Krabi tourism hit by viral video clip

Tourism in the seaside province of Krabi was badly affected after a video clip produced by a Dutch pop singer singing about his 19-year-old daughter's rape in the province went viral, Krabi Tourism Association president Ittirat Kinglek said yesterday.

Ittirat said he had been told that many tourists had cancelled their bookings at certain five-star hotels in Krabi because they were not confident about the security.

The official was referring to a video clip called "Evil Man from Krabi", in which the Dutch father sings about his daughter being raped during her birthday party at a hotel in Krabi's Ao Nang Beach.

The father made this clip to campaign for justice after the tourist guide, who was arrested for reportedly raping the teenager, had been freed on bail and later retracted his confession.

The clip posted on YouTube two weeks ago had been viewed 81,126 times as of press time yesterday.

Meanwhile, Phuket Wan online quoted the Deputy Commander of Krabi police, Pol Colonel Jongrak Timthong, as saying the suspect had been granted bail after he denied the charges in court.

"His retraction means the court could take a year or even two years to issue a verdict," Jongrak said, adding that the father was free to protest.

According to the website, the birthday party had been held at a bar on Ao Nang and that the suspect had offered to take the girl back to her apartment on his motorbike. In her testimony, the victim told the police that she was being beaten so badly that she had to stop resisting in order to survive. She was treated for her injuries at Krabi Hospital before she filed a police report and returned to the Netherlands.

Ittirit said this video was an important lesson for the authorities concerned and should teach them to always try and solve each case. He said all tourists facing problems should be helped at every step of the way so they do not feel abandoned.

The authorities should not cover up any information about the case so visitors know what is being done to help them. He admitted that this video would definitely hurt the province's tourism industry for a long time to come.