Koh Phangan Island – The Island of Natural Born Killers & Murders?
Welcome back to Koh Phangan Paradise Island with its renowned Full Moon Party which has now reached international acclaim. Welcome back to Koh Phangan Island and its beautiful secluded spots awaiting the adventurous traveler around every corner. Welcome back to Koh Phangan Island with its soft white sandy beaches and clear turquoise waters.
Welcome also back to the island of madness and its daily increasing insanity and derangement!
Well … if you read all those fascinating Island magazines from time to time you could eventually really start believing that you actually found some sort of paradise here on planet earth, hidden in the Gulf of Thailand, on a tiny island called Koh Phangan.
But then the other day Becki got struck by a lightning flash of short term memory loss and finally realized that Koh Pha-Ngan Paradise Island is indeed also a very special place when it comes to murders, killings, dead corpses and body remains.
Hmh … how’s that, you might ask? Well … to enlighten you with some stunning facts of Becki’s personal history I have to reveal that Becki was brought up in a medium sized village in Germany called Wiesentheid. I lived there for about 20 years before relocating to the island of madness, called Koh Pha-Ngan.
Well … as far as I can remember not one single murder case has happened in those 20 years while Becki was living in that village called Wiesentheid. And to finally reconfirm that topic I asked my mum & dad and they both also agreed that they don’t know of a single murder incident in our lovely village for the past 30-40 years. Though occasional murder or killing incidents have been reported by local newspapers in our region from time to time, resulting in a very low murder crime rate in our area!
However … when thinking about Koh Phangan Paradise Island and its number of murders and killings over the last 15 years Becki suddenly realized that there is indeed a very high density of humans slaughtering other humans. Just recently we had that case of the Israeli tourist knifed to death at Drop In Bar Hadrin beach by a local Thai youngster who’s father happened to be a high local politician. By the way, did anyone ever hear something about that Thai youngster who killed that Israeli Tourist? Was he ever brought to court? Was he finally sentenced, punished or convicted? Well … I don’t think so …
Then from time to time we got those dead Burmese bodies washed up at the shore of Haad Yao Beach or perhaps Thong Nai Pan Beach. Local police undercover agents of course don’t give a shit about those dead Burmese corpses …
Also worth mentioning is the local taxi mafia which will punish you with sudden death if you start offering taxi fares from Thongsala to world famous Full Moon Party beach Haad Rin for 40 Baht per person instead of the arranged 50 Baht! Just last year in June 2006 we got a couple of murder cases connected to the local taxi mafia. One taxi driver got killed in his taxi mini bus just right in front the post office in Thongsala while a couple of days later another taxi driver got shot in his mini bus directly at the pier, early morning at the taxi meeting point. Please check out the comments on this article.
Then, of course, there was that world famous gun fight at the even more world famous Full Moon Party at Haad Rin beach in April 2004, where 3 Thais got killed by another local Thai who seemed to have a license to kill, like one of those 007 agents from MI5. At least you never heard anything about that case again. No conviction, no sentence, no punishment, no whatsoever …
In between all those incidents we also got some minor slaughtering rituals because that one Thai guy called that other Thai guys mum a slut and therefore he lost his face and the only solution was to finally get daddy’s gun and kill that son of a bitch. Which of course then resulted again in another revenge massacre with more blood and dead body corpses lying around.
Also quite shocking is the very high number of ‘natural’ dead bodies around the island. Just recently we got that German tourist drowned at the world famous Full Moon Party. Of course not the first time as it also happened in Dec 2005 where two Swedish tourists also drowned at world famous Hadrin beach after participating in the even more world famous Full Moon Party.
Talking about parties we also have to talk about drugs and even there we got another incident in June 2006 where a young Canadian girl and a local Thai overdosed on MDMA at the Half Moon Party close to Ban Tai village, resulting in another 2 dead bodies.
We should also not forget the tragic death of the young British man who drowned in Laem Son Lake on the west coast of Koh Phangan in April 2004. And why should we forget about that horrible speed boat disaster in Jan 2005 where 7 people got killed just because captain Nemo overloaded his speed boat to make some extra bugs?
And to be honest with you guys, there have been many, many more murders and killings in the last couple of years but I just couldn’t find the time and effort to publish it on Koh Phangan Island News. Just last month at the Full Moon Party another local Thai got stabbed, at least this is what the island news system of mouth propaganda was announcing.
Speaking of stabbed or knifed bodies … that guy from Ban’s Diving just popped up in my mind, who found dead a couple of years ago in his office at Haad Rin beach with 18 knife wounds in his body!
And finally to also tell you some good killer news … Becki thinks we have less killer and murder incidents compared to 10 or 15 years ago! I still can remember those taxi cars from Thong Nai Pan with all those gun holes in it. Imagine how you would feel like being picked up by a taxi car covered with gun holes while you try to enjoy your holiday at one of the top destinations in South East Asia 😉
Anyway … hope not to burst your bubble of island illusions but after all I couldn’t help but notice that dead bodies are a more common natural phenomenon here on Koh Phangan Paradise Island as compared to other places on this planet. Also its high density is sort of shocking to me …
If anyone out there still knows some other murder or killer cases about Koh Phangan then please feel free to leave a comment here and report the awful truth – thank you!
And finally we always got those guys telling … uh … Becki … why are you always so negative … try to concentrate more on the good and beautiful things on the island … chill out … lighten up … Becki!
Well … optimism is only a lack of information … eat this 😉
Love to you all!
Thats it Beckster keep those tourists flooding in..
i lived on phangan for a couple of years between 2001 and end of 2003, and i must say, i saw some pretty mad shit going on.
Especially when its rainy season and not many tourists around and the thais seem to start fighting each other.
there was once a fight outside the cactus where 2 thais were beating on a german guy who had lived there for years, and the local mafia knew him well and kicked off against these 2 thais. I never saw one of them again, and the other i watched get chased down the beach with a guy shooting at him in hot pusuit. where he was gunned down outside vinyl club, he survived and still lives in haad rin. But i remember going up to see what happend and seeing bullet holes in his legs etc.
There was another time when in cactus, a thai girl was flirting with 2 thais seperatley – 1 worked in big boom, and the other was a mafia guy, anyways the mafia guy didnt like it, and pulled his gun out in the middle of a packed club , walked accross the dancefloor and pulled the trigger in front of everyone, but the gun jammed and the other guy ran off. then a couple of days later, he was smacked in the head a few times with an axe!! ill never forget these things!!
But then i moved to samui, and lived there for a year and was and still am very friendly with the mafia there, and saw some insane things going on there, over silly things!!
but hey, thats thailand for ya!!
So, babe, why don´t you re-rel.ocate to your lovely village wiesentheid with your loveley family baking lovley german bread? climate has become nicer there, thouh… and chronical rage wouldn´t be percepted as “unrelaxed” 😉
hi my anonymous friend 😉
well … thanks really a lot for calling me babe …I really appreciate that unless the fact that becki is NOT female 😉 yes … most people get confused with my nickname … as they think it’s a short form of rebecca. But to re-assure you Becki is 100% MALE!
anyway … also loved your comment about being unrelaxed as of chronical rage … that’s really aweome and I have to tell you that I really do love the comments here posted from time to time.
I wouldn’t call it unrelaxed … it’s just the way to see things how they actually really are! what’s so bad or un-relaxed about that?
Try to open your mind and eyes and find out what is really going on on this planet! but be warned … it might just burst your beloved bubble of illusions!!!
I like reading all the comments too. I hope they keep coming in.
Sounds like u r jealous on the delicious german bread, it got´s more attention than u ;-))))
This trend is not specific to Koh Phangan; in general Thailand has very high rate of gun related deaths/murders per 100,000 population as reported to a recent survey at the UN (see links below).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_rankings_of_Thailand
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_firearm-related_death_rate
Statistically, Europe would be a much safer place to live permanently. In Thailand, every family would have access to a firearm, while gun ownership is highly restricted in most parts of Europe. Either way, most of the gun related crime is between Thais and not usually directed at tourists or expats.
A think statistically your probably more likely to get stabbed on a night out in Glasgow than you are in thongsala. Not argueing with the locals and a little common sense should keep tourists safe when visiting Thailand. Enjoy
The KP “police” are handsome!
🙂
I live here 10 years on and off and now 6 years solid. Many have died and will die in the future. Do NOT be on the wrong place at the wrong time. That is it. People got killed on a weekly base here so what? I lived in San Diego for 1.5 years and seen worse. So enjoy the madness on Koh Phangan. I think it is fun!!!
The murders we hear about are the tip of the iceberg, often people just go missing! On our many visits to the Island of madness we have tried to keep track of some of the deaths from unnatural causes and it would be unheard of to have a month without at least a couple each month during the high season. Motorcycle deaths make the murder rates pail in comparison. I find it bewildering that the island hasn’t improved safety standards. Policing has more to do with extorting money from tourists than it is to protect them. It’s a corrupt society and it’s not to going to change anytime soon. Keeping a low profile is important…
hi my anonymous friend 😉
well … thanks really a lot for calling me babe …I really appreciate that unless the fact that becki is NOT female 😉 yes … most people get confused with my nickname … as they think it’s a short form of rebecca. But to re-assure you Becki is 100% MALE!
anyway … also loved your comment about being unrelaxed as of chronical rage … that’s really aweome and I have to tell you that I really do love the comments here posted from time to time.
I wouldn’t call it unrelaxed … it’s just the way to see things how they actually really are! what’s so bad or un-relaxed about that?
Try to open your mind and eyes and find out what is really going on on this planet! but be warned … it might just burst your beloved bubble of illusions!!!
the dive shop owner from haad rin beach (easy diver)was Sammuel Pitts he was a really good man and
Oliver Hebron another really good man who died in KP
I know that a lot of people are missing them
there was other death whilst i was there
Beck after your article i think that you have no other choice than living the country cause you went to far it is courageous but not safe at all to say the truth and you know how nationalist this country can be
happines and love to all
s
I knew sam (if only briefly) and used to do a bit of work for oliver’s company…i wonder if we knew eachother? Glenn
i heard it was that londoner cunt wot done it. lanky bloke with big teeth, but he fled the country. living in london last time i heard.
I knew samm very well. I worked for him at easy divers for a couple of years. I was actualy with him the night he died and had the grim job of helping to clean up his body at the temple. Such a good guy living an easy life on Koh phangan. Many stories surround his death but i guess we will never really know the real reason why his life ended in such a viciouse and violent way.
Hi all,
I came here googling Oli’s name.
I would like to know more about Oliver Hebron’s beating, he was a friend of mine, and a we worked and shared home in Formentera Summer 1977-78.
I never suspected such a chain of events, I thought Oliver’s beating an exception… now I know better.
Thank you for keeping this memorial alive
Juanjo Carballo
You forgot about the Dutch guy that jumped out of a taxi bus and died!
He was underway to the FM party and the cab driver wanted compensation for a broken window.
Life is cheap when you can get some Burmese to bump someone of for just a few dollars
I was at that party . It was at the half moon party in june .
In August 2006, during the night of the FMP a British guy was pussed down from that bar on the rocks. he fell in the sea and was dead. saw the pictures, horrible!
Jesus at this rate you will be next Becki. You are really pushing your luck with this “truth” mission. Thais live and think very different to us westerners. I think you should be carefull. There’s a sordid underbelly to that island and it needs international press to latch onto it and bring it out. The Land of Smiles indeed but with a very large catch. You have either got balls Becki or you need to be in the shrink ward. You are probably inbetween.
Hey Bro.It has to be told. But be carefull.
Be safe.
Later Dude
The vp of the high school in KP is a total douche.
Danny Hill went missing there 6 weeks ago. Please keep your eyes out – there is a £1000 reward offered by friends for info. If you know anything go to this facebook group:
Danny Hall Missing (now not seen for 6 weeks in Thailand) PLEASE forward
I was attacked at a full moon party and ran through the jungle for 6 hours sure that my life was in danger from some organised people. My drink was probably just spiked but in the month I was there, I think 6 people “drowned”.
Hi Becki,
I grew up in Kitzi, took off to Thailand 2001 and I’m living in Sisaket since then. We also have crime, but it’s not as strange as on Ko Panghan. I know that many guys die drug overdosed, similar to Pai/ Mae Hong Son province.
Of course, it’s not in Thai authorities that tourists know what shit goes on in this country. I’m teaching English at a primary school in Ubon Ratchathani, a pretty big city. Isaan is very different to the other areas in LOS and I really love to live here with my wife and our son.
I know “Sepp” from Grosslangheim for a long time, but the last time I’ve met him in Thailand was in Prachuap Khiri Khan. His real name’s Hubert, guess you know him?
Wish you a nice New Year 2556. P.S. Please let me know how Sepp’s doing.
lol 100% on point! I love the way describe it. I also lived in samui for many years from 2002 to 2012. the good old days. its still bat shit crazy there right now. have u heard of the crazy fella called korn? the one who shot a cop on the dance floor in chaweng