From Andrew Drummond, Bangkok, Sunday September 27
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A 28-year British woman, who hired a taxi driver to take her back to her room on the Thai holiday island of Koh Samui, was instead taken to a coconut plantation, dragged screaming from the car, beaten and then raped,it was claimed today.
After the attack the woman was then robbed of her cash and dumped by the road to walk home.
Today police charged a 21-yr-old local taxi driver with rape and are questioning an accomplice who used his pick-up to dump the woman referred to as ‘Lilly’ (not real name) afterwards and then robbed her of 1,700 Thai baht (£31.60p)
Police on Koh Samui say that the 21-yr-old driver picked up the woman, an English Language teacher, as a fare early on Saturday morning in Chaweang Beach, but drove past the woman’s lodgings in Lamai Beach and took her instead to house in coconut plantation.
“He dragged her out of the car against her will and beat her in the process. He then raped her in the house,” said Deputy Police Commander Paiboon Krajakchan.
Katherine Horton
Paiboon Krajakchan said: “We are treating this matter seriously. It is important that Koh Samui is seen as a safe destination for tourists.”
Koh Samui has been the scene of a number of rapes of British and foreign tourists. The most infamous case was that of Katherine Horton who was raped and murdered on Lamai Beach on New Year’s day 2006 by two fisherman who boasted to friends that she was ‘fun and delicious’.
The fishermen were sentenced to death, reduced later to life imprisonment.
Once again Samui is in the press for the wrong reasons. I love Samui and have many happy memories from my vacations spent there (over a period of ten years)
Now I have second thoughts about travelling there, first the cost of flying with Bangkok air and on arrival seeing the changes that have taken place since my last visit. Samui does not feel like Thailand it’s bacame just like Phuket over Commercialized.
Sorry I know this will upset some people who live there.
Paiboon Krajakchan said: “We are treating this matter seriously. It is important that Koh Samui is seen as a safe destination for tourists.”
Fewer tourists = less revenue from scams = smaller bag for the plod.
No statement from the Royal Thai Police should ever be viewed through any lens but that of their own narrow economic self-interest.
Sorry mate, but you left out the word “allegedly” in your summation. Who knows what really happened.
Corrected mate. tks
I am terribly horrified by these news. I sympathize the victims.They are in the wrong place and in the wrong time.
Any crime can happen anywhere but the terrible rape perpetrated by a taxi driver is a sad sad story.You are suppose to be safe as tourist and as a guest in your tour destination.
I think there are beaches around Asia that are safe, clean and beautiful.
I would suggest that those who want to travel anywhere should have at least a glimpse on the culture and values in certain tourist destination. The net can give you choices…
I know several good beaches in Asia, Boracay is one of the best and safest beaches so far that I have visited.
But I love Thailand on their side street foods.Terrific bargain on clothing too.
ed