Thai pirate murder - the aftermath (updated)

by Nancy Knudsen on 28 Mar 2009 The ragged teenagers who bludgeoned a cruising sailor to death in Thailand may never be tried, and British sailors with the dream of sailing the world are thinking again. This is the aftermath of the latest 'pirate' attack which resulted in the death of British sailor Malcolm Robertson.

For nine years the Robertsons had roamed the world in their yacht Mr Bean in Britain's winter months, relishing the journey. They had sailed many remote areas, crossed several oceans, and were enjoying the wild anchorages of the Tarutao National Park, around 40 nautical miles off the coast of southern Thailand. When Burmese teenagers dressed in rags swam to their boat, wanting to rob them, Malcolm Robertson resisted.

That was, apparently, his mistake.

Mrs Robertson told the BBC she believed her husband's decision to stand up to the men may have cost him his life.

'He was not the sort of man that would just sit back and let things happen. I wish really that he had been.'

But now, owing to the processes of Thai law, the three teenagers, who were arrested soon after the attack while still in the Robertson's broken-down dinghy, may never be tried because the body has not been found.

'I can't believe the decision by prosecutors,' she said. 'I am in a state of total disbelief. These young men were almost caught red-handed. They confessed to everything. The police even have the bloodstained murder weapon. Yet there is no murder charge, not even a manslaughter charge. It's incredible.' Currently the three Burmese have only been charged with theft, assault and kidnap.

During the attack Mrs Robertson had been tied up and locked in her cabin, listening helplessly to the attack and the 'picnic' afterwards as the boys rifled their stores. When she managed to escape and came on deck, the Burmese boys were still in sight in the dinghy belonging to the yacht. She quickly upped anchor and drove towards some fishermen in their boats, calling for help on the radio at the same time.

The couple's four children have flown to Thailand to support Mrs Robertson while she testifies in court.

Meanwhile back in Britain, would-be cruisers are thinking again. When reports of the attack reached the pubs and clubs of Britain it caused much grieving and debate. Many silver-haired British cruisers dream of taking off and sailing around the world to get away from grey skies and gas bills, and for them the story is a sobering reminder of the dangers.

One experienced cruiser, Richard Titchener offered well-trained advice to the Times: 'The important thing is not to let anyone on board. A fire extinguisher can be useful. If you come out of your cabin carrying a gun, you have got to shoot,' he said. 'Better not to have a gun, but come out with hands in the air, shut your eyes, put your head down, act inconspicuous. These people only want money – so leave some dollars and credit cards in the cabin, and let them take it.'

In the meantime the scene of the tragedy, the Adang Archipelago lies, as it always did, a quiet dream escape from the busy mainland of Thailand.

In the last ice age, the seas rose, isolating the archipelago and as a result many of the mammal species have bred as distinct sub-species. 140 species of birds make their homes here, and the larger islands have dense deciduous forests, mangrove forests and spectacular coastlines. People come from all over the world to dive the underwater gardens.

Now they hold a secret which they seem reluctant to divulge, the location of the body of Malcolm Robertson.

Editor's Note: On March 30 the body of Malcolm Robertson was located by a fisherman near Lipeh Island, one of the islands of Thailand's Taruato Marine National Park.