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It's now confirmed that both the dead are British citizens, with confusion arising among island police that the man might be Irish because his passport was not a conventional British passport.has both names but will not release them until relatives have been notified. The man was aged 24, the woman aged 23.PHUKET: Two tourists have been savagely slaughtered in a murder and rape on a small Thai holiday island where residents are today blocking the pier to prevent the killer or killers escaping.Details are still emerging but it's known that the bodies of a young British woman and an Irish man were found early today on a beach at Koh Tao, a small island near the full moon party destination of Koh Phangan, in the Gulf of Thailand.Shocked residents have now blocked the pier at the island to prevent anyone leaving.The woman was found near-naked on a beach and the man was found nearby, with his head severely battered.Residents told police there had been a beach party for about 50 people, mostly foreigners, last night that went into the early morning.Police were scouring the island for signs of the killer or killers.They believe the young man may have been bludgeoned to death with a rock. The woman was still wearing a white bikini top, with her legs splayed.One theory is that the killer or killers may have seen the couple on a beach together after the party, and then pounced.The bodies were found between 4am and 5am.The murders are likely to have a dramatic impact on tourism to Phangan and nearby Samui.