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UPDATE Body Found Off Koh Tao May Be Missing Swiss Snorkeller
By Chutima Sidasathian Monday, November 10, 2014
A body was found in the sea between Koh Tao and Koh Phangan on Tuesday. Suter Hanspeter, 44, disappeared at the weekend as he went snorkelling on Koh Tao.
PHUKET: A Swiss holidaymaker is missing, feared drowned, after failing to return to the beach from a snorkelling outing at the island of Koh Tao on the weekend.
Marine Police and scuba divers were searching for the 44-year-old man today off the holiday destination where British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered in September.
''The missing man went snorkelling alone off Sairee beach,'' said Lieutenant Sangroj Somrojratana, of Koh Tao Police Station. ''His friend expected him back on the beach about 5pm.''
The man had been reported missing about 2am, Lt Sangroj said. He was wearing a pair of orange trunks and using a single fin, police had been told.
The brutally murdered bodies of Ms Witheridge, 23, and Mr Miller, 24, were found in a rocky alcove at the beach in September.
Two Burmese men charged with rape and murder have since retracted their confessions and say they were beaten by police.
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Comments
Comments have been disabled for this article.
Any connection with the murdered couple? If not, the reporting is worthy of some of the English tabloids.
Posted by
stevenl
on
November 10, 2014 12:53
Editor Comment:
Placing the location is an important point, especially so soon after the murders, even if there is no direct link. I suggest you take your tabloid imagination to the tabloids and stay there, stevenl. You add no value here.
There needs to be a better code of practice for snorkeling similar to diving. If the man was expected back at 5 p.m., why wait till 2 a.m. to report him missing.
Posted by
Logic
on
November 10, 2014 13:39
Editor Comment:
Many people turn up, Logic, after the due time. A good friend would maybe ask around, check with hospitals etc before reporting someone missing. 24 hours is the usual time for police to accept the person is genuinely ''missing.''
I also fail to see the relevance of bringing up the topic of the recent gruesome murders on Koh Tao with the story of a missing snorkler. No connection whatsoever, other than coincidentally being on the same, small, popular diving spot.
But then again, after reading this online paper for many years, I have gotten used to the fact that the Editor always has to be right and always has to have the last word on any discussion.
It's sad, really.
Posted by
Hugh
on
November 10, 2014 16:35
Editor Comment:
This article is about a man's sad and possibly tragic disappearance. The fact you fixate on my response and the coincidental fact that another tragedy took place there recently makes you look about two inches tall. That's what's sad, really.
Very much agree with Stevenl and Hugh - no need for the mention of the murders in the manner you have done.
If this is the standard you are holding yourself too i suggest every time you write an article about Phuket maybe you can drop a paragraph in about the Jet Skis or some recent murder.
Posted by
Phuket Saviour
on
November 11, 2014 08:47
Editor Comment:
Total rubbish, PS, you're following the other dills like a sheep. Perhaps you haven't noticed, but there's enormous emphasis on tourism safety in Thailand right now and it would be remiss of us as journalists not to mention that this man's disappearance follows a double murder at the same beach. Don't you get it? Those who complain about such things are pure dingbats, incapable of seeing past their own large, warty bottlenoses. If you wish to go through life without knowledge of the recent past, good luck. But don't tell us to lower our standards to yours.
(moderated)
Posted by
Matt
on
November 11, 2014 09:50
Editor Comment:
Your pronouncements are devoid of value, Matt.
Don't like PW? Move on. Problem solved.
dont see the problem with all these commentors, we know the locale from the murders not that anyone has probably been there
most of them don't move off there bar stools or shop tables.
Posted by
Michael
on
November 11, 2014 11:52
I see mentioning the murders as completely relevant. After all they are not solved yet, happened very recently and koh tao is a very small community. I would be surprised had it not been mentioned.
Posted by
R.G.
on
November 11, 2014 12:28
Editor Comment:
Thank you for speaking up, RG. Clearly, our detractors don't take the safety of tourists very seriously. We do.
I see nothing wrong with linking the two events, the gruesome murder of two tourists with the disappearance of a snorkeler. I hope they find the missing snorkeler alive. I really do. I love how the editor called the beach "Murders Beach." I hope it continues to be called that by the press. I'd say it deserves its reputation.
Posted by
Bangkok Diver
on
November 11, 2014 13:01
44 of Age, may expect good health condition for just snorkeling. However, we all are "human of 1 day", as they say. Just look what was the current between 2 and 5pm, search that area only. People without having a torch with them not snorkel after sunset. Actually 3 hours snorkeling with a single fin is already a long water session.
Posted by
Kurt
on
November 11, 2014 13:06
Wake Up Call.
WE still don't know who killed Ms. WI the ridge & Mr. Miller. Maybe or maybe better mentioned most likely 2 innocent youngsters from Birma in jail and nailed for a crime they did maybe/most likely NOT commit.
PHUKETWAN keeps again our Eyes open. It seems that all people who comments NEMAIL on this article forget an relevant fact here.
Posted by
phuketgreed
on
November 11, 2014 13:07
@ed - you are a tough man at the end of your keyboard.
I suspect you wouldnt be so tough standing in front of me calling me names and insulting your readers all because they challenge you.
Posted by
Phuket Saviour
on
November 11, 2014 13:48
Editor Comment:
I'm tough enough when I need to be, PS, which probably is in an entirely different context to your huffing and puffing. I actually find people who get upset about the trivial things in life quite disturbing. Those who cannot distinguish between real life and the anonymous, fake world of internet commentary . . . well, that's really disturbing.
@editor, agree on all you wrote back. almost all of these negative responses regarding the murder beach events are written in feat of these individuals, to loose on their personal investments. i guess we must not wait for long for other coincidences...
Posted by
sky
on
November 12, 2014 01:52
It is definitely a need to name the place where this tragic took place and it's also needed to mention what was going on recently on that islands. Nothing wrong with this.
Posted by
swiss
on
November 12, 2014 02:03
whilst watching a bbc report about an explosion in which a father and daughter survived, the report mentioned the tragic loss of life (4 years earlier) of firefighters from the same attending station.. will the ed's detractors be contacting the bbc to accuse them of tabloid journalism??
Posted by
another steve
on
November 20, 2014 06:27
I am basically agreeing that this ONE case MAY have nothing to do with the other killings. But what I WOULD like to draw the attention to is that: 4 more deaths happened on Koh Tao since this. Around 5 people went MISSING - and last seen on Koh Tao for the last 1 year. Around 3 people DIED - NOT far away from the couple - under what in other countries would be "not normal" circumstances - Ok hanging yourself with hands tied to the back is just ONE example og around 5 examples since these killings.
So please do not give up this case. Please
Posted by
BC
on
February 9, 2015 01:32
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Any connection with the murdered couple? If not, the reporting is worthy of some of the English tabloids.
Posted by stevenl on November 10, 2014 12:53
Editor Comment:
Placing the location is an important point, especially so soon after the murders, even if there is no direct link. I suggest you take your tabloid imagination to the tabloids and stay there, stevenl. You add no value here.