailands police found Valium and alcohol in the body of Christina Annesley, as The Nation reports. A combination of alcohol and Valium can lead to death, as it is explained here. In her Twitter-Account Annesley posted about consumation of both.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Two Britions killed on Ko Tao -
What are the Dangers at Thailands Beaches?
See the locations on Ko Tao Google Map by #treasuresofthailand
Picture by Joe Stump
Full Moon Party on Ko Phangan
How To Stay Safe On Thai Islands? This question has been raised after the murder of a British couple on Ko Tao. Travel writer Mel Larcombe has some answers. She writes about the bad name of Ko Phangan full moon parties, rape culture in Thailand and women who date Thai men.
"Thailand’s beach parties are fuelled by ecstasy, magic-mushroom pizzas and everything in between", notes Joe Shute for telegraph.co.uk. He notes that things can get violent, when conservative Buddhist culture and "the worst behaviour that Western hedonism has to offer" are clashing.
An insight about Ko Tao has been published by the blog MikeE's Travels. He writes about mafia-style families (known as Chao Pho “เจ้าพ่อ” in Thai) operating in the Gulf of Thailand on islands such as Koh Phangan, Koh Tao and Koh Samui and the power structures on Ko Tao. He describes the presence of drugs on Ko Tao and how people can become violent on drugs. And he describes the habit of the police, to set up check points, "not to catch and charge foreigners for drug possession, but to use the threat of criminal sanction as leverage in order to extort cash off them". And he describes "motorbike rental extortion". Bikes that are returned with any damage, "no matter how small result in massive costs for the renter." Those who argue with a rental company "risk physical violence, and there have been multiple reports of on tripadvisor of firearms being pulled on those who argue with the rental company".
Later in 2014
The two men from Myanmar charged with murder have retracted their confessions and said, Thailand police turtured them. Their court trial is set to start in July 2015. A team formed by the Burmese government to investigate the Koh Tao case has announced that it is confident the two Burmese nationals accused of the double murder are innocent of the crime.
4.10.2014
Rape suspects charged: Two illegal migrant workers from Myanmar have been charged with violent rape leading to death and murder in connection with the killings of two British citizens on Koh Tao, reports The Nation. The men have also been charged with illegal entry into Thailand. Acting commander of the police Institute of Forensic Medicine, Pol Lt-General Manoo Mekmok, said two semen samples found on the female murder victim matched that from Win and Saw. The men worked at AC Pub.
24.9.2014:
New twist in murder of two Brits in Koh Tao: As Thai PBS reports, Woraphan Toovichien, 49, a village headman and owner of AC Bar which is located near the murder scene, and his brother, Montriwat Toovichien, owner of In Touch resort and caretaker of AC Bar, have been interrogated by Police. DNA samples of the two brothers were collected for testing and were later proved to not match with DNA collected from the scene and the victim’s body. Both were later freed. Eigth Region Police Command commissioner Pol-Lt Panya Mamen said both men gave good cooperation and answer all questions.
23.9.2014:
One tourist murder suspect now arrested on Ko Tao, another on the run: The police have arrested a suspect in the murder of two British tourists in Koh Tao and are hunting for a second suspect who has escaped into Bangkok, reports Thai PBS. The arrested man is the brother of a former village headman on Ko Tao. The man on the run is the son of the village headman. Eigth Region Police Command commissioner Pol Lt-Gen Panya Mamen denied, that local influential people on Ko Tao could be an obstacle to the police investigation.
There are rumours, that Thailands Primeminister and military junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha is asking the regional police every day about their progress in the investigation, after his promises, to fight corruption among the police forces in Thailand, and to prevent damage from Thailand as destination of tourists.
19.9.2014:
A British backpacker, interrogated by Thailands police about the killings on Ko Tao, is a free man again: Pol Lt General Panya Mamen, commander of Police Region 8 informed media, that the British man is no longer supected and can leave Thailand. Also migrant workers from Myanmar on Ko Tao have been cleared from suspects. DNA probes taken by police did not match with any of 12 supects until now, writes The Nation. Meanwhile, Surat Thani Governor Chatpong Chatraphuti said Koh Tao would no longer be allowed to host spin-offs of the full-moon party that has been drawing hordes of backpackers to the neighbouring Koh Pha-ngan. "We don't want any more crimes," he said.
18.9.2014
British backpacker arrested for suspected murder of fellow Britons at Koh Tao? Surat Thani police yesterday "arrested a British tourist after he was suspected to have connection with the deaths of two fellow Britons in Koh Tao", reports Thai PBS. Police said the suspect urgently left the island on the first ferry to the mainland the day after the murder was discovered. But other sources say, that the British man has been stopped at Suvarnabhumi Airport while trying to leave Thailand and asked by police to remain in Thailand for further investigation. AFP also reported a second Briton has been asked to remain in the country. "They are not yet suspects ... but we have asked them to cooperate until the case becomes clear," deputy national police chief Somyot Poompanmoung told the news agency according to Bangkok Post. Later Bangkok Post reported that the British man was detained.
17.9.2014
Video 'mystery man' suspected in Koh Tao murders: Police are trying to identify an Asian-looking man captured on security camera footage who is now a prime suspect in the grisly murders of two British tourists on Koh Tao, reports Bangkok Post.
16.9.2014 Ko Tao murder manhunt focusing on migrant labourers: The police search among migrant workers from Myanmar on Ko Tao, as Bangkok Post reports.
David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were found killed on Monday, September 15, after they had met on Ko Tao, living in neighbouring rooms at the Ocean View Bungalows. The victims' bodies were found around 6:30am after they had gone out together.
Checkpoints have been set-up on the island's two piers, and local police called for reinforcements from Koh Pha-ngan, while high seas prevented ferries and boats from leaving, as The Nation reports.
Thailands Prime Minister Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha ordered police to swiftly wrap up the case, to prevent damage to the country's reputation as a tourist destination.
Follow the news from Ko Tao on Twitter.
Read more about Ko Tao เกาะเต่า
Picture by Joe StumpFull Moon Party on Ko Phangan
How To Stay Safe On Thai Islands? This question has been raised after the murder of a British couple on Ko Tao. Travel writer Mel Larcombe has some answers. She writes about the bad name of Ko Phangan full moon parties, rape culture in Thailand and women who date Thai men.
"Thailand’s beach parties are fuelled by ecstasy, magic-mushroom pizzas and everything in between", notes Joe Shute for telegraph.co.uk. He notes that things can get violent, when conservative Buddhist culture and "the worst behaviour that Western hedonism has to offer" are clashing.
An insight about Ko Tao has been published by the blog MikeE's Travels. He writes about mafia-style families (known as Chao Pho “เจ้าพ่อ” in Thai) operating in the Gulf of Thailand on islands such as Koh Phangan, Koh Tao and Koh Samui and the power structures on Ko Tao. He describes the presence of drugs on Ko Tao and how people can become violent on drugs. And he describes the habit of the police, to set up check points, "not to catch and charge foreigners for drug possession, but to use the threat of criminal sanction as leverage in order to extort cash off them". And he describes "motorbike rental extortion". Bikes that are returned with any damage, "no matter how small result in massive costs for the renter." Those who argue with a rental company "risk physical violence, and there have been multiple reports of on tripadvisor of firearms being pulled on those who argue with the rental company".
Later in 2014
The two men from Myanmar charged with murder have retracted their confessions and said, Thailand police turtured them. Their court trial is set to start in July 2015. A team formed by the Burmese government to investigate the Koh Tao case has announced that it is confident the two Burmese nationals accused of the double murder are innocent of the crime.
4.10.2014
Rape suspects charged: Two illegal migrant workers from Myanmar have been charged with violent rape leading to death and murder in connection with the killings of two British citizens on Koh Tao, reports The Nation. The men have also been charged with illegal entry into Thailand. Acting commander of the police Institute of Forensic Medicine, Pol Lt-General Manoo Mekmok, said two semen samples found on the female murder victim matched that from Win and Saw. The men worked at AC Pub.
24.9.2014:
New twist in murder of two Brits in Koh Tao: As Thai PBS reports, Woraphan Toovichien, 49, a village headman and owner of AC Bar which is located near the murder scene, and his brother, Montriwat Toovichien, owner of In Touch resort and caretaker of AC Bar, have been interrogated by Police. DNA samples of the two brothers were collected for testing and were later proved to not match with DNA collected from the scene and the victim’s body. Both were later freed. Eigth Region Police Command commissioner Pol-Lt Panya Mamen said both men gave good cooperation and answer all questions.
23.9.2014:
One tourist murder suspect now arrested on Ko Tao, another on the run: The police have arrested a suspect in the murder of two British tourists in Koh Tao and are hunting for a second suspect who has escaped into Bangkok, reports Thai PBS. The arrested man is the brother of a former village headman on Ko Tao. The man on the run is the son of the village headman. Eigth Region Police Command commissioner Pol Lt-Gen Panya Mamen denied, that local influential people on Ko Tao could be an obstacle to the police investigation.
There are rumours, that Thailands Primeminister and military junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha is asking the regional police every day about their progress in the investigation, after his promises, to fight corruption among the police forces in Thailand, and to prevent damage from Thailand as destination of tourists.
19.9.2014:
A British backpacker, interrogated by Thailands police about the killings on Ko Tao, is a free man again: Pol Lt General Panya Mamen, commander of Police Region 8 informed media, that the British man is no longer supected and can leave Thailand. Also migrant workers from Myanmar on Ko Tao have been cleared from suspects. DNA probes taken by police did not match with any of 12 supects until now, writes The Nation. Meanwhile, Surat Thani Governor Chatpong Chatraphuti said Koh Tao would no longer be allowed to host spin-offs of the full-moon party that has been drawing hordes of backpackers to the neighbouring Koh Pha-ngan. "We don't want any more crimes," he said.
18.9.2014
British backpacker arrested for suspected murder of fellow Britons at Koh Tao? Surat Thani police yesterday "arrested a British tourist after he was suspected to have connection with the deaths of two fellow Britons in Koh Tao", reports Thai PBS. Police said the suspect urgently left the island on the first ferry to the mainland the day after the murder was discovered. But other sources say, that the British man has been stopped at Suvarnabhumi Airport while trying to leave Thailand and asked by police to remain in Thailand for further investigation. AFP also reported a second Briton has been asked to remain in the country. "They are not yet suspects ... but we have asked them to cooperate until the case becomes clear," deputy national police chief Somyot Poompanmoung told the news agency according to Bangkok Post. Later Bangkok Post reported that the British man was detained.
17.9.2014
Video 'mystery man' suspected in Koh Tao murders: Police are trying to identify an Asian-looking man captured on security camera footage who is now a prime suspect in the grisly murders of two British tourists on Koh Tao, reports Bangkok Post.
16.9.2014 Ko Tao murder manhunt focusing on migrant labourers: The police search among migrant workers from Myanmar on Ko Tao, as Bangkok Post reports.
David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were found killed on Monday, September 15, after they had met on Ko Tao, living in neighbouring rooms at the Ocean View Bungalows. The victims' bodies were found around 6:30am after they had gone out together.
Checkpoints have been set-up on the island's two piers, and local police called for reinforcements from Koh Pha-ngan, while high seas prevented ferries and boats from leaving, as The Nation reports.
Thailands Prime Minister Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha ordered police to swiftly wrap up the case, to prevent damage to the country's reputation as a tourist destination.
Follow the news from Ko Tao on Twitter.
Read more about Ko Tao เกาะเต่า
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Ko Khai Islands overcrowded by Masstourism
See the locations on Thailand Islands and Beaches Google Map by #treasuresofthailand
Picture by shinjung_69
Picture by mastahanky
Fish around Khai Nok islands
Picture by Wilson Loo
The white sand beaches of Ko Khai Nai เกาะไข่ใน, Ko Khai Nok and Ko Khai Nui, 15 minutes from Phukets Laem Hin Pier by speedboat, have been reached by mass tourism. A lot of boat trips stop at these islands. There is not much more to do than lying on one of hundreds of deck chairs and pay 300 Baht for that or do some snorkeling.
Ko Khai Nai เกาะไข่ใน:
Picture by sashapo
Picture by sashapo
Picture by Dickson@flickr
Ko Khai Nok นกที่เกาะไข่:
Picture by Qsimple, Memories For The Future Photography
Picture by Qsimple, Memories For The Future Photography
Ko Khai Nui: It is a private island and you find here Chokdee Restaurant & Bar.
Picture by shinjung_69
Picture by mastahankyFish around Khai Nok islands
Picture by Wilson LooThe white sand beaches of Ko Khai Nai เกาะไข่ใน, Ko Khai Nok and Ko Khai Nui, 15 minutes from Phukets Laem Hin Pier by speedboat, have been reached by mass tourism. A lot of boat trips stop at these islands. There is not much more to do than lying on one of hundreds of deck chairs and pay 300 Baht for that or do some snorkeling.
Ko Khai Nai เกาะไข่ใน:
Picture by sashapo
Picture by sashapo
Picture by Dickson@flickrKo Khai Nok นกที่เกาะไข่:
Picture by Qsimple, Memories For The Future Photography
Picture by Qsimple, Memories For The Future Photography
Ko Khai Nui: It is a private island and you find here Chokdee Restaurant & Bar.
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Dengue Fever is an Issue on Phuket, Samui and other Islands
Cases of dengue fever in Phuket have reached their highest number in 26 years, as Phuket Gazette reports. There have been 1885 people infected in Phuket from January to September this year, two people died. Thalang is the hardest-hit district in Phuket, with 707 cases, the chief of Phuket’s Public Health Office Dr Bancha Kakhong said. The number of cases is more than three times the number recorded in 2012.
But also on Ko Samui the people are warned of Dengue fever, as Camille's Samui Info Blog reports.
So what you should know: The mosquitos transmitting the dengue virus are most active in the daytime. The virus can only be transmitted from mosquito to human; it does not jump from one person to another. You can protect yourself by applying mosquito repellent, also every time after swimming. Long trousers and shirts help to protect, when you go trekking. Standing water can become a breeding place for mosquitoes. Fish in the water eat mosquito eggs. Or you can apply fertilizer, that prevent the mosquitoes from laying eggs there.
But also on Ko Samui the people are warned of Dengue fever, as Camille's Samui Info Blog reports.
So what you should know: The mosquitos transmitting the dengue virus are most active in the daytime. The virus can only be transmitted from mosquito to human; it does not jump from one person to another. You can protect yourself by applying mosquito repellent, also every time after swimming. Long trousers and shirts help to protect, when you go trekking. Standing water can become a breeding place for mosquitoes. Fish in the water eat mosquito eggs. Or you can apply fertilizer, that prevent the mosquitoes from laying eggs there.
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