Tourism in the coastal province of Krabi has been hit by a video clip of a Dutch father whose 19-year-old daughter was raped earlier this year, Krabi Tourism Association president Ittirat Kinglek said.
He underlined this by reporting tourist cancellations by five stars hotels in Krabi. Especially tourists from England and a number of other European countries refrained from visiting Krabi because they were concerned about their safety.
Video on Youtube
The video in question was posted on YouTube two weeks ago and has spread rapidly. Many tourists now have a wrong impression of Krabi. He was referring to “Evil Man from Krabi”, a video clip, in which a father says his daughter was raped on her 19th birthday in Ao-Nang Beach. The victim's father, a Dutch singer, made the clip. With the protest song he demands justice for his daughter. The father is furious because a Thai guide, who was arrested and allegedly first confessed to raping his daughter, was later released on bail after he retracted his confession.
Protest
The clip is a hit in Europe and already had 81.126 page views yesterday after it was posted on the internet two weeks ago.
The responsible police chief Pol Col Jongrak Timthong made it clear that it was not the police who let him go just like that. The suspect denied all charges in court and was subsequently released on bail. “His denial could mean that a year or maybe even two years will pass before the case comes up again.”
The police chief further noted that the father of course has the right to protest against the course of events.
In the clip, the father tells the story of what happened. His daughter was in a bar in Ao-Nang to celebrate her birthday. Afterwards, the suspect offered to take her back to her apartment on his motorbike. On the way, he used violence and raped her. She told the police that she resisted fiercely at first but stopped because she was afraid he would kill her. Before she could return to the Netherlands, she had to be treated for her injuries at the local hospital, according to the police report.
Important lesson
Local TAT director Ittirit further noted that the video should be an important lesson for the authorities involved. One should always try to solve a matter instead of ignoring it. Tourists who get into trouble should be helped from start to finish so they don't feel like they're on their own. Governments must be transparent so that affected tourists know what is being done to help them. He added that the video will certainly have a negative impact on tourism in Krabi province for quite some time to come.
Video clip “Evil Man from Krabi”
For those who haven't seen the video clip in question yet, you can watch it here: youtu.be/GRErWjo809g
Bit strange this. Tourism would suffer because of a video clip of an angry father according to TAT. It seems to me rather that the cause of this lies with the rape and not with the angry father. Does the TAT believe that people are canceling their vacations for fear of seeing angry dads on the beach?
I think the cancellations need not be so much out of fear as out of a form of protest against the unfairness of the handling of this case and out of sympathy for father and daughter.
Another case like many in Thailand that shows incompetence and another very well known fact of the Police. That is the cause of the decline in tourism.
Of course it has an influence if tourists cannot go out safely and have to fear for their safety and in addition, the Thai legal system and the representatives of the law have a very bad reputation. very unfortunate, hopefully it will improve very well. Because Thailand is such a beautiful country and has a lot to offer for tourism.
Another story about Krabi, I knew a guy there (Kai) who had been running Questhouse Namo for almost 2 years. I thought I met a friend there once??? I had a restaurant in Koh Lipe (very south of Thailand) and had a boat built because my big dream is bigg game fisching. But due to the bad business in Koh Lipe I had to come back to Belgium. In good faith I gave my boat into the hands of Kai (Thai man) because I could not sell my boat myself and could not take my boat with me to Belgium!!! I promised him 10 percent of the sales value of my boat. So I left everything in Krabi GPS depth sounder keys and papers from the boat. And I started working again in Belgium. Once in Belgium I couldn't make any contact with Kai, not by phone or by email! So I already felt wet, 3 months later I flew back to Thailand to find out what had happened to my boat. And guess what, he sold it and fled to Surat Thani! I got my lesson once and for all.
Moderator: last sentence removed. A negative experience does not automatically mean that 65 million Thai people are no good.
The number of assaults and rapes or attempted rapes have been rampant lately. Also last month an attempt to rape a tourist from Israel on the beach of Koh Phangan during the full moon party and a girl on Koh Samui,
who was nearly raped by a drugged minibus driver.
This, in addition to fights and shootings, robberies, burglaries and other thefts, will not do tourism any good in the long term. Thailand used to be a relatively safe country, but unfortunately that has changed a lot recently.
Lately I see the Thais smiling less and less. 🙂
But it is sad that the authorities are not doing a proper job of it. Mai penrai mentality.
Good way to make your voice heard and believe me, the Thai don't like this and they won't accept this and just let it pass.
By the way; well sung and it sounds good to the ears.
Obviously terrible what happened. And good action from Dad.
It will certainly put pressure on the authorities.
But also a lesson: tell your daughter to watch out for strange men.
Because no matter how sweet and kind he may seem, he can be a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Recommendation: either go out with a trusted friend and return together, otherwise take a registered taxi (probably a bit more trustworthy).
Under the motto: “better safe than sorry”.
Moderator: Removed the last paragraph. Details are irrelevant.
With all due respect to the moderator:
I think the last paragraph is really relevant.
Her attitude probably saved her life!
The photo of the suspected perpetrator is shown in the video in question. In the Bangkok Post there is an article that the suspect no longer dares to leave his house and that there are Thai people who want to hire a hit man to help him to another world.
That's the other side of the coin.
Mind you, it's terrible what happened and I understand everyone's anger. But you are not guilty until it has been legally and convincingly proven and a judge has ruled. Until then, you're a suspect.
What if everyone puts videos on Youtube and a photo of an innocent person is accidentally shown?
Thailand would do well to stop bailing suspects of serious crimes such as murder and rape. Then such excesses can be prevented.
I totally agree with you Hun Peter. I wonder if the victim recognized this man in a confrontation or something. (I don't know) In Thailand, more people have confessed to things under pressure that they did not appear to have committed.
Peter,
I do not always agree with you, but in this case I support you 100%, I have also written before that a suspect can only be regarded as a perpetrator when he has been convicted by the court, that reaction was then unfortunately removed.
In my opinion, even that man, like everyone else, has the right to a fair trial without prejudice, you have a chance that he will be convicted just to appease the public anger
Let's face it, quite a rape case, for one reason or another, made up and/or the charges later dropped by the victim, I've been following the whole story and I wonder how they 100% can definitely recognize ( dark, stress situation and let's be honest one Thai often looks just like the other Thai, clothing, hair color etc.)
Lex K.
@ Lex K. I unfortunately disagree with your last paragraph. I think she will certainly be able to recognize him very well. They had a drink together in a bar. So I wonder if you followed it correctly.
Made up doesn't seem like an option to me either because she was abused.
What matters to me is that you should not publicly 'hang' a suspect before he has been to court and the case has been dealt with. That's just how the legal system is.
@Peter
I copied and pasted this from Thailandblog, it was one of the first reports on this case, nothing to be found about the fact that she had drunk something with the alleged perpetrator
Quote"
A 19-year-old Dutch tourist was raped on Krabi on Saturday night.
The woman was with her Dutch boyfriend in a bar in Ao Nang, but after an argument she walked back to her accommodation alone. On the way, she was attacked by a man and raped. She resisted fiercely and received a number of blows from the man. The Thai police suspect a 30-year-old man from Surat Thani and expect to be able to arrest him soon, Thai media report.
end quote
Lex K.
@ Yes, that was the first post. Later, more details appeared in the media, as so often.
Dear Lex K. If you have followed the story as well as you write at 23.29:XNUMX PM, why do you come up with quotes? It would be better for all fellow bloggers if you have been following the story closely to write down what could be wrong with previous reporting, because that will help us.
Dear Matt,
I never said that I followed the story “well”, I have compared the story from various sources and I notice that there are a number of contradictions.
I don't presume guilt or innocence, it is an accusation made by that woman against a man, the judge will have to determine whether he is guilty or not guilty, but at this point he has already been judged by public opinion and the commotion declared guilty.
To your question why I come up with quotes? Thailandblog is experienced by most people as a reliable source of information, which is why I quote from Thailandblog on Thailandblog.
in my circle of acquaintances, someone was once wrongly accused of sexual abuse, despite the fact that the charges were withdrawn and the declarant stated that she had made a false report, his whole life and career were ruined.
I'm not saying this woman is making a false accusation, but if you read and reread the story carefully, including from multiple sources, you'll see that there are a few gaps and inconsistencies in the story and then publicly shame someone , while guilt or innocence is not yet established, goes against my right feeling, by the way rape is also against my sense of justice, let there be no doubt about that.
Regards,
Lex K.
@ Lex, obviously. But we also have to rely on what appears in the English-language Thai media. And as you know, they are not always reliable either. The remark that there are gaps and contradictions may be related to the reporting. Only after you read the police report can you suggest such a thing. Judging by some articles in the press, it seems wrong to me.
@ Peter,
totally agree with you and no one responding here has read the police report.
It therefore seems sensible to me not to react too primitively and yet to maintain a certain kind of objectivity.
No one knows exactly what happened, we can only rely on the woman's story, because in this case the story of the man (alleged perpetrator) is not discussed, there was no hearing and rebuttal and that is one of the the pillars of a right-wing state.
About the story that the family of the man (alleged perpetrator) tried with money to have the charges withdrawn, you cannot see this as an admission of guilt, this is a fairly normal course of events in Thailand, at the time there is a police investigation, the suspect's family suffers a loss of face and especially if it is a "well-to-do" family, the image damage can be considerable, it is quite common that the suspect's family tries to press charges even if there is no fault or intent at all.
Groet
Lex K.
Dear Lex
You say no one read the police report.
That is not possible yet, that is not there yet. They are busy at the moment
to turn the matter in their favour. And on the basis of that they prepare a beautiful police report. The outcome is guessable. And I think it can go in the trash.
You are talking about the pillars of the judiciary.
Yes in Thailand the justice system rests on four pillars corruption power influence and money.
Judgments of the judiciary often have nothing to do with law.
Where you suddenly get your confidence in that judiciary from is a mystery to me.
I completely agree with you that you should not convict someone before it has actually been established that he is guilty.
But that determination will certainly not depend on a Thai police report.
Wand even if he will be found guilty you can also have your doubts about that
It only just explains which corner is coming with the greatest pressure.
Sincerely, Keith
I totally agree with Peter. Every day I make the News from Thailand section, based on messages in Bangkok Post. I regularly encounter contradictions and incorrect information - sometimes even in the same message, sometimes very stupid such as the wrong birthday date of the Queen - and calculation errors.
Bangkok Post has as motto The newspaper you can trust. I advocate changing that to The newpaper you can sometimes trust.
Today on Thaivisa.com:
KRABI: — It is possible to block from viewing in Thailand a YouTube video clip produced by the father of a Dutch girl who was allegedly raped in Krabi, permanent secretary of the Tourism and Sports Ministry Suwat Sitthilor said yesterday.
Tourism Minister Chumphol Silapa-archa had said earlier that the incident could not be considered rape. He quoted provincial tourism police chief, Pol Maj-General Loi Ingkhaphairoj as saying: “The woman had dinner with the Thai suspect and a foreign man. Later, she told the foreign man to return to the hotel before heading off with the suspect.”
PHUKET: — The president of the Krabi Tourism Association has denounced the police for their handling of a rape case, accusing the local authorities of a failed cover-up that has now backfired and is costing local resorts lost revenues through booking cancellations by tourists.
The daily news also features an article of a “gang sex attack” near an expensive resort in ao nang. A friend tries to defend his girlfriend against an attack. It is probable that this also has a great influence on some of the cancellations. Incidentally, the friend was badly beaten, but the girl was not raped.
This case has indeed been widely reported in the English press.
These messages probably had more effect on the cancellations,
then, the otherwise very good video of the Dutch singer.
Thaivisa.com has also been extensively reported.
Thai police have posted their own video on Youtube!!
“The police video countering allegations made in the youtube video “Evil Man from Krabi” has, for some reason, been posted without an English translation. Here it is:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-together/320867/thai-english-transcript-of-the-truth-from-krabi