NEWS: A death in Thailand

Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
January 30, 2009

THE family of a former Lasswade High teacher murdered in Thailand are planning a special tribute to him.

David Crisp, 56, was found stabbed and beaten at his home in the northern Thai capital of Chiang Mai.

Mr Crisp's brother Andrew today said the family was hoping to organise a tribute to the popular music teacher later in the year.

He also praised the efforts of Thai police who yesterday announced the arrest of two men in connection with the killing.

Mr Crisp said: "The Foreign Office called to tell us that two men had been arrested.

"We are obviously very pleased that progress has been made at this sad time, but it's going to be a while before the full details become clear.

"A number of tributes are being planned for David in the near future, and we also hope to be able to put on our own tribute in the summer. It's still in the very early planning stages at the moment, so I can't say too much at this time."

Lasswade High School has also revealed that it is planning a tribute to Mr Crisp, who moved to the Far East following his early retirement as principal teacher of music at the school.

Lasswade headteacher Albert Jaster added that the school community was "trying to come to terms" with the news of Mr Crisp's death. He added: "It is very sad, very sad."

Thai police yesterday said Mr Crisp was murdered for the equivalent of GBP 100 and a few personal belongings, such as an electronic keyboard, after he upset his hill tribe house guests by complaining about their dirty habits.

At a press conference in Chiang Mai, 22-year-old Awe Ye Piang, a member of the Akha hill tribe whose villages straddle the Burma, Thailand and Laos borders, was paraded before the media.

Police said he had confessed to carrying out the murders with two members of the Shan hill tribe, nicknamed Jack and John.

Police captain Phanudet Booruang said police had tracked down Piang, who had fled to Burma, with the help of border police officers. He was arrested as he crossed the border back into Thailand.

Today, Andrew Crisp said his family had been upset by the number of "unsavoury" reports coming out of Thailand regarding the circumstances of his brother's death, and said the family wanted to mourn in peace.

He added: "We're in constant contact with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office who are treating David's death very seriously - particularly in Thailand - and we are limiting our knowledge of David's death strictly to the FCO reports."

A spokeswoman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed that two men had been arrested. She added: "We will continue to offer consular assistance to the family but it will be up to local police to carry out any enquiries into the crime."