Indian tourist killed at Full Moon Party Had Rin Beach on the Island of Koh Phangan
Saturday 22nd March 2008 an Indian tourist was stabbed to death as he tried to break up a fight during the popular Full Moon Party on Had Rin beach at Koh Phangan Party Island in Suratthani province.
According to official sources the English tourist of Indian heritage was trying to break up a fight between local Thais, one of them from the mainland, who also was very badly hurt but did not die.
Another killer incident was earlier reported last year in April 2007 when a 32 year old Israeli tourist was stabbed to death during the Full Moon Party festival at Drop In Club Haadrin Beach on Koh Pha-Ngan Island.
A gang of local Thai teenagers, including the son of a local politician, are the chief suspects in the killing last year April 2007, but so far no progress has been shown by the corrupt local police agents.
Thailand’s reputation as a safe destination for tourists suffered another setback with the March 15 murder of Swedish tourist Hannah Charlotte Bankluns, 27, who was stabbed to death while sunbathing in Phuket.
The murders come as a wake-up call for the authorities, who seem to show no concern about the shortage of investment in the tourism industry or the political will to improve the safety of tourists. The tourism industry continues to be the largest earner of foreign exchange and the biggest generator of jobs in Thailand.
Are the local administrative forces finally willing to bring back safety to Koh Phangan Island?
Or will they just equip the tourists with some magic whistles like proposed in Phuket?
What the heck is going on in the land of the smile? Unforgettable?
2007 – one Israli murdered and a Canadian and an English girl drugged & raped by a Turkish gang operating between Koh Samui & Koh Phangan. Plus one Turkish guy who had a bar in Hatrin convicted of 300 ectasy tablets and now serving a 27 year sentance in a Thai jail.
Now, March FMP 2008 – an Indian tourist stabbed to death and a Scandanavian rape (by Israli’s) and a British rape.
And these are the only serious one’s we know about – how many more rapes, beatings, theft, extortion that are not known?
The Embassies of EU are soon to blacklist Koh Phangan as a no-go zone – then the authorities and businesses on the island will be crying into their empty wallets.
When is someone in senior authority going to understand that the corruption, coverups, cons, rip-offs and pay-offs undertaken by island officials and police CANNOT continue.
The Police support the Thai locals and get paid money when a motor vehicle or jet-ski is damaged by the tourist and the poor travellers are having to pay excessive amounts for small damage.
There are numerous reports of theft, bag snatching, room break-ins, beatings that go un-reported and involve Thai locals that are covered up by the Police. And where are the Police when you need them – feet up on the desk in the police station watching Thai soap operas. And where are they the crazy morning after the FMP when the drug induced afterparties are in full swing? Sleeping at home – uncontactable!!!
Great Policing on Phangan hey!
It is the responsibility of the authorities and police to PROTECT those foreigners visiting this island!
The FMP needs policeing properly but how can this be achieved when the Police are more corrupt than the criminals?
When will they start to understand????
This island is committing suicide and those involved in the corruption deserve what they will get very soon.
Surat Thani and Bangkok Authorities need to address this URGENTLY! Get onto this island and sort it out – NOW!!!!
Amazing Thailand? – EXACTLY! Real Fucking Amazing, isnt it!!
The land of smiles? Who’s smiling?
Full credit to The Nation newspaper for writing their article – Im sure the police, officials and gangsters on Phangan will be looking for the editor! Keep up the good work Nation and don’t let this rest as there will be more rapes, more deaths and more corruption on this island of natural beauty!!
Finally, the ball starts rolling, don’t stop! Keep on bringing the truth on the table, let’s stop the anarchy on this island.
you are absolutely right!
I got raped, robbed (15000 batt).
I made a police report.
gues what……..
I also had to pay the police.
be verry careful about your drinks at he Drop in bar (they drug you).
The wrong thing to do is nothing
love johan
Firstly i would like to offer my condolonces to the family and friends of the british man killed this is very tragic and my heart goes out to you! I have been to many full moon party’s and have seen violence but never felt unsafe i once saw a group of thais bottle a group of english lads but i certainly wasnt going to get involved as i was sure the’yd done something to provoke it(you have to really piss off/offend a thai for them to get violent) i did tell the eng lads to walk away and luckily they took my advice! Violent crime is nothing new to thailand(or anywhere else is much more in the uk) a couple of years ago a girl from my home town was raped and murdered on samui! Unfortunately you get isolated incidents like this everwhere my mum still feels safe travelling in thailand alone! Thai men fighting and even sometimes killing each other has happened in the past at full moon party and doesnt even get reported this is the first serious incident like this against a tourist on phangan i have heard of! And sounds to me like this guys a hero surely the mainlander would have died if not for this brave soul stepping in and paying with the highest price rip
d uk
I know kohphangan very very well, not there at the moment, but soon to be.
From where I’m standing, these incidences do seem to be growing…sadly..
Its a VERY complicated problem due to the huge amount of “variables” that go into this, but still it is a problem that needs sorting out. I also offer my condolences to this guy in question… All i would like to say to others going to KPG is that if you see a fight…go very quickly in the opposite direction and dont get into any conflicts on the island as there are some people not to be messed with, tourists, mainlanders and locals alike… RIP
Well said good point!
I saw this poor chap lying on the ground in his final moments just after the incident & the look in his eyes will live with me for the rest of my life. It was truly tragic & a huge wake up call in a hedonistic environment. It seemed to me that on the nights leading up to Full Moon, everybody has a great time, but on the “big” night, the atmosphere changes palpably. My sense was that the westerners go stir-crazy doing too much drink & drugs, and the locals – although happy to take the Bahts – are plain fed up with the care-free tourists. I personally felt quite unsafe on the night, with a few incidents adding to that feeling. However this could have been directly related to what i’d seen earlier in the night.
Tragic on many levels – and Koh Phangan is such a beautiful island.
Was he English? From what I’ve heard he was Indian? And who was the guy who got shot on the mainroad btw Drop In and Cactus? Thai? What is happening here? FMP used to be gr8, now it’s more a question of how many people who’re getting killed. Everyyone needs to do something about it. Especiaally the thai authorities. My heart goes out to them who lost their lifes during FMP’s.
We have many people of indian descent in the uk but the chances are this young man was born here which makes him as british as me!
My heart felt condolences to the family of the poor English lad. I know how distressing and horrific it can be for family to lose somebody while they are travelling. I have experienced it first hand on Ko Pha Ngan.
This is a very tragic event!
Thai folks dont like it when Farangs try to break up their fights it is a known fact…..
Coming from the same full moon party that the English kid of Indian decent was killed at two English girls were raped by Thai’s posing as police. The giirls thought they were getting a ride to the police station to report the loss of a stolen purse! They were both taken into the jungle and raped. Both girls were staying at the Grand Sea and now the British Embassy is also involved with this one. This type of stuff isn’t good publicity for Koh Phangan. This along with the negative publicity of the other parties this party will certainly be getting some attention not only in Bangkok, but around world.
this is also terrible news and my heart goes out to the girls but this could have been avoided there are police points on had rin beach on mp night and also reporting to the police is a complete waste of time unless u want crime no for insurance(which they would have had to pay)were these men wearing uniforms i doubt it prob just oppurunists praying on these young girls(intoxication i assume everbody is drunk or high at fmp) and their naiveity. I am by no means blaming the girls they should be able to be intoxicated or naive and not have to worry about it i hope they catch these 2 men and they rot for some time in a thai prison!
Very sad news. the full moon party is a disgrace now. it really needs sorting out. its gone way to big and out of control
I lived on phangan for 2 years and got to know all the local mafia and police very well. i also got to see the “darkside” many times and life in paradise isnt what it seems. i knew numerous girls who were raped and the people (Thai) who did it. but nothing ever happened. i also sat and watched gun fights and pitched battles (with axes and knives) both on the beach and in the little streets in haad rin between thais and thais and israelis. the police dont do anything, when they used to come in the bar we worked in (cactus) they all got paid 500 – 1000bht each given a couple bottles of whiskey and basically told to fuck off and leave everyone alone – which they did. so its not suprising nothings being done. i havnt been back to phangan for 4 years despite coming back to thailand at least twice a year, theres plenty of more undeveloped, and better places to stay and party without all the hassle of watching over your shoulder and getting fucked off with all the pig headed arrogant israelis.
Just for clarification…..He was an Indian born and bred….he lived in New Zealand for 3 years for study and work…..I had been in Thailand for 2 mnths before this had happened and never seen and violence in my time there….he was a friend of mine who came to Thailand for a visit…we met up in Kanchanuburi then made our way to the full moon party which was 8 days before what happened….its was midnight of the full moon party 21st of March….e was stabbed at aroung 3am 4 times…then died under 2 hrs later.
I’d like to add my condolences and say I am so very sorry about your friend.
Cactus bar need to sort the toilets out upstairs. It reeks of Amonia(pure piss)
Could the poster who spoke of the darkside of Koh Phangan please contact me? I’m a freelance writer and I’m hoping to write an article on this subject. I’m at Frenchpaul2003@yahoo.co.uk.
Many thanks
I’m living on koh phangan now for 5 yrs haven’t seen to much violence here, but i avoid little tel avive aka haad rin, hate the place.
Just haad rin is the rotten apple on koh phangan.
the rest of the island is not better or worse then the rest of thailand.
Wouldn’t trust the Thia as far as I could throw them
Ok, ok….not all Thais are bad infact….the better Thais i find are away from the tourist scenes…in saying that there are also some shady characters there also…..as for the..”cant trust them as far as you can throw them”…….they are not that heavy.
Hey Beki…..
Is there a follow up or an update on this case????
Interested to know if the police are doing anything or if the court system is on top of it??…
well … what did you expect? there’s of course NOTHING happening again like usual … they all got some sort of license to kill or something like that!
i am spending since 5 years every year 6month on phangan.
in this time i have seen numerouse violent conflicts.the most shocking event happened last april:an older english man was lying dead with a knife in his chest right in front of 7/11 in srithanu(not had rin)!!i was there,i saw it!!!
the official police report said the english man commited suiced!!!!
what a bullshit!i wanted to tell the police what i witnessed,but my thai friends warned me to do so,because i could get in seriouse trouble!
i feel very sorry for all the relatives and friends back home who lost somebody in thailand.my advise:dont trust the police reports and press your own investigations!!!