Hunt for killers of British pair goes on after Thai police free Myanmar suspects

[Nickymaster]

""We have to look into the behaviour of the other party too because this kind of incident should not happen to anybody and it has affected our image," so what "behaviour" is that? Having a holiday in Thailand or getting in the way of violent people?

He's implying they had public sex / nudity. So he is saying its OK to murder and rape someone because some Thai's sensibilities were offended. Sickening... I hope the western press have gotten a hold of this. Anyway, this PM is hardly representative of the majority of Thais....how can an unelected PM be anything else?

cheap shot. A post full of emotions. Drama queen. Shame on you.

Really? Hope it never happens to your child!

another cheap shot. Stop it! I am not justifying anything. I Just ask people to stop blowing up statements.

[NongKhaiKid]

I am disgusted that the PM of any country could utter such words. Reprehensible

I also find his comment total disgusting, insensitive and insulting to the family. Blaming the victims is sickening and his comment was aired on Australian ABC News this morning and has been discussed on 3AW radio where a number of people have voiced thier disgust. The P.M has caused far more damage to Thailands reputation than these two inocent victims ever did. The P.M needs to imeadiately make a full and public apology to the families to try and restore Thailands image but that will probably be a severe loss of face.

The lowest of Low

So accurate !

In the last 24 hours i have had an e-mail from a friend in New York, married to a Thai lady, commenting on all the adverse reaction he has seen and suggesting it has probably been banned here.

I also had a call from my best pal in Wales, due here later in the year and who knows the country well, to say it's big news in Britain and Thai statements etc are being treated with a mixture of disbelieve and ridicule.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

This is positive news.

Fred, is that u?

[BestBitterPhuket]

In Malaysia, crimes committed by Malaysians on tourists, are punished harder than a Malaysian on Malaysian crime, because it is considered a not only a crime against the individual but also against national interests. In Thailand, my impression is that crimes on tourists and foreigners committed by Thais, are hardly punished at all. The jet ski operators in Phuket who used weapons to beat up a customer and got away with a fine. Cases like this will embolden some Thais to commit crimes on tourists because they know they can get away off easy. For the visitors, they should know that they can't get justice in Thailand unless it's a high profile case. This attitude has to change immediately, if Thailand wants to salvage it's tourist industry and image.

[chooka]

On Tuesday, Thai junta chief and prime minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha appeared to call into question the victims' conduct in addition to the perpetrators of the attack.

"We have to look into the behaviour of the other party too because this kind of incident should not happen to anybody and it has affected our image," he told reporters, referring to the two tourists.

Thai authorities were working "swiftly" to find the killers, he added.

The family of David Miller said he had been in Thailand on a "well-deserved break" in between finishing a degree in civil and structural engineering at Leeds University in June and starting a masters.

Miller, a "talented" artist who had been due to leave Thailand on Tuesday, was "hard-working, bright, conscientious, with everything to look forward to", his family said in a statement issued by the British Foreign Office.

"We all adored him," the statement read. "He will be sorely, sorely missed."

Koh Tao, home to stunning white sand beaches and azure waters, is popular with divers but is smaller and more laid-back than neighbouring Koh Phanga, which draws hordes of backpackers to its hedonistic "full moon" party.

Speaking later, Prayut said Thais must tell "tourists when the safe times are to be outside, we have to help them understand."

If he really said this, one is at a loss for words. So, now it is irresponsible to be outside at night time. A couple can no longer go to the beach at night. Is this really what he is saying? If so, is he admitting that Thailand is unsafe at night? Is he saying that this place has become so unpredictable, that there is now a safe time and an unsafe time, to be outside? What can one say? Looks like he needs a PR person to vet his comments.

I believe Prayuth is trying to say that it is dangerous to have some romance on a beach in the middle of the night. Many desperate workers (people) around who might get aroused by that and might do dangerous things.

That's how i understand it.

Nicky you appear to be the only person who finds the comment of the P.M acceptable.

[smutcakes]

On Tuesday, Thai junta chief and prime minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha appeared to call into question the victims' conduct in addition to the perpetrators of the attack.

"We have to look into the behaviour of the other party too because this kind of incident should not happen to anybody and it has affected our image," he told reporters, referring to the two tourists.

Thai authorities were working "swiftly" to find the killers, he added.

The family of David Miller said he had been in Thailand on a "well-deserved break" in between finishing a degree in civil and structural engineering at Leeds University in June and starting a masters.

Miller, a "talented" artist who had been due to leave Thailand on Tuesday, was "hard-working, bright, conscientious, with everything to look forward to", his family said in a statement issued by the British Foreign Office.

"We all adored him," the statement read. "He will be sorely, sorely missed."

Koh Tao, home to stunning white sand beaches and azure waters, is popular with divers but is smaller and more laid-back than neighbouring Koh Phanga, which draws hordes of backpackers to its hedonistic "full moon" party.

Speaking later, Prayut said Thais must tell "tourists when the safe times are to be outside, we have to help them understand."

If he really said this, one is at a loss for words. So, now it is irresponsible to be outside at night time. A couple can no longer go to the beach at night. Is this really what he is saying? If so, is he admitting that Thailand is unsafe at night? Is he saying that this place has become so unpredictable, that there is now a safe time and an unsafe time, to be outside? What can one say? Looks like he needs a PR person to vet his comments.

I believe Prayuth is trying to say that it is dangerous to have some romance on a beach in the middle of the night. Many desperate workers (people) around who might get aroused by that and might do dangerous things.

That's how i understand it.

Nicky you appear to be the only person who finds the comment of the P.M acceptable.

Stop it stop it stop it Chooookaaaa, stop being mean to the PM, stop misrepresenting him, because Nickymaster would never misrepresent anything about other political figures..............

[Strangebrew]

If I may make a suggestion the weapon used was a hoe in all my time here I never seen a farang buy a gardening tool. Now I know I'm not at every store in the nation 24-7 but I think I would be focusing in on Thai's now. Since there use to police calling all death's of farang's suicide. and end of search. I'm sure the tool used has dirt on it and other residue which can narrow where tool came from. But that would entail the police to use there brain's which is new for them. Finger prints other blood from who committed this crime. Stop looking for scapegoat and do some real police work or ask The US embassy allow the FBI take charge and solve this crime. Instead of bad mouthing these kids for enjoying they lives the way they may or may not have. There's no proof they were having sex on the beach unless the police have video tape. Judge not less you be Judged Honorable PM general no disrespect but maybe you were misunderstood in what you meant. If these were your children you would demand justice So do same for them.

[worgeordie]

Thats one of my worries about living in Thailand,my family or i getting

murdered,then having the bumbling Thai police trying to solve the murder,

its a big surprise that they did not blame the usual suspects,the Burmese,

the Cambodians,maybe they will pick one ,when they cannot find the real

murderer (s)

regards Worgeordie

[smutcakes]

MURDERS

This is new information. If you look at 0.28 of the original video you will see the suspect walking all over the crime scene.

sorry, I can't find it now...can someone help with this link-forgot the suspect is the scruffy young guy asian appearance w black t shirt

In the other paper the picture of the suspect appears to be topless.

[spidermike007]

This is what is being quoted on the BBC.

The country's Prime Minister, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, said: "This should not have happened in Thailand. It will affect our image in the eyes of international countries."

Can you believe this? Not, we feel terrible for the families of these victims. Not, we cannot imagine what this loss must feel like for the parents and family. Not, we want to tell the families we will do everything in our power to apprehend these criminals. But, it will affect out image in the eyes of the international countries? What is an international country anyway? Has this man ever been outside of Thailand? Does he not know that all countries are international? There are statements he could have made that would have made him look far more intelligent, and genuinely concerned for the safety and welfare of tourists. This statement did not convey any of that. Guess he is a military man. Diplomacy is very obviously not his strong suit.

[smutcakes]

If I may make a suggestion the weapon used was a hoe in all my time here I never seen a farang buy a gardening tool. Now I know I'm not at every store in the nation 24-7 but I think I would be focusing in on Thai's now. Since there use to police calling all death's of farang's suicide. and end of search. I'm sure the tool used has dirt on it and other residue which can narrow where tool came from. But that would entail the police to use there brain's which is new for them. Finger prints other blood from who committed this crime. Stop looking for scapegoat and do some real police work or ask The US embassy allow the FBI take charge and solve this crime. Instead of bad mouthing these kids for enjoying they lives the way they may or may not have. There's no proof they were having sex on the beach unless the police have video tape. Judge not less you be Judged Honorable PM general no disrespect but maybe you were misunderstood in what you meant. If these were your children you would demand justice So do same for them.

The type of hoe it was a ten a penny lying around places like KT. There is construction permanently going on not just around AC bar but all over the island. The hoe they use is seen all over KT (and Thailand) and used to mix cement.

[2fishin2]

Everyday more and more the new junta's attitude and words are playing out what he is really like a xenophobic dictator who speaks before he thinks. His comments were something I did not think a ruler in modern society would ever say. But this is Thailand.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[spidermike007]

In Malaysia, crimes committed by Malaysians on tourists, are punished harder than a Malaysian on Malaysian crime, because it is considered a not only a crime against the individual but also against national interests. In Thailand, my impression is that crimes on tourists and foreigners committed by Thais, are hardly punished at all. The jet ski operators in Phuket who used weapons to beat up a customer and got away with a fine. Cases like this will embolden some Thais to commit crimes on tourists because they know they can get away off easy. For the visitors, they should know that they can't get justice in Thailand unless it's a high profile case. This attitude has to change immediately, if Thailand wants to salvage it's tourist industry and image.

Malaysia is a highly functional country, with law and order. Perhaps at some point in the future, Thailand will become one too. But, at the present, it is not. Very little law and order, frankly. And very little in the way of an independent, and honest judiciary too. The jet ski punks just purchase their cooperation. Does anyone do anything about this? Is there any concern at the national level?

[Nickymaster]

On Tuesday, Thai junta chief and prime minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha appeared to call into question the victims' conduct in addition to the perpetrators of the attack.

"We have to look into the behaviour of the other party too because this kind of incident should not happen to anybody and it has affected our image," he told reporters, referring to the two tourists.

Thai authorities were working "swiftly" to find the killers, he added.

The family of David Miller said he had been in Thailand on a "well-deserved break" in between finishing a degree in civil and structural engineering at Leeds University in June and starting a masters.

Miller, a "talented" artist who had been due to leave Thailand on Tuesday, was "hard-working, bright, conscientious, with everything to look forward to", his family said in a statement issued by the British Foreign Office.

"We all adored him," the statement read. "He will be sorely, sorely missed."

Koh Tao, home to stunning white sand beaches and azure waters, is popular with divers but is smaller and more laid-back than neighbouring Koh Phanga, which draws hordes of backpackers to its hedonistic "full moon" party.

Speaking later, Prayut said Thais must tell "tourists when the safe times are to be outside, we have to help them understand."

If he really said this, one is at a loss for words. So, now it is irresponsible to be outside at night time. A couple can no longer go to the beach at night. Is this really what he is saying? If so, is he admitting that Thailand is unsafe at night? Is he saying that this place has become so unpredictable, that there is now a safe time and an unsafe time, to be outside? What can one say? Looks like he needs a PR person to vet his comments.

I believe Prayuth is trying to say that it is dangerous to have some romance on a beach in the middle of the night. Many desperate workers (people) around who might get aroused by that and might do dangerous things.

That's how i understand it.

Nicky you appear to be the only person who finds the comment of the P.M acceptable.

Stop it stop it stop it Chooookaaaa, stop being mean to the PM, stop misrepresenting him, because Nickymaster would never misrepresent anything about other political figures..............

i am not getting it guys. In an investigation the behavior of the victims is not important? We shouldn't be looking at that? That's all it is. Investigate and see how this can be possibly prevented. Am i saying that murdering people is ok? Am I?

People are always claiming that investigations in Thailand are a joke. If the PM says we have to look at the behavior of everybody you think he says: it is ok to kill people? Right? I don't know who has a crooked brain here.

[SantiSuk]

Do I sense the tide turning against the wanna-be emperor squaddie-general in the expat community?

[aussieinthailand]

deepest sorrow for family and friends,

So the PM has called into question the behavior of the two young people?????

Let me guess, a few drinks, maybe some dancing, singing, laughing joking, and a moonlight walk along a quiet secluded beach,

ok yes, I get it, that's pretty bad behavior isn't it... that is exactly the kind of behavior that would justify or provoke being bludgeoned to death with a garden hoe?

I wonder how this comment is being taken around the world? that's really going to help the tourist industry.

[halloween]

After 10 years living with me, my g/f is used to the behaviour of farangs and quite tolerant of it. When it comes to the subject of sexual intercourse in public, even at night and on a secluded(??) beach, her attitude is "Get a room!" with no area of negotiation. This has nothing to do with her sympathy for young people brutally murdered.

This attitude would probably be even more strongly felt in more conservative circles.

[ColdSingha]

Do I sense the tide turning against the wanna-be emperor squaddie-general in the expat community?

tide turned for me when i saw all the hawkers back on hua hin beach a week after they were kicked off

[ColdSingha]

After 10 years living with me, my g/f is used to the behaviour of farangs and quite tolerant of it. When it comes to the subject of sexual intercourse in public, even at night and on a secluded(??) beach, her attitude is "Get a room!" with no area of negotiation. This has nothing to do with her sympathy for young people brutally murdered.

This attitude would probably be even more strongly felt in more conservative circles.

my wife feels the same, but i thought it best not to point out thailand's underage pregnancy problem and that many of these conceptions were unlikely to have happened under mae and por's roof

[jucel]

Thats one of my worries about living in Thailand,my family or i getting

murdered,then having the bumbling Thai police trying to solve the murder,

its a big surprise that they did not blame the usual suspects,the Burmese,

the Cambodians,maybe they will pick one ,when they cannot find the real

murderer (s)

regards Worgeordie

And then a local copper posting the pictures of your family member on his facebook page to be spread far and wide. That police officer should be sacked immediately!

[crazykopite]

Totally disgusting comment by a world leader into the face of the grieving families. He has probably increased thier grief for blaming thier children for the crime. This man should resign now and issue a formal apology to the families and the world. Mr P.M you have people shaking thier heads in disgust at you and Thailand right around the world because of your sick insensitive and extremely disgusting comment about the death of foreigners.

He is not a world leader he is self installed by organisising a coup just before he was due to retire from the military looks like he has a very comfortable job for the rest of his life and they call this democracy !

[IamNoone88]

The Land of Double Standards.

[NongKhaiKid]

first of all it was a farang no1 suspect,then it was burmese,both have been ruled out,and they are now running out of suspects.

so after the p.m.statement you can see where this is heading.

Where this might be heading is a relevant thought so may I suggest multiple choice answers ?

a ) the actual culprit (s) are actually caught

b ) someone / more than one is / are fitted up for it

c ) it genuinely remains unsolved

d ) a Thai(s) are involved but it is marked Unsolved because ... !

c and d will end up in a cabinet marked ' File and Forget '.

[dickyknee]

Again my condoences to the families and friends of the deceased. Pity to see young lives taken in such a beastly manner.

I suggest that the police start looking at muslim locals in the island. Most of these muslims are intolerant of westerners with no morals having open sex in the public and they could have reacted by the shariah manner of dealing with sitautions . After all thats what the terrorist religion preaches[\b].

I thought the IRA were Catholic.

[gdringjr]

As a former, long-time police investigator involved in many homicide investigations, I don't find the PMs statement of "We have to look into the behaviour of the other party too because this kind of incident should not happen to anybody and it has affected our image," out of line with conducting a thorough investigation.

I would want to know many, many things about the behaviour of the victims including:

1. Who had they associated with over the evening and during their visit to Koh Tao?

2. Did either have a personal relationship with another person who was on the island?

3. Was either the subject of amorous attention of another person?

4. Who were they with immediately before heading to the beach?

5. Had they had a business or transactional dispute while on the island?

6. Did they have any arguments or disagreements with anyone on the night in question?

7. Did they use or attempt to purchase illegal drugs?

8. Were they drinking or intoxicated?

9. And many more.

I don’t interpret the PMs statement about their behavior as necessarily relating to any sexual contact between the two victims. At this stage I don’t even think that sexual contact between the two victims has been forensically established.

Looking into the behavior of the victims and the circumstances of the murder help to establish motive which is the single most important factor in narrowing the scope of an investigation.

Regarding his statement that "it has affected our image", that would be very difficult to argue.

[pkspeaker]

Speaking later, Prayut said Thais must tell "tourists when the safe times are to be outside, we have to help them understand."

Wait, so it's no longer 'safe' to be 'outside' in Thailand at certain 'times', like nighttime? Then why the would tourists want to come here.. it's not safe to be on a resort beach at night.. the whole reason people come to Thailand is because it's supposed to be alot safer then ie. south america. if the nights are no longer safe, even in aresort area, then this country is over as a tourest destination my guess is the murderer is a Thai, and it's one of thise shitbag boat operators down there, the time i went to pp. the boat drivers were and i have heard other stories about their shit, like forcing people to pay them money to use the beach or other criminal rackets..

gdringjr.. the 2 victims were part of 2 separate tourist groups, the man belong to one and the woman belonged to the other, they had met each other while in thailand and the groups were reveling together.. the police already eliminated the victims friends as having anything to do with the murders.. so they are looking for the local person that did the murder, my guess is it's a boat operator as those guys are <deleted>, and they often sleep in their boat or spends nights squatting on the beach.. probably the couple had woken one of them up, or the boat operator tried to hustle money off them and they refused, a fight insued and the murderer killed the woman so there were no witnesses..

[jacko45k]

The country's Prime Minister, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, said: "This should not have happened in Thailand. It will affect our image in the eyes of international countries."

Foolish statement, the image of Thailand is more darkly painted by the antics of locals putting on public shows in upstairs rip-off joints in Patpong.

Sir, you may need say no more than the perpetrators will be brought to justice and punished to the full extent of the law.

[SOTIRIOS]

.....safe or not safe....the time of day or night does not justify the taking of lives...

...they were on vacation....not bothering anyone....

...if so....put up a patrol......or beach curfew.....

..not to mention the degree of violence shown.....absolutely horrific....inhuman.......

[Neeranam]

Again my condoences to the families and friends of the deceased. Pity to see young lives taken in such a beastly manner.

I suggest that the police start looking at muslim locals in the island. Most of these muslims are intolerant of westerners with no morals having open sex in the public and they could have reacted by the shariah manner of dealing with sitautions . After all thats what the terrorist religion preaches.

Rubbish.

In m second last day as a Brit, I think we should be happy that the police try to solve crimes where we have been the victim. There was a death of a Burmese near my house recently the police aren't even trying t find the killer.

Pangan has always been a dangerous place, even before the moon parties, i remember there were foreigner beheaded by swords when I was there.

Walking or doing things on a beach in most parts of the world is a dangerous thing to do. Thailand, it is foolish.

[wilcopops]

It sounds like the PM was saying that they should have known not to go down to the beach at that time of night.

so is it common knowledge that the beaches of Thailand are "no-go" areas late at night? If so why aren't the authorities either taking steps or publicising this?