The bodies of two British tourists have been found stripped and bludgeoned to death with a garden hoe on a beach at a popular holiday island in southern Thailand.
The couple – understood to be a 23-year-old woman from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, and a 24-year-old man from Jersey – were found just before 5am today on the isle of Koh Tao, near the famous Full Moon party destination of Ko Pha Ngan.
They are believed to have attended an all-night beach party with up to 50 other people – mostly tourists – before their killers pounced in the early hours, violently attacking them with the digging tool.
The young woman is thought to have been raped.
‘The man was chopped in the back and on the side of his head, while the woman was chopped in her face,’ police chief Prachum Ruangthong said. ‘It’s very gruesome.’
He said the victims’ clothes and a bloodstained hoe were found near the bodies.
Police said they have no immediate suspects and are checking more camera footage in search of the attacker.
‘We don’t know who the suspect might be yet, but we have talked to different witnesses who might lead us to some clues,’ Mr Kiattipong said.
He added that the woman was travelling with three other friends.
An employee at the seaside resort where the pair were staying told AFP the bodies were found behind large rocks on the beach.
‘It was the first time this has happened on the island, I have never seen anything like this,’ the staff member added, requesting anonymity.
Police have also blocked off the local pier – the only way on or off the island – to prevent anyone from leaving, but it is feared the killers might already have got away.
Residents told detectives that there had been a beach party for about 50 people, mostly foreigners, last night that went into the early hours of the morning.
A British Foreign Office spokesman said: ‘We are aware of the death of two British nationals on 15 September on the island of Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand.
‘The Embassy are urgently seeking information from the local authorities and stand by, ready to provide consular assistance to friends and family at this tragic time.’
He said officials are working to contact relatives of both victims to inform them of the tragic news.
Koh Tao, an island in Surat Thani province, is a quieter destination than the neighbouring islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, where ‘full moon’ parties attract travellers from Thailand and abroad.
It lies 250 miles south of Bangkok.
The attack came amid government efforts to revive Thailand’s tourism industry after a military coup in May ended prolonged, sometimes violent political protests. Martial law remains in effect.
Source: Dailymail.co.uk