KOH SAMUI, Thailand (18 Jan 2006) -- The brutal murder of Katherine Horton is but the latest in a series of crimes against tourists, adding pressure on the Thai authorities to act as they grapple with the fact that surging tourist volumes often lead to a rise in drug abuse and crime. With tourism contributing about 6 per cent to the country's gross domestic product, maintaining confidence in Thailand as a safe place is critical. The sheer volume of tourists and a surge in drug abuse have sparked concerns about safety on islands like Koh Samui, which received more than 937,000 tourists in 2004. The authorities there are now stepping up security -- including registering fishermen and designating mooring areas for visiting boats. Horton's murder has shocked the local community whose livelihood depends largely on tourism. And it did not end there. Just two weeks after her rape and murder, a 29-year-old woman from Liverpool was raped in Pattaya. A man has been arrested and faces trial after being identified by the victim. Even before Horton's murder, the British Foreign Office was warning female travellers in Thailand to maintain a high level of awareness. Of the average 11 million foreign visitors that Thailand receives each year, some 750,000 are British. The British Embassy in Thailand said nine of its nationals have been murdered since August 2004. One of those cases, which initially sparked controversy over a slow response by Thai police, was resolved this week. Police Sergeant Somchai Wisetsingh was jailed for life for killing Adam Lloyd, 25, and Vanessa Arscott, 24, in Kanchanaburi in September 2004. | | Thai rapists sentenced to death for raping and killing British tourist Katherine Horton. Citing new DNA evidence, the Thai authorities have also reopened the case of 23-year-old Briton Kirsty Jones who was raped and murdered at a Chiangmai guest house in August 2000. Her killer has never been found. "People target foreigners because they are easy marks ... it's not a question of protecting visitors but crime in general. There needs to be a proper, competent law enforcement authority," said analyst Imtiaz Muqbil, Bangkok-based executive editor of Travel Impact News Wire. Most tourism professionals admit there is a seamy side to Thailand which they believe the country puts a gloss over in order to look good. In the post-tsunami year, arrivals fell short of the government's target. But the number of visitors still rose 10 per cent last year to some 12.1 million. In 2004, out of a total of 11.6 million tourists, 5.78 million were first-timers in Thailand -- a 29 per cent increase over the 2003 figure. The number of repeat visitors at 5.8 million in that period was up only 6 per cent. Some 3.6 million East and South-East Asian tourists visited Thailand for the first time in 2004 -- up 22 per cent over 2003. In contrast, repeat visitors grew only 6 per cent. Horton's case, in which two fishermen were sentenced to death on Wednesday (Jan 18), has done little to restore faith in the country's justice system. The speed at which the sentencing of the two fishermen was carried out has also raised eyebrows. SOURCE - The Straits Times |
