The problem with Krabi
Krabi officials are proving once again that a cover-up is worse than the crime. They've been trying for almost a week to cheapen a YouTube video about law enforcement in their county.
In doing so, police and tourism officials have attempted to invert the term crime and guilt. It's hard to decide whether that campaign is more tasteless or destructive. Anyway, it has to stop.
The sad and shocking story began on July 27 in Ao Nang in Krabi province, popular with foreign tourists. A Dutch woman was admitted to a hospital for treatment. Her injuries were serious and the doctor initially thought she had been involved in a motorcycle accident. But she said she had been assaulted and raped, which was confirmed by the subsequent medical examination.
The woman did not know the man who allegedly assaulted and raped her, she had only attended a birthday party with him before the reported crimes took place. With the help of the doctor and others, she filed a rape and assault charge with the police. The report was passed and almost two months later, police arrested a man from the local community, Chumpon Khaonuan, on charges of rape. However, he was soon released on bail by the judge in Krabi.
The father of the alleged rape victim then posted a video to YouTube on October 23 entitled “Evil Man from Krabi”. The stark black-and-white video shows a man with a gun, singing, asking for help to get "the Raperman of Krabi" in jail. As a protest, it was very effective and resulted in dozens, perhaps thousands, of foreign tourists canceling their planned flights last week travel to Krabi canceled
The Chief of Provincial Police in Krabi, Pol Maj. Gen. Nantadet Yoinual, informed the media that the police had done a very good job and had nothing to do with bail for the guide, Mr. Chumpon. The head of the provincial tourist office, Wiyada Srirangkul, said his job was to convince tourists that Krabi is safe. None of these senior government officials had a word of sympathy for the woman, who was reportedly the victim of a heinous crime. Pol Maj Gen Nantadet said that he wants to post a YouTube video himself in response to the video posted by the father of the Dutch woman.
Ms Wiyada was confident that hotel occupancy in Krabi would reach 90% next month and Suwat Sitthilor, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports said he would advise the video, which has been viewed more than 325.000 times as of yesterday, in Thailand to be blocked by the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology.
But it gets worse. Chumphol Silapa-Archa, the Minister of Tourism under two governments, raised the question of whether the incident should be considered rape. After all, he reasoned, the woman had eaten in a restaurant with the suspect. This is not only rude, but also illogical. Yes, Minister, women are usually assaulted and raped by men they know.
By government officials, up to the rank of minister, many Thais seem heartless. These officials have essentially tried to pull off an outdated and old trick by reversing the accusation and pointing it at the victim.
The YouTube video is regrettable, of course, but so are the actions of the police, the postponement of the arrest of a known suspect and his speedy bail.
Civil servants must heed calls for justice and ensure that justice takes its course.
Source: October 12, 2012 editorial comment in the Bangkok Post
Thailand is a big corrupt gang. I know because I already live there
many years. The police and justice system barely function. All and everyone
can be bribed. I think it's fantastic what that father has done and I have sympathy
with him and his daughter. I hope that the people of Krabi will finally be completely embarrassed, because that is the only thing they are sensitive to.
It will concern your daughter or granddaughter that this happens, To go out to dinner at the invitation of a Thai boy and then to be used as an object for his lust, disgusting! I am not going to Thailand for 5 years in protest to support this father.
This is really a big shock for the Thai, you don't go for five whole years!!
I hope you understand that this is more for your own feeling than that this really helps? All you do now is tar all Thais with the same brush and blame them all for this one mistake.
There is corruption in every country, the big difference between Thailand and the Netherlands here is that it happens openly in Thailand and everyone knows it, and it happens in the big expensive offices and everyone denies it. So who's crazy here?
@Tak when I read your comment like this I wonder if you still like living in Thailand, especially since you hope that the population will now be embarrassed! I don't understand your response at all. But luckily everyone is entitled to their opinion and you don't always have to agree with each other!
Moderator: An off-topic discussion about corruption is not allowed.
It is easy to say that corruption also occurs in the Netherlands, it occurs everywhere. but you also know that it is thousands of times more common in Thailand and that it is a big problem so the more attention is given to it the better, maybe something will be done about it.
I think the video is a good attack on the mode of justice here. Until this afternoon there were already more than 450.000 hints. I regularly run this video to score some extra hints as support.
Latest News “Evil Man From Krabi”:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/321687/blurred-vision-over-evil-man-from-krabi
Today in Phuket news: the alleged victim has withdrawn the charges, because she has no memory of this incident!
After all that hassle with the video clip of the father, the many comments and also the many reactions to this blog, I still get a bad thought about me: how much would it have cost her in Baht to remain silent and protect the suspect from prosecution?
Is this about the same thing. There is another rape case after that
been to Krabi from a non-Dutch girl. According to the recent articles relate to this and not to the Dutch case with the Evil man of Krabi.
@ Jeroen Hans Gringo It is probably about the Scottish woman. He previously stated that he could not remember anything. Was in my news feed. You read that, don't you?
I'm sorry Dick,
I had and have not seen your message anywhere,
but thanks for clarifying the matter.
regards,
Jeroen
Not a recent post. I think I wrote about it twice. Remarkable similarity: she also had a friend who had returned to their hotel after an alcoholic night.
@ Jeroen Hans Gringo I just looked it up. In the night of February 14 to 15, the Scottish woman in Nakhon Si Thammarat is said to have been assaulted or raped. I paid attention to it in News from Thailand on 17, 21 and 25 February. A good archive is a blessing. That woman immediately stated that she could not remember much because she was drunk.
Moderator: It is now clear that it concerns a different person. So this discussion and rebuke is pointless.