The families of young tourists who died on Thailand’s notorious Koh Tao island under suspicious circumstances – including that of a Wellington woman – are fighting for justice with a petition to the UK government.
Over the past few years about a dozen young tourists have been murdered or found dead under suspicious circumstances on the resort – dubbed “Death Island”.
The group of grieving relatives includes the parents of Christina Marian Annesley, 23, who was born in Lower Hutt and was found dead in the Koh Tao bungalow where she was staying in January 2015.
“As a follow up to our lovely daughter’s loss three years ago in Koh Tao we have joined with other families who have lost children on that not so lovely Island,” Boyne and Margaret Annesley said.
More – The Thai holiday resort known locally as ‘Murder Island’
More – Petition urging UK Government to investigate Thailand deaths
They think their daughter – whose death is still unexplained – may have died from an alcohol and prescribed medication combination but are now also suspicious it could have been foul play.
“We say this because of the incompetent – at the least – authorities over there.”
Koh Tao is the same island where British couple Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were murdered in 2014.
The Annesleys say Thai police did not interview the last person to see Christina alive while a man arrested then exonerated in the Witheridge/Miller murders – Montriwat Tuwichian – also owned the bungalow where Christina was found dead.
“[Hannah and David] were supposedly killed by the two Burmese but none of their DNA was found on the bodies.
“The UK coroner returned an open verdict because most evidence was not in a good state because of incompetence or deliberate mishandling,” Annesley’s father Boyne said.
Her body was left in a temple for days before a postmortem was done while the UK coroner the Annesleys contacted upon her arrival back home did not accept the Thai results.
The Annesleys were among a group who delivered a petition to British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday calling for better translation services, and for warnings to be issued for countries where multiple young Britons had died.
Last year Britain’s Independent newspaper warned tourists to steer clear of the island, claiming it was in the “iron grip of a mafia family, who demanded protection money, controlled the local police force and were not above attacking or burning down the homes and businesses of people that crossed them.” – Stuff
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