Blocking of Krabi video considered
It is possible to block from viewing in Thailand a YouTube video clip produced by the father of a Dutch girl who was reportedly raped in Krabi, permanent secretary of the Tourism and Sports Ministry Suwat Sitthilor said yesterday.
The father was possibly furious due to a misunderstanding. He went on to say that the authorities would try to help the girl’s father understand the situation in order to “rebuild the country’s image”.
In addition, a video clip promoting Thailand as a tourism destination will be produced and distributed among ambassadors of many countries, including the Netherlands, Australia, UK and China, he added.
“I am now consulting with the Information and Communications Technology Ministry about the possibility of blocking the video from being viewed in Thailand,” he added.
Tourism Minister Chumphol Silapa-archa had said earlier that the incident could not be considered rape. He quoted provincial tourism police chief, Pol Maj-General Loi Ingkhaphairoj as saying: “The woman had dinner with the Thai suspect and a foreign man. Later, she told the foreign man to return to the hotel before heading off with the suspect.”
Krabi police said earlier yesterday that they would produce a clip to counter the one produced by the father, because they believe some of the points mentioned are incorrect, provincial police chief Pol Maj-General Nuntadet Yoinuan said yesterday.
The YouTube clip entitled “Evil Man from Krabi” condemns Krabi police for failing to bring justice to his 19-year-old daughter, who was allegedly raped while celebrating her birthday at Ao Nang beach earlier this year.
News reports say that the birthday party was held on July 28 at a bar on Ao Nang beach and that suspect Chumpon Khaonuan had offered to take the girl back to her apartment on his motorbike. In her testimony, the victim told police that she was beaten so badly that she had to stop resisting in order to survive. She was treated for her injuries at a Krabi hospital before she filed a police report and returned to the Netherlands.
Chumpon was arrested on September 20 and released on bail later.
In the video, the father sings: “Evil man of Krabi, we’ve got to put him in jail. Evil man of Krabi, we don’t accept no bail. They let him free, so he can do it again and again. Don’t you feel the pain you put inside my child?” The clip has gone viral on YouTube.
Separately, DPA reported that Western tourists have cancelled a large number of hotel bookings and local tourism authorities are complaining that the clip is affecting their earnings.
RELATED