From The Independent (K)

 

By Elaine Dickinson

 

"Amazing Thailand" - so the slogan goes. But while Thailand shines brightly on many fronts – its exhuberant capital, mesmerising beaches, bucolic countryside, lip-smacking food – it is mirrored by a dark side, a far cry from the tourism authority's vision of paradise. 

 

During my years living in the Land of Smiles, I heard almost daily tales of horrific motorbike, car, boat and bus accidents, scams and property frauds, drownings and diving incidents, stabbings, suicides and highly-suspicious deaths. Most distressing among them were the murders of British youngsters  Hannah Witheridge and David Miller, who were brutally killed on the southern island of Koh Tao in 2014. At the time of the event, I was asked by an international news agency to gather some quotes from foreigners living on the island.

 

Resting in the Gulf of Thailand, a two-hour ferry ride north of Koh Samui, Koh Tao is best known for its incredible marine life, which over the years has attracted a small but buoyant expat community of around 2,000 people, many of whom run dive centres, restaurants and B&Bs. But my requests to long-time residents and business owners were met with fear, as they made it quite clear they felt their lives would be in danger if they spoke on the record. Off the record, however, they told of an island held in the iron grip of a mafia family, who demanded protection money, controlled the local police force and were not above attacking or burning down the homes and businesses of people that crossed them.

 

Continues:

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/asia/koh-tao-thailand-dark-side-car-crash-murders-mafia-suspicious-deaths-a7824171.html

In light of that article guilt of those two unfortunate Burmese is even more in doubt that before.

 

It looks that parts of Thailand can be re-named Land of Frozen Smiles