British tourist Stephen Ashton killed at Koh Phangnan Full Moon Party

News > Crimes

British man killed at countdown party

Published: 1 Jan 2013 at 19.42
Online news: Crimes

SURAT THANI - A 23-year-old British tourist was killed by a stray bullet during a fight involving a group of Thai men in a bar at Koh Phangan's Haad Rin Beach early in the morning of New Year's day.

Stephen Ashton was with a group of friends and 300 other tourists at the 2013 countdown party at a pub and restaurant named Zoom Bar when he was shot by a home-made gun shortly after 4am, Pol Col Kittakarn Kramomthong, chief of Koh Phangan station said.

According to witnesses who spoke to police investigators, two groups of Thai customers numbering between five and seven got into an argument which escalated into a fistfight in the crowded bar. One of the groups ran out of the bar and one man turned and fired a shot back into the bar, causing panic and chaos.

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DonAleman
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Discussion 23 : 06 Jan 2013 at 12.1923
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Not in law enforcement, not in the military ? Have a gun or,a knife with the blade exceeding 3 inches - go to jail for TEN, ( 10 ), years ! just for having same in your possession or vehicle.
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watchdog
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Discussion 22 : 05 Jan 2013 at 20.5522
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This will happen again. There will be more press about how dangerous Thailand really is for tourists. The efforts of Thai authorities to sweep this sort of stuff under the rug to protect the tourism business rather than going after the Thai mafias responsible for these tragedies has garnered world attention. The world sees a pattern. All of the dissembling about how Thailand "really isn't that dangerous" will be entirely ineffective. The repetitive reports of foreign tourists getting scammed, maimed and killed cannot be denied and the internet cannot be stopped. Thailand: wake up!
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Bangon
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Discussion 21 : 03 Jan 2013 at 17.3921
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Haad Rin is one of the most dangerous places there are, on the planet, for partying young people. Period. These parties, even praised by TAT, are pure evil and decadence: bad alcohol by the bucket, drugs of all kinds soft and hard, old and new, sex and perversion everywhere, scams, thieves, brawls, fights, murders, and many 'accidents'! All for the greed of the local mafia, the police(?!) and Israelian 'businessmen'. Buddhist Thailand should ban all of this garbage!
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mutley
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Discussion 20 : 03 Jan 2013 at 15.5420
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I must agree with Disc.18 here I'm afraid and I've visited over 40 countries. Why not try Somalia or Nigeria where you can be killed for 'looking at someone in a funny way'. The most dangerous thing about Thailand is the appalling driving standards of the average Thai driver. That's not to say that something shouldn't be done about people carrying guns and knives around however.
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patchar
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Discussion 19 : 03 Jan 2013 at 08.4719
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To D18, yes, this can happen everywhere but please don't try to tell me that Thailand is more safer than other countries. Maybe you havn't been to other places ecept here in Thailand. What we are trying to say is that tourist coming here should aalso be careful if they don't like thngs like this to happen to them. pretty sure this news should be publish worldwide for the people to know that Thailand is not a safe as heaven to live in. Ok. Don't try to deceive people to believing that thailand is like heaven Ok.
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pointman-1
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Discussion 18 : 02 Jan 2013 at 21.5118
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The Kingdom of Thailand, is a much safer place than most other countries in this world. Furthermore and in my opinion, Thai people aren't normally, violent people. The sad part is,this type of thing can happen anywhere.
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bluebottle
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Discussion 17 : 02 Jan 2013 at 20.2917
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I see in the UK news the suspect is clamming the gun went of by accident but why carry a gun in the first place if you do not intend using it.Dose it make him feel big well I guess he dose not feel big now.Another nail in the tourism coffin.The recent money invested has just been thrown down the drain by this act of mindless stupidity.
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OldThaiHand
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Discussion 16 : 02 Jan 2013 at 19.1516
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This story is now being broadcast on BBC World, as the police have arrested a suspect.

Mention was again made that the police are concerned about their reputation. It's a little late for that.

I hope that these types of stories being made so public will stop tourists coming here and teach the Thais a lesson about actions and consequences.
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patchar
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Discussion 15 : 02 Jan 2013 at 18.3615
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What help we can do is to inform the tourists to be more careful as Thailand is not safe place same as in other places outside Thailand. Deadly weapon such as knife, guns and the likes should not be allowed inside a bar to avoid things like this to happen again.
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whatajoke
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Discussion 14 : 02 Jan 2013 at 08.3414
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A tragic accident that could have and does occur anywhere in the world, you're in a country that is mostly peaceful but there's a higher than usual risk of someone pulling out a gun and firing indiscriminately, be it road rage, ego stomped on, bar fight...it's yet another blot on Thailand's tourism copy book since this sort of thing makes the news, and the guy might not have used his gun if he was in a country where the police let this sort of thing happen with impunity.
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British tourist Stephen Ashton killed at Koh Phangnan Full Moon Party | Bangkok Post: news

British man killed at countdown party

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