Security to be enhanced on Koh Tao following murder of two British tourists

[ParadiseLost]

The Thai Prime Minister may appear old-fashioned and even sexist by Western standards, but he has a point. Koh Tao is not Brighton or Bondi Beach or Benidorm, where you can let it nearly all hang out with impunity.

Thai people are modest and self-effacing by nature and individuals who appear to be flaunting their sexuality are commonly regarded as either prostitutes or people of low morality, irrespective of whether they are nationals or foreigners.

A respectable Thai woman would not be seen dead wearing a bikini on a public beach, let alone going topless as some tourists do. Routinely Thai men and women bathe in the sea fully clothed, partly to offset the risk of stings from jelly fish in season, but more generally because it is considered unseemly to expose a lot of naked flesh.

Kissing and fondling in public, which many Westerners regard as normal behavior, is also frowned upon and can have an inflammatory effect on Thai men, many of whom are heavy drinkers and drug takers.

There is no excuse, with all the guide books and internet advice available, for not knowing about the inherent dangers of the Land of Smiles and how to avoid them. The golden rule for visitors and residents alike is "When in Rome. . . "

A good point there - the advice has been in guidebooks for many years - so why the hysterical outpouring of self-righteous indignation when the PM repeats it?