A British tourist has been shot
dead at a New Year's Eve party in
Thailand after getting caught in
the crossfire of a gun fight
between two local gangs.
Stephen Ashton, 22, is said to have
been killed as he danced with
friends at a beach bar on the
island of Koh Phangan.
A Foreign Office spokesman
confirmed the identity of the dead
man as Ashton, and said: "We are
aware of the death of a British
national in Thailand on New Year's
Eve and we are providing consular
assistance to the family."
Police Colonel Kittakarn
Kramomthong, chief of Koh
Phangan station, told the Bangkok
Post that Ashton was with a group
of friends and 300 other tourists at
the 2013 countdown party at the
Zoom Bar on Haad Rin beach when
he was shot by a homemade gun
early on Tuesday.
According to witnesses who spoke
to police investigators, an
argument broke out between two
groups of locals at the Zoom Bar,
one of the many beachside venues
that line Haad Rin.
As one of the men walked away
from the bar he reportedly pulled
out a gun and fired into the
crowd, hitting Ashton in the chest.
Ashton was taken to Bandon
International hospital but could
not be revived.
Map of the Thai island where the
shooting occurred. Credit: Guardian
graphics
The Bangkok Post said Ashton had
been visiting the island with four
or five friends and was staying at
Pink Bungalow near the scene of
the shooting. Koh Phangan has
been a popular destination for
British backpackers and hippies
for decades, but in recent years it
has established itself as a
mainstream party venue with
hundreds of thousands of tourists
from around the world flocking to
the island for its famous "full
moon" parties. Locals had been
bracing themselves for a deluge of
extra tourists at the weekend
because the full moon – which fell
on Friday – coincided with the new
year celebrations.
According to tourism officials,
80,000 turned up for Friday's full
moon party and tens of thousands
more were expected to see in 2013
at Haad Rin.
The island's growing popularity
has led to increased wealth but
also growing security fears in
recent years. The Foreign Office
says seven British nationals have
been murdered in Thailand since
January 2009, and it picks out Koh
Phangan as a potential flashpoint.
Its official travel advice states:
"Western tourists have been
victims of vicious unprovoked
attacks by gangs in Koh Phangan.
These attacks are particularly
common around the time of the
full moon parties and generally
occur late at night near bars in
Haad Rin. Exercise caution when
walking in this area at any time,
especially after dark."
The Bangkok Post said police on
the island launched a search for a
26-year-old suspect shortly after
the shooting. The man had
apparently gone into hiding in the
island's mountainous interior. A
short time later officers were
reported to have made an arrest
and recovered a homemade gun.
Sophie Harwin, a graphics editor
from Surrey, spent New Year's Eve
nearby but had left the area by
the time the shooting occurred. "I
just met someone who said that
loads of people were trying to
save him. Very sad."
Tributes to Ashton were posted on
social networking sites as news of
the shooting spread.
Aaron Kelly wrote on Facebook:
"Horrible news. Be good up there
mate."
Jaydon Gibbs said on Twitter: "My
heart is with his family. The nicest
guy RIP Stephen Ashton xx."
Another Twitter user, Dean
DeRosa, said: "Worst news for the
start of 2013 ! R.I.P Stephen
Ashton ! Was a good lad !!"
Robbie-Cameron Gray took to
Ashton's Facebook page to express
his grief and posted a photograph
of the two of them as young boys.
"Don't want to believe it. Still got
photos of us on my wall from
football and school. Will miss you
mate."
Neighbour Dawn Mason, 48, last
night described Ashton as a "very
normal, likeable young man".
His family moved to Purley, south
London, about three years ago,
she said. "They've always been
very nice neighbours. I went to
the house and the family just seem
in complete shock."
Ashton's mother, Diane, was flying
back to Britain from a skiing trip
following news of her son's death,
Mason said.
Members of Ashton's family said
on Tuesday night they were too
distraught to speak.
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